Music television
119-414: Parang is a popular folk music originating from Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago that was brought to Trinidad and Tobago by Venezuelan migrants who were primarily of Amerindian , Spanish , Mestizo , Pardo , and African heritage, something which is strongly reflected in the music itself. The word is derived from two Spanish words: parranda , meaning "a spree”, and parar meaning "to stop". In
238-401: A 1999 Constituent Assembly , where a new Constitution of Venezuela was imposed. The government's populist social welfare policies were bolstered by soaring oil prices, temporarily increasing social spending, and reducing economic inequality and poverty in the early years of the regime. However, poverty began to rapidly increase in the 2010s. The 2013 Venezuelan presidential election
357-429: A recession , and in 2015, had the world's highest inflation, surpassing 100%. In 2017, Donald Trump 's administration imposed more economic sanctions against PDVSA and Venezuelan officials. Economic problems, as well as crime, were the causes of the 2014–present Venezuelan protests . Since 2014, roughly 5.6 million people have fled Venezuela . In January 2016, Maduro decreed an "economic emergency", revealing
476-469: A veto , the power to pardon crimes, authority over foreign policy, authority to command the military as the Commander-in-chief , and authority over advisors and employees of the executive branch. Separation of powers is sometimes held up as an advantage, in that each branch may scrutinize the actions of the other. This is in contrast with a parliamentary system, where the majority party in
595-561: A 1999 constituent assembly to write a new Constitution. The Revolution refers to a left-wing populism social movement and political process led by Chávez, who founded the Fifth Republic Movement in 1997 and the United Socialist Party of Venezuela in 2007. The "Bolivarian Revolution" is named after Simón Bolívar . According to Chávez and other supporters, the "Bolivarian Revolution" sought to build
714-419: A clean slate and his political rights reinstated, allowing Chávez to win and maintain the presidency continuously from 1999 until his death in 2013. Chávez won the elections of 1998, 2000, 2006 and 2012 and the presidential referendum of 2004. A collapse in confidence in the existing parties led to Hugo Chávez being elected president in 1998 and the subsequent launch of a "Bolivarian Revolution", beginning with
833-662: A form of vocal music indigenous to Trinidad, influenced by Indian rhythms and sometimes sung in Hindustani . This fusion forms chutney parang . Venezuela Venezuela , officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a country on the northern coast of South America , consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea . It comprises an area of 916,445 km (353,841 sq mi), and its population
952-410: A full sovereign country in 1830. During the 19th century, Venezuela suffered political turmoil and autocracy, remaining dominated by regional military dictators until the mid-20th century. From 1958, the country had a series of democratic governments, as an exception where most of the region was ruled by military dictatorships, and the period was characterized by economic prosperity. Economic shocks in
1071-569: A head of government elected by citizens to serve one or more fixed-terms. Fixed-terms are praised for providing a level of stability that other systems lack. Although most parliamentary governments go long periods of time without a no confidence vote, Italy, Israel, and the French Fourth Republic have all experienced difficulties maintaining stability. When parliamentary systems have multiple parties, and governments are forced to rely on coalitions, as they often do in nations that use
1190-677: A heavy dependence on agricultural exports. It prompted a boom that lasted into the 1980s; by 1935, Venezuela's per capita gross domestic product was Latin America's highest. Gómez benefited handsomely from this, as corruption thrived, but at the same time, the new source of income helped him centralize the state and develop its authority. Gómez remained the most powerful man in Venezuela until his death in 1935. The gomecista dictatorship (1935–1945) system largely continued under Eleazar López Contreras , but from 1941, under Isaías Medina Angarita ,
1309-603: A large expeditionary force to come under general Pablo Morillo , with the goal to regain the lost territory in Venezuela and New Granada. As the war reached a stalemate on 1817, Bolívar reestablished the Third Republic of Venezuela on the territory still controlled by the patriots, mainly in the Guayana and Llanos regions. This republic was short-lived as only two years later, during the Congress of Angostura of 1819,
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#17327732218331428-462: A large quantity of fresh water being inside and in such close proximity to salt water; the very mild temperateness also corroborates this; and if the water of which I speak does not proceed from Paradise then it is an even greater marvel, because I do not believe such a large and deep river has ever been known to exist in this world. Spain's colonization of mainland Venezuela started in 1522, establishing its first permanent South American settlement in
1547-455: A legislative item passed. The presidential model is said to discourage this sort of opportunism, and instead forces the executive to operate within the confines of a term they cannot alter to suit their own needs. Unlike in parliamentary systems, the legislature does not have the power to recall a president under the presidential system. However, presidential systems may have methods to remove presidents under extraordinary circumstances, such as
1666-706: A longstanding dispute with Great Britain about the Essequibo territory, which Britain claimed as part of British Guiana and Venezuela saw as Venezuelan territory, erupted into the Venezuela Crisis of 1895 . The dispute became a diplomatic crisis when Venezuela's lobbyist, William L. Scruggs , sought to argue that British behavior over the issue violated the United States ' Monroe Doctrine of 1823, and used his influence in Washington, D.C., to pursue
1785-496: A mass movement to implement Bolivarianism — popular democracy , economic independence, equitable distribution of revenues, and an end to political corruption. They interpret Bolívar's ideas from a populist perspective, using socialist rhetoric. This led to formation of the Fifth Republic of Venezuela , commonly known as the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , that continues to the present day. Venezuela has been considered
