Chronography of Venezuela
Page last modified 20 August
2023
See also South America (other individual South
American States also linked from here)
Graphic of Latin America 2010-19
socio-political
7 March 2019, An extended power outage lasting for several days
hit Venezuela.
4 March 2019, Juan Guaido returned to
Venezuela. He was not arrested by Maduro.
28 January 2019, The US Government announced sanctions on
Venezuela�s State-owned oil company, PDVSA. This move was intended to restrict
the oil revenues of President Nicolas Maduro,
and strengthen the opposition led by Juan Guaido. The ultimate
aim was to force an election in Venezuela. Under the sanctions, companies can
continue to trade but payments are held in an account that is blocked to Maduro.
23 January 2019, Venezuela teetered in the brink of civil
war as crowds demonstrated in favour of Juan Guido, who they held
had won the recent elections. However the incumbent President, Nicolas
Maduro, refused to relinquish power. The US, along with the UK,
France, Germany and rightist countries in South America, including Brazil,
demanded that Maduro call new elections within 8 days, or else
they would recognise Guido, not Maduro, as President.
Venezuela,
despite being oil-rich, has suffered economic catastrophe and deep poverty
since Hugo Chavez became
leader in 1998.
Chavez took on a country that, although overall middle-income, was plagued by severe
inequality. Chavez drove through a �Bolivarian Revolution�,
using oil money to bypass Parliament and enforce, from 1999, a new
Constitution. However Chavez died of cancer in
2013 and was succeeded by his Foreign Minister, Nicolas Maduro.
Meanwhile by 2010 Venezuelan reforms had
begun to stall as the world oil price fell, and the lack of democratic
accountability fostered inefficiency and corruption. Furthermore, Maduro
lacked the charisma of Chavez; he compensated for
this by stifling dissent and packing government functions, including the
judiciary, with his own supporters. Maduro also cancelled
reforms he disliked, such as the freeing of political prisoners.
In May 2018,
in an attempt to consolidate his power, Maduro called Presidential elections; these were dismissed by
the US, the UN, the EU and the Organisation of American States as being rigged. Most Venezuelans are
believed to back Guido; however the Army is still behind Maduro
(although there have been a few minor military mutinies). Military leaders
still (2019) control key sectors including mining, oil, and food distribution.
Russia supports Maduro, in a country just three hours flying
time from Miami, but there may be a US clandestine presence also in Venezuela.
21 August 2018, Venezuela, in the grip of hyperinflation,
introduced a new �Sovereign Bolivar� at a rate of 1 to 100,000 old Bolivars.
Venezuelans were limited to withdrawing just 10 Sovereign Bolivars a day, worth
about 12p. A cup of coffee cost 25 Sovereign Bolivars at this time. The
Venezuelan Minimum Wage, which stood at 3 million Bolivars (30 Sovereign
Bolivars), was on 24 August 2018 raised 60x to 1,800 Sovereign Bolivars,
equivalent to 30 US$.
5/2018, Maduro won a
second term as President. However the election was boycotted by the opposition,
and tainted by accusations of vote-rigging.
3/2017, Protests against Maduro�s
plans for a �constituent assembly;, with powers to overrule the
opposition-controlled Parliament.
12/2015, An opposition coalition
gained control of Parliament, ending 16 uears of control by the Socialist Party
4/2013, A month after Hugo
Chavez died, Maduro was elected
President by a narrow margin. The election result was disputed.
4 December 2006, Hugo Chavez was re-elected as President of
Venezuela in a landslide victory.
1998, Hugo Chavez, a former army officer, was elected President of Venezuela, defeating
the Social Christian Party. Chavez was a leftist, admirer of Fidel Castro, and chose Maduro to succeed him.
23 December 1997, Venezuelan terrorist Carlos the Jackal was sentenced to life imprisonment, after being arrested in Sudan.
1993, Andres Perez was ousted on charges of corruption. Caldera
Rodriguez was relected, as social unrest
grew.
