Government of Venezuela
Encyclopedia
|
Venezuela
is a federal
presidential republic
governed by a constitution
. There are five branches of government: Executive, Legislative, Judicial, Citizen, and Electoral.
The chief executive
is President of Venezuela who is both head of state
and head of government
, and of a multi-party system
. Executive power
is exercised by the President. Legislative power is vested in the National Assembly
.
n legislature was transformed by the 1999 constitution into a unicameral National Assembly
(Asamblea Nacional).
The current President, Hugo Chavez
, was first elected in December 1998. His platform called for the creation of a National Constituent Assembly
in order to write a new constitution
. The political system described below is that defined by the 1999 Constitution, which was approved by popular referendum in 1999 and first came into force on 30 December 1999. Chávez was re-elected in December 2006.
can be initiated by the executive branch, the legislative branch (either a committee of the National Assembly or three members of the latter), the judicial branch, the citizen branch (ombudsman
, public prosecutor, and controller general
) or a public petition signed by no fewer than 0.1% of registered voters. The president can ask the National Assembly to reconsider portions of laws he finds objectionable, but a simple majority of the Assembly can override these objections.
The voting age in Venezuela is 18 and older. Voting is not compulsory
.
is elected by a plurality vote with direct and universal suffrage
. The term of office is six years. A president may be re-elected perpetually as of 15 February 2009. The president appoints the Vice President
.
The president decides the size and composition of the cabinet
and makes appointments to it with the involvement of the National Assembly
.
Cabinet officials include:
Former ministries include the Venezuelan Ministry of Infrastructure, which became the "Ministry of Public Works and Housing" and was split into the Ministry of Transport and Communications
and the Ministry of Housing & Habitat in June 2010. The Ministry of Popular Economy became the "Ministry of Communal Economy" in 2007, and was merged into the Ministry of Communes and Social Protection on 3 March 2009, along with the Ministry of Participation and Social Protection. In February 2010 the Ministry of Planning and Development was merged with the Ministry of Finance to form the Ministry of Planning and Finance.
has 165 seats. Members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms. Each member may be re-elected for a maximum of two additional terms. Three Assembly seats are by law reserved for the indigenous peoples of Venezuela. National Assembly elections were last held on 26 September 2010.
When the National Assembly is not in session, its delegated committee acts on matters relating to the executive and in oversight functions.
, which may meet either in specialized chambers (of which there are six) or in plenary session. The 32 justices are appointed by the National Assembly and serve 12-year terms. The judicial branch also consists of lower court
s, including district courts, municipal courts, and courts of first instance.
, and the comptroller
general. These officers, in addition to fulfilling their specific functions, also act collectively as the "Republican Moral Council" to submit to the Supreme Tribunal actions they believe are illegal, particularly those which violate the Constitution. The holders of the "citizen power" offices are selected for terms of 7 years by the National Assembly.
is responsible for organizing elections at all levels. Its members are elected to seven-year terms by the National Assembly.
Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
is a federal
Federation
A federation , also known as a federal state, is a type of sovereign state characterized by a union of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central government...
presidential republic
Presidential system
A presidential system is a system of government where an executive branch exists and presides separately from the legislature, to which it is not responsible and which cannot, in normal circumstances, dismiss it....
governed by a constitution
Constitution of Venezuela
||The Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is the current and twenty-sixth constitution of Venezuela. It was drafted in mid-1999 by a constitutional assembly that had been created by popular referendum. Adopted in December 1999, it replaced the 1961 Constitution - the longest...
. There are five branches of government: Executive, Legislative, Judicial, Citizen, and Electoral.
The chief executive
Executive Power
Executive Power is Vince Flynn's fifth novel, and the fourth to feature Mitch Rapp, an American agent that works for the CIA as an operative for a covert counter terrorism unit called the "Orion Team."-Plot summary:...
is President of Venezuela who is both head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
and head of government
Head of government
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...
, and of a multi-party system
Multi-party system
A multi-party system is a system in which multiple political parties have the capacity to gain control of government separately or in coalition, e.g.The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition in the United Kingdom formed in 2010. The effective number of parties in a multi-party system is normally...