1904-486: A mechanism of political innovation. Venezuela decentralized its political system and diversified its economy, reducing the size of the state. COPRE operated as an innovation mechanism, also by incorporating issues into the political agenda, that were excluded from public deliberation by the main actors of the democratic system. The most discussed topics were incorporated into the public agenda: decentralization, political participation, municipalization, judicial order reforms and
2023-595: A much larger pool of potential candidates. This allows presidents the ability to select cabinet members based as much or more on their ability and competency to lead a particular department as on their loyalty to the president, as opposed to parliamentary cabinets, which might be filled by legislators chosen for no better reason than their perceived loyalty to the prime minister. Supporters of the presidential system note that parliamentary systems are prone to disruptive " cabinet shuffles " where legislators are moved between portfolios, whereas in presidential system cabinets (such as
2142-626: A national parang competition. Today, parang is especially vibrant in Trinidad and Tobago communities such as Paramin , Lopinot , and Arima . Traditional parang music includes a variety of song types: Since the 1950s, parang has become more popularised. In the 1980s it evolved into "soca parang", a fusion of soca and parang with lyrics in English . While still festive in nature, the lyrics often refer to North American cultural elements such as Santa Claus . Parang has also been fused with chutney ,
2261-400: A new election". The consistency of a presidency may be seen as beneficial during times of crisis. When in a time of crisis, countries may be better off being led by a president with a fixed term than rotating premierships. Some critics, however, argue that the presidential system is weaker because it does not allow a transfer of power in the event of an emergency. Walter Bagehot argues that
2380-472: A parliamentary system. The presidential system elects a head of government independently of the legislature, while in contrast, the head of government in a parliamentary system answers directly to the legislature. Presidential systems necessarily operate under the principle of structural separation of powers, while parliamentary systems do not; however, the degree of functional separation of powers exhibited in each varies – dualistic parliamentary systems such as
2499-407: A president committing a crime or becoming incapacitated. In some countries, presidents are subject to term limits. The inability to remove a president early is also the subject of criticism. Even if a president is "proved to be inefficient, even if he becomes unpopular, even if his policy is unacceptable to the majority of his countrymen, he and his methods must be endured until the moment comes for
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#17327732218332618-501: A presidential system can produce gridlock when the president and the legislature are in opposition. This rarely happens in a parliamentary system, as the prime minister is always a member of the party in power. This gridlock is common occurrence, as the electorate often expects more rapid results than are possible from new policies and switches to a different party at the next election. Critics such as Juan Linz , argue that in such cases of gridlock, presidential systems do not offer voters
2737-599: A quantitative comparison of the strength of presidential system characteristics for individual countries. Presidentialism metrics include the presidentialism index in V-Dem Democracy indices and presidential power scores. The table below shows for individual countries the V-Dem presidentialism index, where higher values indicate higher concentration of political power in the hands of one individual. Subnational governments may be structured as presidential systems. All of
2856-464: A report documented enforced disappearances that occurred in 2018–19. 724 enforced disappearances of political detainees were reported. The report stated that security forces subjected victims to torture . The report stated the government used enforced disappearances to silence opponents and other critical voices. Maduro ran for a third consecutive term in the 2024 presidential election , while former diplomat Edmundo González Urrutia represented
2975-467: A result of demonstrations by poor Chávez supporters and actions by the military. Chávez remained in power after an all-out national strike that lasted from December 2002 to February 2003 , including a strike/lockout in the state oil company PDVSA . Capital flight before and during the strike led to the reimposition of currency controls . In the subsequent decade, the government was forced into currency devaluations. These devaluations did not improve
3094-411: A semi-presidential system. A pure presidential system may also have mechanisms that resemble those of a parliamentary system as part of checks and balances . The legislature may have oversight of some of the president's decisions through advice and consent , and mechanisms such as impeachment may allow the legislature to remove the president under drastic circumstances. Presidentialism metrics allow
3213-402: A subnational or local level. One example is Japan , where the national government uses the parliamentary system. Non-UN members or observers are in italics. The following countries have presidential systems where the post of prime minister (official title may vary) exists alongside that of the president. The president is still both the head of state and government and the prime minister's role
3332-417: A system of proportional representation , extremist parties can theoretically use the threat of leaving a coalition to further their agendas. Proponents of the presidential system also argue that stability extends to the cabinets chosen under the system. In most parliamentary systems, cabinets must be drawn from within the legislative branch. Under the presidential system, cabinet members can be selected from
3451-439: A unitary executive can give way to a dictatorship. The presidential system is defined by the separation of the executive branch from other aspects of government. The head of government is elected to work alongside, but not as a part of, the legislature. There are several types of powers that are traditionally delegated to the president. Under a presidential system, the president may have the power to challenge legislation through
3570-741: Is Venezuela . Martín Fernández de Enciso , a member of the Vespucci and Ojeda crew, gave a different account. In his work Summa de geografía , he states that the crew found Indigenous peoples who called themselves the Veneciuela. Thus, the name "Venezuela" may have evolved from the native word. Previously, the official name was Estado de Venezuela (1830–1856), República de Venezuela (1856–1864), Estados Unidos de Venezuela (1864–1953), and again República de Venezuela (1953–1999). Evidence exists of human habitation in
