From Perez to Caldera (1974-1999)

By: Veronica Guerra, Isabella Sarmiento, Luisania Brito, Andrea Salazar, and Maria Luisa Cepeda

Introduction• The period of democracy was divided

in two major stages: First was the fall of Perez Jimenez until the first government of Caldera, which was characterized by the establishment of democracy as a system. The second one begins with the first judiciary of Perez and it ended with Caldera second government.

Carlos Andres Perez (1974-1979)

• He was born on October 27th, 1922 in Rubio, Tachira.

• In 1938 he signed up for the PDN (Posteriormente AD).

• He was expelled from the country during the dictatorship of Perez Jimenez and then came back.

• He served as Minister in Internal Relations during Betancourt’s government.

• He was President of the Republic twice, however he did not finish his last term.

Governmental Works• General increase of salaries and

minimum wage fixing.• Creation of the scholarship plans of

Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho.• Reforma de la Ley de Impuesto sobre

la Renta, which exempted the payment to those earning less than Bs. 2000.

• Setting of prices of articles of prime necessity.

Governmental Works• Creation of Fondo de Inversiones de

Venezuela (FIV)• The release of farm debts and granting

new credit to rural producers.• Investment in iron, steel and aluminum

industries.• Nationalization of the iron and petroleum.• Extension of economical benefits of Social

Security for disability, old age, partial disability, and death.

• Creation of Insitituto Nacional de La Vivienda (INAVI).

Governmental Works• Signing of the Treaties of Delimitation of

Marine and Submarine Areas with the U.S. and the Netherlands, and Amazon Cooperation with Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru and Suriname.

• Rising oil prices caused by OPEC won an unexpected abundance of resources (133,623,000 dollars).

Political Opposition• The abundance of state resources, the support

of some political forces and increased wages gave the government a solid base of support. The government had no opposition until they became public acts of corruption.

• The Venezuelan government made donations to other countries in the world, like the boat they gave to Bolivia.

• Unhappy with the government the electorate favored Herrera Campins in the December elections of 1978.

Herrera Campins (1979-1984)

• He was born on May 4th, 1925 in Acarigua, Portuguesa.

• He studied law in Spain. • Ventured into journalism and politics.• He founded the Fraccion Juvenil de Copei • He won the elections in 1978. He was

president from 1979-1984.• He died in Caracas on November 9th, 2007

Governmental Works• To alleviate the critical economic situation of the

population, the executive took the Congress the General Law of Increased Wages and Salaries, which was approved on November 1979.

• In the following years, international oil prices, which had reached 32 dollars per barrel during the Boom Petrolero, began to fall, causing a revenue.

• Therefore, the government was forced to lose the new loans, which increased the foreign debt to over 36 billion dollars.

• Released the prices of goods and public services.

Governmental Works • The delicate economic situation forced the

government to devalue the currency, which went from 4.30 to 7.50 bolivares per dollar on February 18, 1983, known as the ”Viernes negro.”

• Established Regime de Cambio Diferencial to grant preferential dollars for essential imports

• Continued the process of currency devaluations

Governmental Work• During Luis Herrera’s government there were many

constructions:- First part of the Caracas’ subway- Complejo Cultural Teresa Carreño- Museo de los Niños- Parque Naciones Unidas

• Education: It was mandatory for all schools to have 9 grades, paramilitary classes, student insurance and a single uniform.

• Creation of Ministerio para el Desarollo de la Inteligencia, which started the project “Aprender a Pensar”, and banned the publicity of cigarettes and liquor on television

Governmental Works • The Ley Organica de Regimen was

promulgated, which resized the role of organized communities.

• Produced a constitutional amendment to authorize the realization of the second separated elections to get councilors.

• Because of the conflicts in Central America, Venezuela participated in the international solutions

Political Opposition • The opposition attacked the government for their

acts of administrative corruption made by officials of diverse organizations and the Banco de los Trabajadores de Venezuela.

• On the other hand it was considered that the exterior politics of the government supported the idea of incorporating the president of the United States into Central America’s conflicts between the east and west.

• All this led to the defeat of the ruling party in elections of December 1993, in which Jaime Lusinchi won the elections.

Jaime Lusinchi (1984-1989)

• He was born on May 27th, 1924 in Clarines, Anzoategui.

• He graduated as a surgeon in UCV. • During the Perez Jimenez

dictatorship he lived in exile and confronted la Direccion Nacional de AD.

• In 1983 he won the presidential elections

Governmental Works• From the start of term, and his

cabinet Lusinchi austerity policies implemented administrative, control of public spending and debt payments.

• In the early years of management, the government refinanced debt and pledged to pay 26 billion dollars to creditor banks.

Governmental Works• Venezuela did not join the other Latin

American countries to renegotiate external debt, but preferred to negotiate directly with international banks.

• However this was unfavorable, since the quotas were set very high.

• His government decree was the increase of minimum wage on transportation and compensatory. Improving the salaries of the workers, were affected by the increase of prices on necessities.

Governmental Works• Accomplishments: - The construction of the Oriente Road- Urbanization of Juan Pablo II- Ruta del Metro de Caracas- Construction of the dam in the

Turimiquire River, which brings water to Margarita Island and the northeast region.

Governmental Works• The oil prices began to drop until each barrel of

oil started costing 18 dollars. This lead a crisis because the national economy depended on the oil industry.

• During the economical and social crisis of 1958 the Comision para la Reforma del Estado was created by Ramon J. Velasquez.

• One of the recommendations of the Copre was to reform the electoral law, which permitted the direct election of Governors and mayors with the exception of the Federal District Governor

Political Opposition• The opposition parties criticized the

government's obsession with the foreign debt to the banks, while Latin American countries were having many problems.

• The opponents were the workers, unemployed, and students that made numerous manifestations.

• On December 1988 Carlos Andres Perez (AD candidate) was reelected, followed by Eduardo Fernandez (COPEI).