4 February 1992, Venezuelan Lieutenant-Colonel Hugo Chavez, originating from a poor background, founded the Revolutionary
Bolivarian Movement (MRB). Named after Venezuela�s independence hero, Simon Bolivar, the MRB sought to overthrow the Venezuelan Government. On this
day MRB-affiliated Army units entered Caracas and attempted a coup.
However at the end of a day the coup had failed and Chavez was in prison.
Nevertheless, the coup attempt made Chavez a folk hero amongst the poor and he went on to win the Presidential
election of 1998.
3 March 1990, Venezuela suspended foreign debt repayments
following widespread rioting.
28 February 1989, Venezuelan
President Peres faced food riots as
prices rose; 1,500 died in Caracas food riots, and martial law was declared.
The poor were suffering under an austerity
programme.
1988, Carlos Andrfes
Peres, Democratic Action Party,
won elections. Venezuela was forced to take out an IMF loan, entailing
austerity measures.
1983, Jaime Lusinchi,
Democratic Action Party, won
elections. The world oil price fell sharply, and
welfare spending was cut, causing social unrest.
1978, The Social
Christian Party won elections. Lui
Herrera Campins pursued disastrous economic policies.
1973, Venezuela nationalised its oil and steel
industries.
2 January 1973, Eleazar L�pez Contreras, President of
Venezuela 1935�1941, died aged 89.
1969, Rafael
Caldera Rodriguez, Social Christian
Party, became President. He continued the policies of Raul Leoni.
1966, Unsuccesful coup attempt by supporters of the
former President, Perez Jimenez.
1963, Raul Leoni
was elected President for the Democratic Action
Party; first ever democratic transfer of power in Venezuela.
Betancourt Presidency,
1960-63 (also 1945-48)
1962, Left-wing guerrillas
attempted a �Cuban-style� revolution in
Venezuela, but failed to gain popular support.
1 January 1976, Venezuela nationalised its
oil industry.
2 July 1961, Venezuelan President Romulo Betancourt laid the
foundation stone of the new city of Sao Tome de Guyana, describing it as �The
future Ruhr of Venezuela�.
1960, Venezuela became a
founder-member of OPEC.
20 April 1960, Rebels led by General Jose
Maria Castro Leon seized control of the Venezuelan state of T�chira,
and tried unsuccessfully� to persuade
other military garrisons to revolt against the government of President
Romulo Betancourt. The uprising was quickly put down.
1959, Romulo Betancourt was
inaugurated as President of Venezuela.
7 December 1958, Romulo Betancourt was elected
President of Venezuela
23 January 1958, Major rebellion against Jimenez�s
rule in Venezuela. There was a General Strike, and the armed forces turned
against Jimenez.
He fled to the USA
with some US$ 200 million of State money, but was extradited to Venezuela in
1963, where he was sentenced to 4 years in prison. Admiral Larrazabal became leader
in a military coup. An anti-Communist campaign began.
21 January 1958, General strike began in Venezuela.
1 January 1958, In Venezuela, the regime of President
Marcos Perez Jimenez (born 1914) was accused of corruption, police
brutality, and excessive spending on construction of public works and tourist
hotels.
1957, Following a dubious
plebiscite, Jimenez
declared himself President for a further five years.
1952, Following the military
coup of 1948, General
Marcos Perez Jimenez became dictator in Venezuela. Political
opponents were imprisoned, tortured and murdered by the feared National
Security Police. The press was censored and universities closed down. Oil
revenue was diverted from health and education to build huge unnecessary public
works
1948, Military coup in
Venezuela, ending a period of democracy that began in 1945.
18 October 1945, In Venezuela, a coup by the Leftist Action
Democratica Party. Romulo Betancourt (1908-81) was installed as
President
18
December 1935,
President
Gomez of Venezuela died, aged 78. He had been dictator for 26 years,
over which period Venezuela had become a major oil producer.
