Government and Politics of Venezuela

Government Type

federal republic

Administrative Divisions

23 states (estados, singular - estado), 1 federal district* (distrito federal), and 1 federal dependency** (dependencia federal); Amazonas, Anzoategui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas, Bolivar, Carabobo, Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Dependencias Federales**, Distrito Federal*, Falcon, Guarico, Lara, Merida, Miranda, Monagas, Nueva Esparta, Portuguesa, Sucre, Tachira, Trujillo, Vargas, Yaracuy, Zulia

Legal System

based on organic laws as of July 1999; open, adversarial court system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years; reduced to five years in the case of applicants from Spain, Portugal, Italy, or a Latin American or Caribbean country

Executive Branch

Acting Pres. Delcy RODRIGUEZ Gomez Executive Vice Pres. Delcy RODRIGUEZ Gomez Min. of Borders Gerardo IZQUIERDO Torres, Maj. Gen. Min. of Communes & Social Movements Angel PRADO Min. of Communications & Information Miguel Angel PEREZ Pirela Min. of Culture Raul CAZAL Min. of Defense Gustavo GONZALEZ Lopez, Gen. Min. of Ecological Mining Development Hector SILVA Min. of Economy & Finance Anabel PEREIRA Fernandez Min. of Ecosocialism Freddy NANEZ Min. of Education Hector RODRIGUEZ Min. of the Elderly Magally VINA Gutierrez Min. of Electricity Rolando ALCALA Min. of Fisheries & Aquaculture Juan Carlos LOYO Min. of Food Carlos LEAL Telleria Min. of Foreign Affairs Yvan GIL Pinto Min. of Foreign Trade Johann ALVAREZ Marquez Min. of Habitat & Housing Paola POSANI Min. of Health Nuramy GUTIERREZ Min. of Hydrocarbons Paula HENAO Min. of Indigenous Peoples Clara VIDAL Min. of Commerce, Industry, & National Production Luis VILLEGAS Min. of Interior, Justice & Peace Diosdado CABELLO Rondon Min. of Labor Carlos Alexis CASTILLO Min. of the Office of the Presidency & Govt. Performance Monitoring Juan ESCALONA Min. of Penitentiary Services Julio Garcia ZERPA Min. of Planning Ricardo MENENDEZ Prieto Min. of Productive Agriculture & Lands Vladimir PADRINO Lopez Min. of Public Works Juan Jose RAMIREZ Min. of Science, Technology, & Innovation Gabriela JIMENEZ Ramirez Min. of Sports Franklin CARRILLO Min. of Tourism Daniella CABELLO Contreras Min. of Transportation Francisco GARCES Min. of University Education Ana Maria SANJUAN Min. of Water Carlos Guillermo MAST Yustiz Min. of Women & Gender Equality Yelitze SANTAELLA Min. of Youth Sergio LOTARTARO Attorney Gen. Larry DEVOE Chief, Capital District Govt. Nahum FERNANDEZ Pres., Central Bank Luis Alberto PEREZ Gonzalez Permanent Representative to the UN, New York Coromoto GODOY Calderon

Legislative Branch

unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (167 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; three seats reserved for the indigenous peoples of Venezuela) elections: last held 4 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - pro-government 167 (MVR 114, PODEMOS 15, PPT 11, indigenous 2, other 25), opposition 0

Judicial Branch

Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Tribuna Suprema de Justicia (magistrates are elected by the National Assembly for a single 12-year term)

Political Parties

Christian Democrats or COPEI [Eduardo FERNANDEZ]; Democratic Action or AD [Jesus MENDEZ Quijada]; Fifth Republic Movement or MVR [Hugo CHAVEZ]; Homeland for All or PPT [Jose ALBORNOZ]; Justice First [Julio BORGES]; Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Hector MUJICA]; Venezuela Project or PV [Henrique SALAS Romer]; We Can or PODEMOS [Ismael GARCIA]

Head of State

President Hugo Chavez Frias

Head of Government

President Hugo Chavez Frias

Cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

Elections

president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for unlimited reelection); election last held on 3 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2012) note: in 1999, a National Constituent Assembly drafted a new constitution that increased the presidential term to six years; an election was subsequently held on 30 July 2000 under the terms of this constitution; in 2009, a national referendum approved the elimination of term limits on all elected officials, including the presidency

Election Results

Hugo CHAVEZ Frias reelected president; percent of vote - Hugo CHAVEZ Frias 62.9%, Manuel ROSALES 36.9%

Constitution

30-Dec-99

Independence

5 July 1811 (from Spain)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 5 July (1811)

International Organization Participation

CAN, Caricom (observer), CDB, FAO, G-3, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic Representation in the U.S.

chief of mission: Ambassador Bernardo ALVAREZ Herrera chancery: 1099 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 342-2214 FAX: [1] (202) 342-6820 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

U.S. Diplomatic Representation

chief of mission: Ambassador William R. BROWNFIELD embassy: Calle F con Calle Suapure, Urbanizacion Colinas de Valle Arriba, Caracas 1080 mailing address: P. O. Box 62291, Caracas 1060-A; APO AA 34037 telephone: [58] (212) 975-9234, 975-6411 FAX: [58] (212) 975-8991

Capital City

Caracas

Location

10 29 N, 66 52 W

Time Difference

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

History

named for the native Caracas tribe that originally settled in the city's valley site near the Caribbean coast

U.S. Embassy Caracas Calle Suapure and Calle F Colinas de Valle Arriba Caracas, Venezuela Telephone: 58-212-975-6411 Emergency after-hours telephone: 58-212-907-8400 Facsimile: 58-212-907-8199 In addition to the Embassy, there is a United States consular agency located in Maracaibo, Venezuela. U.S. Consular Agency Maracaibo Calle 77 (5 de Julio) Con Avenida 3F No. 3F-13 Sector Valle Frio Maracaibo, Venezuela Telephone: 58-261-200-0600, 58-261-718-0843 or 58-261-718-0845. Fax: 58-261-792-9674

Military Branches

Bolivarian National Armed Forces (Fuerza Armada Nacional Bolivariana, FANB): Bolivarian Army (Ejercito Bolivariano, EB), Bolivarian Navy (Armada Bolivariana, AB; includes marines, Coast Guard), Bolivarian Military Aviation (Aviacion Militar Bolivariana, AMB; includes a joint-service Aerospace Defense Command (Comando de Defensa Aeroespacial Integral, CODAI), Bolivarian Militia (Milicia Bolivariana), Bolivarian National Guard (Guardia Nacional Bolivaria, GNB) Bolivarian National Police (Policía Nacional Bolivariana, PNB) includes the Special Action Forces (Fuerzas de Acciones Especiales, FAES) (2022) note 1: the Bolivarian Militia was added as a "special component" to the FANB in 2020; it is comprised of armed civilians who receive periodic training in exchange for a small stipend note 2: the National Guard is responsible for maintaining public order, guarding the exterior of key government installations and prisons, conducting counter-narcotics operations, monitoring borders, and providing law enforcement in remote areas; it reports to both the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Interior, Justice, and Peace note 3: the PNB's FAES paramilitary unit was created by President MADURO after the 2017 anti-government protests to bolster internal security; it has been accused of multiple human rights abuses

Service Age and Obligation

18-30 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; 30-month conscript service obligation; Navy requires 6th-grade education for enlisted personnel; all citizens of military service age (18-60 years old) are obligated to register for military service