3689-565: Is among the most urbanized countries in Latin America; the vast majority of Venezuelans live in the cities of the north and in the capital. The territory of Venezuela was colonized by Spain in 1522 amid resistance from Indigenous peoples. In 1811, it became one of the first Spanish-American territories to declare independence from the Spanish and to form part of the first federal Republic of Colombia ( Gran Colombia ). It separated as
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3808-498: Is entirely located in the tropics over the Equator to around 12° N. Its climate varies from humid low-elevation plains, where average annual temperatures range as high as 35 °C (95.0 °F), to glaciers and highlands (the páramos ) with an average yearly temperature of 8 °C (46.4 °F). Annual rainfall varies from 430 mm (16.9 in) in the semiarid portions of the northwest to over 1,000 mm (39.4 in) in
3927-476: Is in most cases also the head of state . In a presidential system, the head of government is directly or indirectly elected by a group of citizens and is not responsible to the legislature, and the legislature cannot dismiss the president except in extraordinary cases. A presidential system contrasts with a parliamentary system , where the head of government comes to power by gaining the confidence of an elected legislature . Not all presidential systems use
4046-714: Is largely performed around Christmastime, when singers and instrumentalists (collectively known as the parranderos ) travel from house to house in the community, often joined by friends, neighbours, and family, using whatever instruments are at hand. Popular parang instruments include the Venezuelan cuatro (a small, four-string guitar) and maracas (locally known as chac-chacs ). Other instruments often used are violin , guitar , claves (locally known as toc-toc ), box bass (an indigenous instrument), tambourine , mandolin , bandol , caja (a percussive box instrument), and marimbola (an Afro-Venezuelan instrument). In exchange for
4165-458: Is not as strictly enforced in presidential systems. Another stated benefit of the separation of powers is the ability of the legislature to enforce limits on the powers of the executive. In a parliamentary system, if important legislation proposed by the incumbent prime minister and his cabinet is "voted down" by a majority of the members of parliament then it is considered a vote of no confidence . The presidential system has no such mechanism, and
4284-595: Is sometimes the subject of criticism. Dana D. Nelson criticizes the office of the President of the United States as essentially undemocratic and characterizes presidentialism as worship of the president by citizens, which she believes undermines civic participation. British-Irish philosopher and MP Edmund Burke stated that an official should be elected based on "his unbiased opinion, his mature judgment, his enlightened conscience", and therefore should reflect on
4403-614: Is the dominant form of government in the mainland Americas , with 17 of its 22 sovereign states being presidential republics, the exceptions being Canada , Belize , Peru , Guyana and Suriname . It is also prevalent in Central and southern West Africa and in Central Asia . By contrast, there are very few presidential republics in Europe, with Cyprus and Turkey being the only examples. The presidential system has its roots in
4522-409: Is the separation of powers that divides the executive and the legislature. Advocates of presidential systems cite the democratic nature of presidential elections, the advantages of separation of powers, the efficiency of a unitary executive, and the stability provided by fixed-terms. Opponents of presidential systems cite the potential for gridlock, the difficulty of changing leadership, and concerns that
4641-461: The 1947 Venezuelan presidential election (the first free and fair elections in Venezuela). Gallegos governed until overthrown by a military junta led by the triumvirate Luis Felipe Llovera Páez [ es ] , Marcos Pérez Jiménez , and Gallegos' Defense Minister, Carlos Delgado Chalbaud , in the 1948 Venezuelan coup d'état . The most powerful man in the military junta (1948–58)
4760-589: The 1968 election for COPEI, the first time a party other than Democratic Action took the presidency through a democratic election. The new democratic order had its antagonists. Betancourt suffered an attack planned by the Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo in 1960, and the leftists excluded from the Pact initiated an insurgency by organizing themselves into the Armed Forces of National Liberation, sponsored by
4879-481: The 1980s and 1990s led to major political crises and widespread social unrest, including the deadly Caracazo riots of 1989, two attempted coups in 1992 , and the impeachment of a President for embezzlement of public funds charges in 1993. The collapse in confidence in the existing parties saw the 1998 Venezuelan presidential election , the catalyst for the Bolivarian Revolution , which began with
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4998-702: The 2018 election with 68% of the vote. The result was challenged by Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, France and the US who deemed it fraudulent and recognized Juan Guaidó as president. Other countries continued to recognize Maduro, although China, facing financial pressure over its position, began hedging by decreasing loans, cancelling joint ventures, and signaling willingness to work with all parties. In August 2019, Trump imposed an economic embargo against Venezuela. In March 2020, Trump indicted Maduro and Venezuelan officials, on charges of drug trafficking, narcoterrorism , and corruption. In June 2020,
5117-594: The Essequibo area and with Colombia concerning the Gulf of Venezuela . In 1895, after years of diplomatic attempts to solve the border dispute, the dispute over the Essequibo River border flared up. It was submitted to a "neutral" commission (composed of British, American, and Russian representatives and without a direct Venezuelan representative), which in 1899 decided mostly against Venezuela's claim. Venezuela
5236-717: The Indigenous inhabitants . Native caciques (leaders) such as Guaicaipuro ( c. 1530–1568 ) and Tamanaco (died 1573) attempted to resist Spanish incursions, but the newcomers ultimately subdued them. In the 16th century, during the Spanish colonization, indigenous peoples such as the Mariches , themselves descendants of the Kalina, were converted to Roman Catholicism . Some resisting tribes or leaders are commemorated in place names, including Caracas, Chacao and Los Teques . The early colonial settlements focused on
5355-624: The Japanese occupation of Korea , it assisted South Korea in the formation of a presidential government. However, the early years of the South Korean presidency were marked by dictatorial control. At the same time, Indonesia declared independence from the Netherlands in 1945. While it nominally used a presidential system, it was in effect a dictatorship where the president controlled all branches of government. A true presidential system
