Venezuela THE GOVERNMENTAL SYSTEM
Figure 8. Organization of the National Government, 1990
The Venezuelan governmental system has been
characterized by
contradictions in theory and practice. While its
constitutions
pledged federalism and a separation of powers, political
practice
and custom gave an undeniable primacy to the government in
Caracas and to the president, in particular. Even under
the
constitution of 1961, which gives extraordinary guarantees
and
rights to ordinary Venezuelans, the bureaucratic system
has
continued to favor those with family and political
connections.
Although the underlying system predates the democratic
transition
of 1958, it has broadened and became more pluralistic as
more
individuals and political brokers achieved influence in
the
drafting and implementation of policies.
The formal constitutional structure is fairly
straightforward
in its provisions. The pronouncements on individual and
group
rights, on the other hand, are imaginative, especially
those
articles dealing with social and welfare rights. This
blend of
traditional articles and those that reflect commitments
toward
reform and social justice makes the constitution of 1961
an
interesting case study.
Under its twenty-sixth constitution, adopted on January
23,
1961, Venezuela is a federal republic made up of twenty
states,
two federal territories (Amazonas and Delta Amacuro), and
a
Federal District (Caracas)
(see
fig. 1). In addition,
there are
seventy-two island dependencies in the Caribbean. The
power of
the government is divided between the national government
and
those of the states, districts, and municipalities.
Throughout
most of its history, however, the national governmental
power in
Caracas has predominated.
Although the states did have some powers of their own
and
enjoyed some autonomy, until 1989 they were administered
by
governors appointed by the president. The first direct
popular
election of governors took place in July 1989. Even though
they
gained an independent political base, these governors
still
depended on the national government for their budgets. In
contrast, the states had a much longer history of electing
unicameral legislative assemblies. States have also been
subdivided historically into county-like districts with
popularly
elected district councils and municipalities with
popularly
elected municipal councils. The Federal District and the
federal
territories similarly had elected councils.
Even though the president has considerable power, the
constitution does place specific limitations on who may
run for
the presidency. Further, a retiring president may not
return to
the presidency until two terms, or ten years, have
elapsed.
Carlos Andrés Pérez, reelected in 1989, became the first
president since 1958 to occupy the highest office twice.
Former
presidents automatically become life members of the Senate
(upper
house of the Congress). Traditionally, they have also been
viewed
as elder statesmen. This was particularly true in the case
of
Rómulo Betancourt (president, 1959-64), who, with his
great
prestige, continued to exert considerable influence years
after
he had left the presidency.
The constitution provides for the direct election of
the
president, who is chosen under universal suffrage for a
five-year
term. The president appoints and presides over the cabinet
and
determines the number of ministries. The office of vice
president, which had been at times provided for in earlier
Venezuelan constitutions, is not mentioned in the 1961
document.
One anecdote holds that wily Juan Vicente Gómez
(president, 1908-
35) abolished the office of the vice president in a
turn-of-the-century constitution, after he, as vice
president,
had moved to the top office during the absence of
president
Cipriano Castro. Nearly a century later, the Venezuelan
governmental system retained in its constitution
traditional ways
of protecting the president from the possibly fatal
ambitions of
a second-in-command.
Unlike the constitution followed in the time of the
dictator
Gómez, however, the 1961 constitution provides for
mandatory
voting for all Venezuelan citizens who are at least
eighteen
years old and who are not convicts or members of the armed
forces. Generally, more than 80 percent of those
registered
voted. Each political party had its own ballot with a
distinctive
color and symbol, so that even illiterate citizens could
recognize their preferred party choice. Elections were
supervised
by an independent, federally appointed electoral
commission.
Constitutionally assured elections, universal suffrage,
and
participation in politics for over three decades have made
Venezuela a unique and much admired democratic model in
Latin
America.
Data as of December 1990
|