Core of Punto Fijo - Peripheral to Bolivarianismo Venezuelan Political Venezuelan Party System (1958 - 2011):

Core of Punto Fijo - Peripheral to

Bolivarianismo

Venezuelan Political Venezuelan Party System (1958 -

2011):

Multi-Party System (1958 – 1973)

Acción Democrática COPEI Radical Left

PCV Guerrillas

Personalistic Movements URD

Larrazabal Villalba

FND

ACCIÓN DEMOCRÁTICA Impact of a decade in the Resistance First round of divisions from the “Old

Guard” Calming impact of the Leoni coalition The Split of December 1967

Rómulo Betancourt:Founder of AD

COPEI

The party grows under two AD governments

Party growth during the first Caldera government (1969-73)

Struggle to control COPEI The Herrera Challenge Rafael Caldera’s domination of the

party

Rafael Caldera: Founder of COPEI

MILITANT LEFT

The Communists and their dance with the MIR (Movimiento de la Izquierda Revolucionario)

The Prague Spring leads to division and weakening of the PCV Emergence of the MAS (Movimiento hacia el

Socialismo) CAUSA R

Personalistic Movements

Admiral Larrazabal Truncated association

with URD Popular Democratic Force

in 1963 Arturo USLAR Pietri and

the National Democratic Front

Opportunistic candidacy of Miguel A. Burelli Rivas

Military Junta: January 1958

Multi-Party System ends with the elections of 1973

Polarization of Electorate COPEI seen as viable

alternative to AD Petroleum income

increases distributive capability of democratic political parties

AD & COPEI benefit from use of patronage

Prospect of a Petro-bonanza dampens revolutionary ardor on the left

Carlos Andres Perez: Este hombre; Si camina!

Political Parties during the Petro-bonanza

AD AD (under C.A. Perez, 1974-79) promises fifty

years of progress in five Resource abundance revives mentality of

1950’s Split between Perez & Betancourt leads to

defeat COPEI

Skillful conduct of opposition to C.A. Perez Herrera wins presidential elections of 1978 Corruption reaches unprecedented levels

Political Parties during the Petro-bonanza – more

Militant Left MAS (co-opted) gets crumbs Other leftist movements almost invisible

PCV Causa R

LAST HURRAH Of the Extended Bi-Party System

The Lusinchi Administration (1984-89)

Merger of party and government is unprecedented

International price of petroleum continues declining

Heavy borrowing based on assumption that petroleum prices will recover

Manipulation of foreign reserves insures a victory by the AD candidate in December 1988

1983 Presidential Campaign

Decline and Collapse of the Extended Bi-Party System I

The second C.A. Perez Government (1989-93) Electoral returns Urban riots of February 1989 General strike of May 1989 Neo-liberal Privatization Programs Undermine AD

and COPEI Military coups of 1992

February 4: Hugo Chavez and the Bolivarians Eduardo Fernandez’s support for C.A. Perez

fractures COPEI Second coup attempt (November 27), by Navy and

Air Force Elites decide that C.A. Perez must go Impeachment of C.A. Perez (May,1993)

Decline and Collapse of the Extended Bi-Party System I I Elections of December 1993

COPEI squanders its opportunity Resistance to leadership over backing for CAP Generational clash Finishes third in presidential balloting

Ressurrection of Rafael Caldera Convergencia MAS signs on

AD moves to a new generation CAUSA R finishes a strong fourth

Elections of 1998 and the Emergence of MVR

Caldera fails to establish a Christian Democratic alternative

Rise and decline of Irene Saez International backing COPEI’ S “kiss of death”

AD Alfaro’s attempt to manipulate the electoral

results backfires AD abandons Alfaro for Enrique Salas Romer

Elections of 1998 and the Emergence of MVR

Hugo Chávez Frías becomes only viable opposition candidate Caldera discredited COPEI discredited AD Discredited

MAS adds organizational backing AD Chavez’s charisma increases as Miss

Venezuela self-destructs Chavez wins with 57% of the total vote.

A New Era

Hugo Fries Chavez: The Fifth Republic Begins

Chavez supported by a “movement,” (MVR) rather than by an organized political party

AD and COPEI become progressively weaker

Mega-elections of August 2000 gives Chavez 60% of the popular vote

Opposition Political Parties undergo

deinstitutionalization Institutional

structures of AD and COPEI decay

MAS destroyed by Chavez personally

New Alternatives relatively weak Primera Justicia Un Tiempo Nuevo Regional political

parties

38% of presidential vote in 2006

From MVR to Partido Socialista Unido de Venezolana (PSUV)

Bolivarian concerns over the existing constellation of political parties supporting the Bolivarian Revolution MVR Podemos PPT

2007-08 – Mixed progress in creating the PSUV