5474-631: The Maracaibo lowlands in the northwest, the northern mountains extending in a broad east–west arc from the Colombian border along the northern Caribbean coast, the wide plains in central Venezuela, and the Guiana Highlands in the southeast. The northern mountains are the extreme northeastern extensions of South America's Andes mountain range. Pico Bolívar , the nation's highest point at 4,979 m (16,335 ft), lies in this region. To
5593-506: The Unitary Platform ( Spanish : Plataforma Unitaria Democrática ; PUD), the main opposition political alliance. Polls conducted before the election indicated that González would win by a wide margin. After the government-controlled National Electoral Council (CNE) announced partial results showing a narrow Maduro victory on 29 July, world leaders predominantly expressed skepticism of the claimed results and did not recognize
5712-552: The United States Cabinet ), cabinet shuffles are unusual. Some political scientists dispute this concept of stability, arguing that presidential systems have difficulty sustaining democratic practices and that they have slipped into authoritarianism in many of the countries in which they have been implemented. According to political scientist Fred Riggs , presidential systems have fallen into authoritarianism in nearly every country they've been attempted. The list of
5831-638: The Venezuela Crisis of 1902–1903 , in which Britain, Germany and Italy imposed a naval blockade before international arbitration at the new Permanent Court of Arbitration was agreed. In 1908, another dispute broke out with the Netherlands, which was resolved when Castro left for medical treatment in Germany and was promptly overthrown by Juan Vicente Gómez (1908–35). The discovery of massive oil deposits in Lake Maracaibo during World War I proved pivotal for Venezuela and transformed its economy from
5950-490: The Venezuelan refugee crisis in which more than 7.7 million people had fled the country by June 2024. By 2017, Venezuela was declared to be in default regarding debt payments by credit rating agencies . The crisis in Venezuela has contributed to a rapidly deteriorating human rights situation. The 2024 presidential election were not recognized by the Carter Center and Organization of American States due to
6069-480: The aftermath of the announcement of results by the election authorities, protests broke out across the country . Venezuela is located in the north of South America; geologically, its mainland rests on the South American Plate . It has a total area of 916,445 km (353,841 sq mi) and a land area of 882,050 km (340,560 sq mi), making Venezuela the 33rd largest country in
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#17327732218336188-455: The arepa , a staple in Venezuelan cuisine . After the conquest, the population dropped markedly, mainly through the spread of infectious diseases from Europe. Two main north–south axes of pre-Columbian population were present, who cultivated maize in the west and manioc in the east. Large parts of the llanos were cultivated through a combination of slash and burn and permanent settled agriculture. In 1498, during his third voyage to
6307-463: The delegates developed what is now known as the presidential system. Most notably, James Wilson advocated for a unitary executive figure that would become the role of the president. The United States became the first presidential republic when the Constitution of the United States came into force in 1789, and George Washington became the first president under a presidential system. During
6426-779: The 1810s and 1820s, Spanish colonies in the Americas sought independence , and several new Spanish-speaking governments emerged in Latin America . These countries modeled their constitutions after that of the United States, and the presidential system became the dominant political system in the Americas. Following several decades of monarchy , Brazil also adopted the presidential system in 1889 with Deodoro da Fonseca as its first president. Latin American presidential systems have experienced varying levels of stability, with many experiencing periods of dictatorial rule. Following
6545-543: The Americas, Christopher Columbus sailed near the Orinoco Delta and landed in the Gulf of Paria . Amazed by the great offshore current of freshwater which deflected his course eastward, Columbus expressed in a letter to Isabella and Ferdinand that he must have reached Heaven on Earth (terrestrial paradise): Great signs are these of the Terrestrial Paradise... for I have never read or heard of such
6664-476: The Bolivarian Republic following the adoption of the new Constitution of 1999 . Following Chávez's election, Venezuela developed into a dominant-party system , dominated by the United Socialist Party of Venezuela . In April 2002, Chávez was briefly ousted from power in the 2002 Venezuelan coup d'état attempt following popular demonstrations by his opponents, but Chavez returned after two days as
6783-496: The CNE claims with only some exceptions. Both González and Maduro proclaimed themselves winners of the election. The results of the election were not recognized by the Carter Center and Organization of American States due to the lack of granular results, and disputed by the opposition, which claimed a landslide victory and released access to vote tallies collected by poll watchers from a majority of polling centers as proof. In
6902-680: The Communist Party and Fidel Castro . In 1962 they tried to destabilize the military corps, with failed revolts. Betancourt promoted a foreign policy, the Betancourt Doctrine , in which he only recognized elected governments by popular vote. The 1973 Venezuelan presidential election of Carlos Andrés Pérez coincided with an oil crisis , in which Venezuela's income exploded as oil prices soared; oil industries were nationalized in 1976. This led to massive increases in public spending, but also increases in external debts, until
7021-490: The Congress blames the president, and the public remains confused and disgusted with government in Washington". Years before becoming president, Woodrow Wilson famously wrote "how is the schoolmaster, the nation, to know which boy needs the whipping?" Walter Bagehot said of the American system, "the executive is crippled by not getting the law it needs, and the legislature is spoiled by having to act without responsibility:
7140-525: The Granadian army; leading it, he liberated several countries and founded the Republic of Colombia ( Gran Colombia ). Sucre went on to liberate Ecuador and become the second president of Bolivia . Venezuela remained part of Gran Colombia until 1830, when a rebellion led by José Antonio Páez allowed the proclamation of a newly independent Venezuela, on 22 September; Páez became the first president of