. Executive power
Executive Power
Executive Power is Vince Flynn's fifth novel, and the fourth to feature Mitch Rapp, an American agent that works for the CIA as an operative for a covert counter terrorism unit called the "Orion Team."-Plot summary:...
is exercised by the President. Legislative power is vested in the National Assembly
National Assembly of Venezuela
The National Assembly is the legislative branch of the Venezuelan government. It is a unicameral body made up of a variable number of members, who are elected by "universal, direct, personal, and secret" vote partly by direct election in state-based voting districts, and partly on a state-based...
.
History
The formerly bicameral VenezuelaVenezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n legislature was transformed by the 1999 constitution into a unicameral National Assembly
National Assembly of Venezuela
The National Assembly is the legislative branch of the Venezuelan government. It is a unicameral body made up of a variable number of members, who are elected by "universal, direct, personal, and secret" vote partly by direct election in state-based voting districts, and partly on a state-based...
(Asamblea Nacional).
The current President, Hugo Chavez
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
, was first elected in December 1998. His platform called for the creation of a National Constituent Assembly
National Constituent Assembly
The National Constituent Assembly was formed from the National Assembly on 9 July 1789, during the first stages of the French Revolution. It dissolved on 30 September 1791 and was succeeded by the Legislative Assembly.-Background:...
in order to write a new constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
. The political system described below is that defined by the 1999 Constitution, which was approved by popular referendum in 1999 and first came into force on 30 December 1999. Chávez was re-elected in December 2006.
Overview
LegislationLegislation
Legislation is law which has been promulgated by a legislature or other governing body, or the process of making it...
can be initiated by the executive branch, the legislative branch (either a committee of the National Assembly or three members of the latter), the judicial branch, the citizen branch (ombudsman
Ombudsman
An ombudsman is a person who acts as a trusted intermediary between an organization and some internal or external constituency while representing not only but mostly the broad scope of constituent interests...
, public prosecutor, and controller general
Comptroller
A comptroller is a management level position responsible for supervising the quality of accounting and financial reporting of an organization.In British government, the Comptroller General or Comptroller and Auditor General is in most countries the external auditor of the budget execution of the...
) or a public petition signed by no fewer than 0.1% of registered voters. The president can ask the National Assembly to reconsider portions of laws he finds objectionable, but a simple majority of the Assembly can override these objections.
The voting age in Venezuela is 18 and older. Voting is not compulsory
Compulsory voting
Compulsory voting is a system in which electors are obliged to vote in elections or attend a polling place on voting day. If an eligible voter does not attend a polling place, he or she may be subject to punitive measures such as fines, community service, or perhaps imprisonment if fines are unpaid...
.
Executive branch
The presidentPresident
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
is elected by a plurality vote with direct and universal suffrage
Suffrage
Suffrage, political franchise, or simply the franchise, distinct from mere voting rights, is the civil right to vote gained through the democratic process...
. The term of office is six years. A president may be re-elected perpetually as of 15 February 2009. The president appoints the Vice President
Vice President of Venezuela
Executive Vice President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is the second highest political position in the government of Venezuela. Vice President is the most direct collaborator of the President of the Republic according to the Constitution. Position of Vice President appeared in the...
.
The president decides the size and composition of the cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
and makes appointments to it with the involvement of the National Assembly
National Assembly of Venezuela
The National Assembly is the legislative branch of the Venezuelan government. It is a unicameral body made up of a variable number of members, who are elected by "universal, direct, personal, and secret" vote partly by direct election in state-based voting districts, and partly on a state-based...
.
Cabinet officials include:
- Minister of Foreign Affairs, responsible for the foreign relations of VenezuelaForeign relations of VenezuelaThe foreign relations of Venezuela have since the early twentieth century been particularly strong with the United States. However with the election of Hugo Chávez as President of Venezuela in 1998, the foreign policy of the Hugo Chávez government has differed substantially from that of previous...
. (List of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Venezuela) - Minister of Environment and Natural ResourcesVenezuelan Ministry of Environment and Natural ResourcesThe Venezuelan Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources is a federal-level department that manages environmental reserves, rehabilitation, and natural resources in Venezuela...
- Agriculture & Lands
- Minister of Basic Industry & Mining
- Minister of Communications & Information
- Minister of Communes & Social Protection
- Minister of Culture
- Minister of DefenseVenezuelan Ministry of DefenseThe Venezuelan Ministry of the Popular Participation for the Defense is the federal-level organ responsible for maintaining the Venezuelan armed forces. As of March 2010, this ministry is headed by Carlos Mata Figueroa after the former minister and vicepresident of the nation resigned under...
