Hugo Chávez’s Presidency: A Timeline of Key Events
2000 Elections
The general election of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela was held on July 30, 2000. This was the third election under the new constitution of Venezuela adopted in 1999, the first for elected office (the former were a referendum). It was simultaneously the presidential election for head of state, in turn with the regional elections, municipal and parliamentary elections for this reason they are popularly known as “mega-elections”.
In these elections, Hugo Chávez, president of the republic in office, is reelected for the period (January 10, 2001 – January 10, 2007), elections held just a year and a half after the initial presidential term, rather than the past five ancient years (1999-2004) established under the Constitution of Venezuela of 1961 but with the approval of the New Constitution of Venezuela in 1999 by Referendum December 15, 1999 elections are called for reelegitimar all elected offices in compliance with established in the new constitution, a new presidential term of 6 years beginning the following January 10.
Hugo Chávez 2001-2007
2001: Year of the Enabling Laws
Two major groups of enabling laws were set by President Hugo Chávez between 1999 and 2001. These include tax laws, the elimination of some agencies, the modernization of administrative procedures and relationships between the state and the private sector. During this year, President Hugo Chávez also specifically the establishment of microfinance, as well as laws governing the private sector’s production activities. Likewise, reforms and the Hydrocarbons Law establishes the Bank of Economic and Social Development of Venezuela. It thus takes over the oil industry as a company belonging to the nation.
2002: Year of the Anti-Imperialist Resistance
The year 2002 was marked by the coup generated from the call to boycott work promoted by the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Production Associations of Venezuela (Fedecamaras). That outcome was to call the events on 11, 12 and 13 April of that year, when the opposition groups that the government failed in its attempt to permanently remove from office the first national leader, under the actions of military groups loyal to the government and most popular, brought back to Hugo Chávez Frías presidential command.
2003: Year of Victory Counteroffensive Revolutionary Anti-Imperialist
The decision, courage and firmness of President Hugo Chávez Frías are crucial to succeed in joining the sovereign people and its military forces, the pitfall of unprecedented proportions that represented the imperialist attack perpetrated against Venezuela. Despite the oil sabotage, in 2003 PDVSA increased its profits by 1.5 billion, achieving a saving of 3,100 million.
2004: Year of the Revolutionary People’s Great Victory
On 15 August 2004 may be considered one of the dates of highest significance in the recent political history. At that time, and for the first time in our nation, takes place a referendum to assess the governance of the President. The result of that event of participatory democracy was a resounding victory for the approval of the presidential term of President Hugo Chávez Frías, marking thus a milestone in national history, continental and global levels, to become the first Head of State that undergo this type of specific consultation in the world.
2005: Year of the Leap Forward, to the Construction of the XXI Century Socialism
During this year the government of President Hugo Chávez Frías was able to position and expand the influence of social missions. These massive programs contributed to the birth of the new institutions and new social vision underlying the revolutionary process as emergent structures that give shape to an institutional viability where many organizations go beyond the exclusive areas of competence to achieve a common goal.
2006: Year of Popular Participation
The year 2006 brought a new opportunity to reaffirm both democratic legitimacy, as the importance and extension of the Simón Bolívar Project 2000. This was found with the popular victory gained by President Hugo Chávez in the elections on 3 December this year.
Similarly, during this period, the Bolivarian government activity did inaugurate a series of infrastructure projects aimed at improving the physical conditions of several cities and the increase in the loan quality of public services to the whole society through such works and support social missions.
Oil Strike of 2002-2003
The political events known as the oil strike of 2002-2003, also called National Strike and General Strike consisted of a strike or work stoppage and general economic and indefinite against the government of Venezuela headed by Hugo Chávez, promoted mainly by the employers Fedecamaras and supported by the directive; higher rate workers, payroll and daily retail company Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), the opposition parties grouped together in the coalition Democratic Coordinator, the Union Confederation of Workers of Venezuela (CTV), various political organizations like Sumate and even private media press, radio and television. The strike lasted from December 2002 until February 2003, one of the longest general strike in history. For the supporters of President Chavez sectors, this event is called “Oil sabotage “or” oil shocks “, while in the opposition sectors has been called” National Civic Strike. “
The 2004 Presidential Recall Referendum
This 15 August, the Venezuelan star in a new process in the country: the Presidential Recall Referendum.
Met all the requirements under the Electoral and supported by the law that gives the new Constitution adopted in 1999, the citizens of Venezuela, may, within and outside its territory, in a few days to evaluate the current management of President Hugo Chavez Frias.
“The way to make a momentous decision? with a simple NO or YES. However, the process has not been that simple.
Many obstacles have been overcome for the realization of the Presidential Recall Referendum: marches LF, various protest actions, many days to collect signatures in the light of changing rules and even objections of those same firms have been required. Also, in support of this electoral process, have passed long sessions of negotiations between the parties under the auspices of the OAS and Carter Center, but that did not stop the daily life of tear gas, the detention of dozens of prisoners, many wounded and to loss of human lives.
Until a new arbitrator had to appoint special inland from the Supreme Court, but key role played by the international observation.
Venezuela’s Regional Elections, 2004
were held on 31 October. Unos 14 million Venezuelans should elect governors in 22 states of Venezuela, the mayors of 332 municipalities and the mayors of two districts, including the Capital District. The abstention rate was 54.27%, an increase of 24.5% compared to the last election of this type (43.6%)
Campaign and Preparations
The elections had originally been announced for late September, but the National Electoral Council changed the date citing technical difficulties.
In these elections, the OAS did not participate as international observers.
The campaign was organized by the ruling Maisanta Command, and its objectives were drawn triple the number of municipalities in their power, which in the last elections were a hundred.
Participation
Candidates supported by President Hugo Chávez won a clear victory to win 20 of the 22 governorates in dispute. So too did the vast majority of mayors.
In these elections, the ruling party Movimiento V República and its ally we can resort to the use of so-called “postcards brunettes. This technique, first used by Eduardo Lapi Convergence in 2000, is to encourage voters to cast their ballots supporter ratings and votes on two different cards list. Thus, parties that have these cards can access more number of charges than they would have received if the voter has voted and rated list on a card. In this election, thanks to “brunettes,” despite having only 48.6% of the vote, Chavez supporters were able to occupy 74.8% of charges involved
.
Consencuencias and reactions
The Venezuelan opposition was weakened by this consultation, losing 6 of the 8 governorates verification. He also lost the majority of the 220 mayors who won in 2000. President Chavez said the opposition “had dug his own grave ‘to have persisted in their statements of fraud in the last referendum. He also proclaimed the start of a new phase of “deepening the Bolivarian revolution.”
The government candidates won 270 mayors, 83% of the national total.
National Assembly 2005
The second Venezuelan National Assembly was elected in the
2005 parliamentary elections. After the call to the abstention of the Venezuelan opposition, the elected National Assembly was composed entirely of officers, of the 167 deputies elected only two seats had not been granted by the Alliance for Change party formed by Revolutionary MVR, Podemos, PPT , PCV, UVE, UPV, MEP, among others, being the members of their parties and FUNDACIDI Amarisa alone in having achieved his position without the coalition. The party who participated as Vee electoral platform that won 4 seats, to start parliament sessions were added to the MVR.