7259-490: The Netherlands, Sweden and Slovakia forbid members of the legislature from serving in the executive simultaneously, while Westminster-type parliamentary systems such as the United Kingdom require it. Heads of government under the presidential system do not depend on the approval of the legislature as they do in a parliamentary system (with the exception of mechanisms such as impeachment). The presidential system and
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#17327732218337378-550: The Orinoco Delta of the far east and the Amazonian Jungle in the south. The precipitation level is lower in the period from August through April. These periods are referred to as hot-humid and cold-dry seasons. Another characteristic of the climate is this variation throughout the country by the existence of a mountain range called "Cordillera de la Costa" which crosses the country from east to west. The majority of
7497-869: The Spanish conquest; it has been estimated at one million. In addition to Indigenous peoples known today, the population included groups such as the Kalina (Caribs), Auaké , Caquetio , Mariche , and Timoto–Cuicas . The Timoto–Cuica culture was the most complex society in Pre-Columbian Venezuela, with pre-planned permanent villages, surrounded by irrigated, terraced fields. Their houses were made of stone and wood with thatched roofs. They were peaceful and depended on growing crops. Regional crops included potatoes and ullucos . They left behind art, particularly anthropomorphic ceramics, but no major monuments. They spun vegetable fibers to weave into textiles and mats for housing. They are credited with having invented
7616-462: The Welsers the right to explore, rule and colonize the territory, as well as to seek the mythical golden town of El Dorado . The first expedition was led by Ambrosius Ehinger , who established Maracaibo in 1529. After the deaths of first Ehinger (1533), then Nikolaus Federmann , and Georg von Speyer (1540), Philipp von Hutten persisted in exploring the interior. In absence of von Hutten from
7735-481: The area now known as Venezuela from about 15,000 years ago. Tools have been found on the high riverine terraces of the Rio Pedregal in western Venezuela. Late Pleistocene hunting artifacts, including spear tips, have been found at a similar series of sites in northwestern Venezuela; according to radiocarbon dating , these date from 13,000 to 7,000 BC. It is unknown how many people lived in Venezuela before
7854-413: The arguments for and against certain policies and then do what he believes is best for his constituents and country as a whole, even if it means short-term backlash. Thus defenders of presidential systems hold that sometimes what is wisest may not always be the most popular decision and vice versa. The separation of the executive and the legislature is the key difference between a presidential system and
7973-636: The bipartisanship governments, used the growing anger at economic austerity measures to justify a coup attempt in February 1992 ; a second coup d'état attempt occurred in November . President Carlos Andrés Pérez (re-elected in 1988) was impeached under embezzlement charges in 1993, leading to the interim presidency of Ramón José Velásquez (1993–1994). Coup leader Chávez was pardoned in March 1994 by president Rafael Caldera (1994–1999, his second term), with
8092-530: The capital of the province, the crown of Spain claimed the right to appoint a governor. On Hutten's return to the capital, Santa Ana de Coro , in 1546, the Spanish governor Juan de Carvajal had Hutten and Bartholomeus VI. Welser executed. Subsequently, Charles V revoked Welser's concession. The Welsers transported German miners to the colony, in addition to 4,000 African slaves to plant sugar cane plantations. Many German colonists died from tropical diseases, to which they had no immunity , or through wars with
8211-518: The collapse of oil prices during the 1980s crippled the economy. As the government started to devalue the currency in 1983 to face its financial obligations, standards of living fell dramatically. Failed economic policies and increasing corruption in government led to rising poverty and crime, worsening social indicators, and increased political instability. In the 1980s, the Presidential Commission for State Reform (COPRE) emerged as
8330-419: The early 18th century, and was then reorganized as an autonomous Captaincy General starting in 1777. Caracas, founded in the central coastal region in 1567, was well-placed to become a key location, being near the coastal port of La Guaira and in a valley, in a mountain range, providing defensive strength against pirates and a more fertile and healthy climate. After unsuccessful uprisings, Venezuela, under
8449-445: The entertainment, parranderos are traditionally given food and drink: pasteles, pastelle , sorrel , rum and Ponche Crema (a form of alcoholic eggnog ). While traditional house-to-house caroling tradition is still practised by some small groups and larger organized groups, modern parang music has also developed a season of staged performances called parang fiestas , held from October through to January each year, culminating in
8568-408: The executive becomes unfit for its name, since it cannot execute what it decides on; the legislature is demoralized by liberty, by taking decisions of which others [and not itself] will suffer the effects". A 2024 meta-analytical review found that presidential systems were associated with more corruption than parliamentary systems. In a presidential system, the president is elected independently of
8687-581: The exportation of oil, with crude accounting for 86% of exports, and a high price per barrel to support social programs. Beginning in 2014 the price of oil plummeted from over $ 100 to $ 40. This placed pressure on the economy, which was no longer able to afford vast social programs. The Government began taking more money from PDVSA , the state oil company, resulting in a lack of reinvestment in fields and employees. Production decreased from its height of nearly 3 to 1 million barrels (480 to 160 thousand cubic metres ) per day. In 2014, Venezuela entered
8806-455: The extent of the crisis and expanding his powers. In July 2016, Colombian border crossings were temporarily opened to allow Venezuelans to purchase food and basic health items. In September 2016, a study indicated 15% of Venezuelans were eating " food waste discarded by commercial establishments". 200 prison riots had occurred by October 2016. The Maduro-aligned Supreme Tribunal , which had been overturning National Assembly decisions since