14
December 1922,
Royal Dutch Shell struck oil near Lake Maracaibo.
Financial
claims on Venezuela from damage to foreign assets there
22 February 1904, Monday (-15,051) The Hague
Tribunal ruled against Venezuela and set the sums to be paid to Britain,
Germany and Italy.
20 December 1902, Italy also made financial
claims on Venezuela. US President Roosevelt was asked by all
parties to mediate.
19 December 1909, Juan Gomez
seized power in Venezuela. He later developed the oil industry, and Venezuela
became a major oil producer.
13 February 1903, Venezuela
came to an agreement with its creditors to submit the case for arbitration at
The JHague.
19 December 1902, Venezuela
defaulted on repayments on loans taken out to pay for infrastructure
improvements.
17 December 1902, Britain
agreed to arbitration over its financial claims on Venezuela.
13 December 1902, British
and German warships began bombarding the Venezuelan forts at Puerto Bello.
7 December 1902, Britain
and Germany demanded that President Cipriano Castro Venezuela pay for damages
caused to their assets within the country during his takeover in 1899. When
Cipriano failed to comply, British and German warships blockaded the port of
Caracas.
12 August 1902, Foreign
embassies were attacked in Caracas, Venezuela.
1900, Venezuelan involvement in Colombian civil
conflict, See
Colombia
1870, Antonio Guzman Blanco came to power. He began
a new railway system, also develoiping agriculture and education.
Gran Colombia formed, disintegrated
22 September 1830, Venezuela
became an independent sovereign State.
1830, Gran Colombia disintegrated. Jose Antonio Paez ruled
Venezuela, with control effectively by the coffee-growers.
1819, A congress at Angostura established Gran Colombia, which included
Venezuela, Gran Colombia (Colombia and Panama) and Ecuador.
Fight for independence under Bolivar
30 August 1821, Simon Bolivar was
named President of Venezuela.
24/6/1821, Simon Bolivar defeated
a Spanish army at Carabobo, Venezuela.
1816, Simon Bolivar returned to Venezuela, and set
up a capital at Angostura (now called Ciudad Bolivar).
1 January 1814, Simon Bolivar became President of Venezuela.
6 August 1813. Simon Bolivar marched into Caracas, Venezeula. However he
was ousted by Spanish forces in 1814.
7 July 1813, Venezuela achieved independence from Spain
for the second time, with Simon Bolivar as virtual dictator.
31 July 1812, Spanish forces recaptured
Venezuela. Francisco
de Miranda, leader of the anti-Spanish revolution, was arrested.
5 July 1811, Venezuela
proclaimed its independence from Spain.
Venezuela took advantage of Napoleon�s occupation of Spain. However Spain regained control in 1812.
22 May 1810, Popular revolt against Spanish rule in the
vice-royalty of New Granada.
19 April 1810, Under the influence of
South American revolutionary Simon Bolivar, the Venezuelan junta� revoked allegiance to Napoleonic Spain,
supporting instead the hereditary Spanish monarch, Ferdinand VII.
1806, Simon Bolivar began the War of
Liberation against Spain. This lasted until 1821, by which time 25% of the
Venezuelan population had died.
12 March 1806, Francesco de Miranda started an
independence movement against Spain, raising his red blue and yellow flag.
13 June 1790, Jose Antonio Paez, President of
Venezuela, was born (died 6 May 1873 in New York, USA)
24 July 1783, Simon Bolivar, South American revolutionary and liberator of South America from Spanish
colonial rule, was born in Caracas,
capital of Venezuela.
1777, Venezuela became a
Captaincy-Geneeral within the Spanish Vice-Royalty of New Granada.
1567, Caracas was founded, as
Santiago de Leon de Caracas, by Diego de Losada.
8 September 1529, The city
of Maracaibo, Venezuela, was founded
by Ambrosius
Ehinger.
1498, Christopher Columbus sighted the
delta of the Orinoco River, eastern Venezuela.