- Minister of EducationVenezuelan Ministry of EducationThe Venezuelan Ministry of Education is the federal-level organ responsible for organising the education system of Venezuela. In 2001 it was the Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture, with responsibility for Culture and Sport being assigned to separate ministries on 14 February 2005 and 6...
- Minister of Energy & Petroleum & President of PDVSA
- Minister of Nutrition
- Minister of Planning & Finance
- Minister of Health
- Minister of Higher Education
- Minister of Housing & Habitat
- Minister of Indigenous Peoples
- Minister of Interior & Justice (List of Ministers of Interior and Justice of Venezuela)
- Minister of Labor and Social Security
- Minister of Basic Industry & Mining
- Minister of Science & Technology
- Minister of Sports
- Minister of Telecommunications
- Tourism
- Trade
- Ministry of Transport and Communications (Venezuela)Ministry of Transport and Communications (Venezuela)The Ministry of Transport and Communications of Venezuela was created in June 2010, to cover transport and communications in Venezuela...
- Office of the Presidency (formerly the Venezuelan Secretariat of the Presidency)
- Venezuelan Ministry of Women's Affairs
- Central Bank President
- rosecutor generalito san
Former ministries include the Venezuelan Ministry of Infrastructure, which became the "Ministry of Public Works and Housing" and was split into the Ministry of Transport and Communications
Ministry of Transport and Communications (Venezuela)
The Ministry of Transport and Communications of Venezuela was created in June 2010, to cover transport and communications in Venezuela...
and the Ministry of Housing & Habitat in June 2010. The Ministry of Popular Economy became the "Ministry of Communal Economy" in 2007, and was merged into the Ministry of Communes and Social Protection on 3 March 2009, along with the Ministry of Participation and Social Protection. In February 2010 the Ministry of Planning and Development was merged with the Ministry of Finance to form the Ministry of Planning and Finance.
Legislative branch
The National AssemblyNational Assembly of Venezuela
The National Assembly is the legislative branch of the Venezuelan government. It is a unicameral body made up of a variable number of members, who are elected by "universal, direct, personal, and secret" vote partly by direct election in state-based voting districts, and partly on a state-based...
has 165 seats. Members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms. Each member may be re-elected for a maximum of two additional terms. Three Assembly seats are by law reserved for the indigenous peoples of Venezuela. National Assembly elections were last held on 26 September 2010.
When the National Assembly is not in session, its delegated committee acts on matters relating to the executive and in oversight functions.
Judicial branch
The judicial branch is headed by the Supreme Tribunal of JusticeSupreme Tribunal of Justice (Venezuela)
The Supreme Tribunal of Justice is the highest court of law in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and is the head of the judicial branch.The Supreme Tribunal may meet either in specialized chambers or in plenary session...
, which may meet either in specialized chambers (of which there are six) or in plenary session. The 32 justices are appointed by the National Assembly and serve 12-year terms. The judicial branch also consists of lower court
Court
A court is a form of tribunal, often a governmental institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance with the rule of law...
s, including district courts, municipal courts, and courts of first instance.
Citizens branch
The citizens branch consists of three components the prosecutor general ("fiscal general"), the "defender of the people" or ombudsmanOmbudsman
An ombudsman is a person who acts as a trusted intermediary between an organization and some internal or external constituency while representing not only but mostly the broad scope of constituent interests...
, and the comptroller
Comptroller
A comptroller is a management level position responsible for supervising the quality of accounting and financial reporting of an organization.In British government, the Comptroller General or Comptroller and Auditor General is in most countries the external auditor of the budget execution of the...
general. These officers, in addition to fulfilling their specific functions, also act collectively as the "Republican Moral Council" to submit to the Supreme Tribunal actions they believe are illegal, particularly those which violate the Constitution. The holders of the "citizen power" offices are selected for terms of 7 years by the National Assembly.
Electoral council
The National Electoral CouncilNational Electoral Council (Venezuela)
The National Electoral Council is one of the five independent branches of government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. It is the institution that oversees and guarantees the transparency of all elections and referendums in Venezuela at the local, regional, and national levels...
is responsible for organizing elections at all levels. Its members are elected to seven-year terms by the National Assembly.