8925-572: The governance of the British colonies of the 17th century in what is now the United States. The Pilgrims , permitted to govern themselves in Plymouth Colony , established a system that utilized an independent executive branch. Each year, a governor was chosen by the colonial legislature , as well as several assistants, analogous to modern day cabinets . Additional executive officials such as constables and messengers were then appointed. At
9044-449: The ideal ruler in times of calm is different from the ideal ruler in times of crisis, criticizing the presidential system for having no mechanism to make such a change. In many cases, the president is elected as both the head of government and the head of state . This is in contrast to most parliamentary governments where the head of state is separate from the head of government and plays a largely symbolic role. The president's status
9163-495: The independentist forces, launched his Admirable Campaign in 1813 from New Granada , retaking most of the territory and being proclaimed as El Libertador ("The Liberator"). A Second Republic of Venezuela was proclaimed on 7 August 1813, but lasted only a few months before being crushed by royalist caudillo José Tomás Boves and his personal army of llaneros . The end of the French invasion of homeland Spain in 1814 allowed
9282-404: The kind of accountability seen in parliamentary systems, and that this inherent political instability can cause democracies to fail, as seen in such cases as Brazil and Allende's Chile . It is easy for either the president or the legislature to escape blame by shifting it to the other. Describing the United States, former Treasury Secretary C. Douglas Dillon said "the president blames Congress,
9401-576: The lack of granular results, and disputed by the opposition, leading to protests across the country . According to the most popular and accepted version, in 1499, an expedition led by Alonso de Ojeda visited the Venezuelan coast. The stilt houses in the area of Lake Maracaibo reminded the Italian navigator, Amerigo Vespucci , of the city of Venice , Italy, so he named the region Veneziola , or "Little Venice". The Spanish version of Veneziola
9520-617: The largest and most important river system of the country; it originates in one of the largest watersheds in Latin America. The Caroní and the Apure are other major rivers. Venezuela borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south. Caribbean islands such as Trinidad and Tobago , Grenada , Curaçao , Aruba , and the Leeward Antilles lie near the Venezuelan coast. Venezuela has territorial disputes with Guyana, formerly United Kingdom, largely concerning
9639-594: The leadership of Francisco de Miranda , a Venezuelan marshal who had fought in the American and French Revolutions , declared independence as the First Republic of Venezuela on 5 July 1811. This began the Venezuelan War of Independence . A devastating 1812 Caracas earthquake , together with the rebellion of the Venezuelan llaneros , helped bring down the republic. Simón Bolívar , new leader of
9758-533: The legislature has little incentive to appease the president beyond saving face. When an action is within the scope of a president's power, a presidential system can respond more rapidly to emerging situations than parliamentary ones. A prime minister, when taking action, needs to retain the support of the legislature, but a president is often less constrained. In Why England Slept , future U.S. president John F. Kennedy argued that British prime ministers Stanley Baldwin and Neville Chamberlain were constrained by
9877-480: The legislature that also serves as the executive is unlikely to scrutinize its own actions. Writing about the Watergate scandal , former British MP Woodrow Wyatt said "don't think a Watergate couldn't happen here, you just wouldn't hear about it." The extent of this effect is debated. Some commentators argue that the effect is mitigated when the president's party is in power, while others note that party discipline
9996-419: The legislature. This may be done directly through a popular vote or indirectly such as through the electoral college used in the United States. This aspect of presidential systems is sometimes touted as more democratic, as it provides a broader mandate for the president. Once elected, a president typically remains in office until the conclusion of a term. Presidential systems are typically understood as having
10115-790: The matter. Then, U.S. president Grover Cleveland adopted a broad interpretation of the doctrine that declared an American interest in any matter within the hemisphere. Britain ultimately accepted arbitration, but in negotiations over its terms was able to persuade the U.S. on many details. A tribunal convened in Paris in 1898 to decide the issue and in 1899 awarded the bulk of the disputed territory to British Guiana. In 1899, Cipriano Castro , assisted by his friend Juan Vicente Gómez , seized power in Caracas. Castro defaulted on Venezuela's considerable foreign debts and declined to pay compensation to foreigners caught up in Venezuela's civil wars . This led to
10234-603: The need to maintain the confidence of the Commons . James Wilson , who advocated for a presidential system at the constitutional convention , maintained that a single chief executive would provide for greater public accountability than a group and thereby protect against tyranny by making it plain who was responsible for executive actions. He also submitted that a singular chief executive was necessary to ensure promptness and consistency and guard against deadlock, which could be essential in times of national emergency. Conversely,
10353-554: The new State of Venezuela . Between one-quarter and one-third of Venezuela's population was lost during these two decades of war (including about half the Venezuelans of European descent ), which by 1830, was estimated at 800,000. In the Flag of Venezuela , the yellow stands for land wealth, the blue for the sea that separates Venezuela from Spain, and the red for the blood shed by the heroes of independence. Slavery in Venezuela
10472-640: The northern coast, but in the mid-18th century, the Spanish pushed farther inland along the Orinoco River . Here, the Ye'kuana organized resistance in 1775–76. Spain's eastern Venezuelan settlements were incorporated into New Andalusia Province . Administered by the Royal Audiencia of Santo Domingo from the early 16th century, most of Venezuela became part of the Viceroyalty of New Granada in
10591-546: The notable exception of the Communist Party of Venezuela ), signed the Puntofijo Pact power-sharing agreement. AD and COPEI dominated the political landscape for four decades. During the presidencies of Rómulo Betancourt (1959–64, his second term) and Raúl Leoni (1964–69), substantial guerilla movements occurred. Most laid down their arms under Rafael Caldera 's first presidency (1969–74). Caldera had won
10710-525: The opposition took control, took over the functions of the assembly, creating the 2017 Venezuelan constitutional crisis . In August 2017, the 2017 Constituent National Assembly was elected and stripped the National Assembly of its powers. The election raised concerns of an emerging dictatorship. In December 2017, Maduro declared opposition parties barred from the following year's presidential vote after they boycotted mayoral polls. Maduro won
10829-437: The parliamentary system can also be blended into a semi-presidential system . Under such a system, executive power is shared by an elected head of state (a president) and a legislature-appointed head of government (a prime minister or premier). The amount of power each figure holds may vary, and a semi-presidential system may lean closer to one system over the other. The president typically retains authority over foreign policy in
10948-450: The past, it was traditional for parang serenaders to pay nocturnal visits to the homes of family and friends, where part of the fun was waking the inhabitants of the household from their beds. Today, parang is especially vibrant in Trinidad and Tobago communities such as Paramin , Lopinot , and Arima . A new form of parang, soca parang, has emerged. Soca parang is a combination of soca and parang. In Trinidad, traditional parang music
11067-575: The pattern of other Spanish colonies, the Philippines established the first presidential system in Asia in 1898, but it fell under American control due to the Spanish–American War . The presidential system was restored after the United States granted the Philippines independence in 1946. The end of World War II established presidential systems in two countries. After the United States ended
11186-431: The poor. Poverty began to increase into the 2010s. Nicolás Maduro was picked by Chavez as his successor, appointing him vice president in 2013. Maduro has been president of Venezuela since 14 April 2013, when he won the presidential election after Chavez' death, with 51% of the vote, against Henrique Capriles on 49%. The Democratic Unity Roundtable contested Maduro's election as fraud, but an audit of 56% of
11305-476: The poorest. Hugo Chávez's socioeconomic policies of relying on oil sales and importing goods resulted in large amounts of debt, no change to corruption in Venezuela and culminated into a crisis in Venezuela . As a result, the Venezuelan refugee crisis , the largest emigration of people in Latin America's history, occurred, with over 7 million – about 20% of the country's population – emigrating. Chávez initiated Bolivarian missions , programs aimed at helping
11424-431: The population lives in these mountains. Presidential republic A presidential system , or single executive system , is a form of government in which a head of government , typically with the title of president , leads an executive branch that is separate from the legislative branch in systems that use separation of powers . This system was first introduced in the United States . This head of government
11543-643: The present-day city of Cumaná . In the 16th century, the king of Spain granted a concession to the German Welser family . Klein-Venedig became the most extensive initiative in the German colonization of the Americas from 1528 to 1546. The Welsers were bankers to the Habsburgs and financiers of Charles V , Holy Roman Emperor , who was King of Spain and had borrowed heavily from them to pay bribes for his Imperial election . In 1528, Charles V granted
11662-574: The presidential system in the final decades of the 20th century. A modified version of the presidential system was implemented in Iran following constitutional reform in 1989 in which the Supreme Leader serves as the head of state and is the absolute power in this country. In 1981, Palau achieved independence and adopted a presidential system. When the Soviet Union was dissolved in 1991,
11781-588: The presidential system was adopted by the new states that were created, though most of them adopted other governmental systems over the following decades. The presidential system continues to be adopted in the 21st century. Following its independence in 2011, South Sudan adopted a presidential system. In 2018, after the 2017 Turkish constitutional referendum , Turkey adopted a presidential system. There are several characteristics that are unique to presidential systems or prominent in countries that use presidential systems. The defining aspect of presidential systems
11900-513: The role of the state in a new economic strategy. The social reality made the changes difficult to apply. Economic crises in the 1980s and 1990s led to a political crisis. Hundreds of people were killed by security forces and the military in the Caracazo riots of 1989, during the second presidential term of Carlos Andrés Pérez (1989–1993) and after the implementation of economic austerity measures. Hugo Chávez , who in 1982 had promised to depose
12019-734: The same time, the British Isles underwent a brief period of republicanism as the Protectorate , during which the Lord Protector served as an executive leader similar to a president. The first true presidential system was developed during the United States Constitutional Convention in 1787. Drawing inspiration from the previous colonial governments, from English Common Law , and from philosophers such as John Locke and Montesquieu ,
12138-430: The situation of the people who rely on imported products or locally produced products that depend on imported inputs, while dollar-denominated oil sales account for the majority of exports. The profits of the oil industry have been lost to "social engineering" and corruption, instead of investments needed to maintain oil production. Chávez survived further political tests, including an August 2004 recall referendum . He
12257-547: The south, the dissected Guiana Highlands contain the northern fringes of the Amazon Basin and Angel Falls , the world's highest waterfall, as well as tepuis , large table-like mountains. The country's center is characterized by the llanos , which are extensive plains that stretch from the Colombian border in the far west to the Orinoco River delta in the east. The Orinoco, with its rich alluvial soils , binds
12376-407: The stakes of presidential elections and inevitably exacerbates their attendant tension and polarization. Fixed-terms in a presidential system may also be considered a check on the powers of the executive, contrasting parliamentary systems, which may allow the prime minister to call elections whenever they see fit or orchestrate their own vote of no confidence to trigger an election when they cannot get
12495-412: The state governments in the United States use the presidential system, even though this is not constitutionally required. In these cases instead of the title of President the role has the title of Governor. On a local level, a presidential system might be organized with the office of Mayor acting as the president. Some countries without a presidential system at the national level use a form of this system at
12614-771: The title of president . Likewise, the title is sometimes used by other systems. It originated from a time when such a person personally presided over the governing body, as with the President of the Continental Congress in the early United States , prior to the executive function being split into a separate branch of government. It may also be used by presidents in semi-presidential systems . Heads of state of parliamentary republics , largely ceremonial in most cases, are called presidents. Dictators or leaders of one-party states , whether popularly elected or not, are also often called presidents. The presidential system
12733-456: The union of Venezuela with New Granada was decreed to form the Republic of Colombia. The war continued until full victory and sovereignty was attained after the Battle of Carabobo on 24 June 1821. On 24 July 1823, José Prudencio Padilla and Rafael Urdaneta helped seal Venezuelan independence with their victory in the Battle of Lake Maracaibo . New Granada's congress gave Bolívar control of
12852-511: The unrest between Chavistas and opposition protesters and opposition leaders, including Leopoldo López and Antonio Ledezma were arrested. Human rights groups condemned the arrest of López. In the 2015 Venezuelan parliamentary election , the opposition gained a majority. Venezuela devalued its currency in February 2013 due to rising shortages, which included milk and other necessities. This led to an increase in malnutrition, especially among children. The economy had become dependent on
12971-529: The vote showed no discrepancies, and the Supreme Court of Venezuela ruled Maduro was the legitimate president. Opposition leaders and some international media consider Maduro's government a dictatorship. Since February 2014, hundreds of thousands have protested over high levels of criminal violence, corruption, hyperinflation, and chronic scarcity of basic goods due to government policies. Demonstrations and riots have resulted in over 40 fatalities in
13090-472: The world . The territory it controls lies between latitudes 0° and 16°N and longitudes 59° and 74°W . Shaped roughly like a triangle, the country has a 2,800 km (1,700 mi) coastline in the north, which includes numerous islands in the Caribbean and the northeast borders the northern Atlantic Ocean. Most observers describe Venezuela in terms of four fairly well defined topographical regions:
13209-627: The world's largest known oil reserves and has been one of the world's leading exporters of oil . Previously, the country was an underdeveloped exporter of agricultural commodities such as coffee and cocoa, but oil quickly came to dominate exports and government revenues. The excesses and poor policies of the incumbent government led to the collapse of Venezuela's entire economy. The country struggles with record hyperinflation , shortages of basic goods , unemployment, poverty, disease, high child mortality, malnutrition , environmental issues , severe crime and corruption. These factors have precipitated
13328-597: The world's 22 older democracies includes only two countries (Costa Rica and the United States) with presidential systems. Yale political scientist Juan Linz argues that: The danger that zero-sum presidential elections pose is compounded by the rigidity of the president's fixed term in office. Winners and losers are sharply defined for the entire period of the presidential mandate ... losers must wait four or five years without any access to executive power and patronage. The zero-sum game in presidential regimes raises
13447-566: Was established in 1998. Decolonization in the 1950s and 1960s brought with it significant expansion of the presidential system. During this time, several new presidential republics were formed in Africa. Cyprus, the Maldives, and South Vietnam also adopted the presidential system following decolonization. Pakistan and Bangladesh did so as well, but they changed their governmental systems shortly afterward. Several more countries adopted
13566-458: Was Pérez Jiménez and he was suspected of being behind the death of Chalbaud, who died in a bungled kidnapping in 1950. When the junta unexpectedly lost the 1952 presidential election , it ignored the results and Jiménez was installed as president Jiménez was forced out on 23 January 1958. In an effort to consolidate a young democracy, the three major political parties ( Acción Democrática (AD), COPEI and Unión Republicana Democrática (URD), with
13685-600: Was abolished in 1854. Much of Venezuela's 19th-century history was characterized by political turmoil and dictatorial rule, including the Independence leader José Antonio Páez, who gained the presidency three times and served 11 years between 1830 and 1863. This culminated in the Federal War (1859–63). In the latter half of the century, Antonio Guzmán Blanco , another caudillo , served 13 years, between 1870 and 1887, with three other presidents interspersed. In 1895,
13804-663: Was elected for another term in December 2006 and for a third term in October 2012. However, he was never sworn in due to medical complications; he died in March 2013. The presidential election that took place in April 2013, was the first since Chávez took office in 1999 in which his name did not appear on the ballot. Under the Bolivarian government, Venezuela went from being one of the richest countries in Latin America to one of
13923-620: Was estimated at 29 million in 2022. The capital and largest urban agglomeration is the city of Caracas . The continental territory is bordered on the north by the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean , on the west by Colombia , Brazil on the south, Trinidad and Tobago to the north-east and on the east by Guyana . Venezuela is a presidential republic consisting of 23 states , the Capital District and federal dependencies covering Venezuela's offshore islands. Venezuela
14042-470: Was relaxed. Angarita granted a range of reforms, including the legalization of all political parties. After World War II, immigration from Southern Europe and poorer Latin American countries markedly diversified Venezuelan society. In 1945, a civilian-military coup overthrew Medina Angarita and ushered in a period of democratic rule (1945–1948) under the mass membership party Democratic Action , initially under Rómulo Betancourt , until Rómulo Gallegos won
14161-400: Was widely disputed leading to widespread protest , which triggered another nationwide crisis that continues to this day. Venezuela has experienced democratic backsliding , shifting into an authoritarian state . It ranks low in international measurements of freedom of the press and civil liberties and has high levels of perceived corruption . Venezuela is a developing country having
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