Country name: |
conventional long form:
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
conventional short form:
Venezuela
local long form:
Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela
local short form:
Venezuela
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Government type: |
federal republic
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Administrative divisions: |
23 states (estados, singular - estado),1 federal district* (distrito federal), and 1 federal dependency** (dependencia federal); Amazonas, Anzoategui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas, Bolivar, Carabobo, Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Dependencias Federales**, Distrito Federal*, Falcon, Guarico, Lara, Merida, Miranda, Monagas, Nueva Esparta, Portuguesa, Sucre, Tachira, Trujillo, Vargas, Yaracuy, Zulia
note:
the federal dependency consists of 11 federally controlled island groups with a total of 72 individual islands
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Independence: |
5 July 1811 (from Spain)
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National holiday: |
Independence Day, 5 July (1811)
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Constitution: |
30 December 1999
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Legal system: |
based on organic laws as of July 1999; open, adversarial court system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal
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Executive branch: |
chief of state:
President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February 1999); Vice President Adina BASTIDAS Castillo; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government:
President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February 1999); Vice President Adina BASTIDAS Castillo; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections:
president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 30 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2006)
election results:
Hugo CHAVEZ Frias elected president; percent of vote - 60%
note:
government coalition - Patriotic Pole or Polo Patriotico consists of MVR, MAS, and PPT
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Legislative branch: |
unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional; 165 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; three seats reserved for the indigenous peoples of Venezuela
elections:
last held 30 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2005)
election results:
Pro-government: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - MVR 92, MAS 6, indigenous 3, other parties 7; Opposition: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - AD 33, COPEI 6, Justice First 5, other parties 13
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Judicial branch: |
Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Tribuna Suprema de Justicia (magistrates are elected by the National Assembly for a single 12-year term)
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Political parties and leaders: |
Brave Peoples Alliance or ABP [leader NA]; Democratic Action or AD [Henry RAMOS Allup]; Fifth Republic Movement or MVR [leader Luis MIQUILENA]; Homeland for All or PPT [Pablo MEDINA]; Justice First [leader NA]; Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Felipe MUJICA]; National Convergence or Convergencia [Dr. Rafael CALDERA Rodriguez]; Radical Cause or La Causa R [Andres VELASQUEZ]; Social Christian Party or COPEI [Jose CURIEL]; Venezuela Project or PV [Henrique SALAS Ronier]
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Political pressure groups and leaders: |
FEDECAMARAS, a conservative business group; VECINOS groups; Venezuelan Confederation of Workers or CTV (labor organization dominated by the Democratic Action)
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International organization participation: |
CAN, Caricom (observer), CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G- 3, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
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Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Alfredo TORO Hardy
chancery:
1099 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone:
[1] (202) 342-2214
FAX:
[1] (202) 342-6820
consulate(s) general:
Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
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Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Donna J. HRINAK
embassy:
Calle F con Calle Suapure, Urbanizacion Colinas de Valle Arriba, Caracas 1080
mailing address:
P. O. Box 62291, Caracas 1060-A; APO AA 34037
telephone:
[58] (2) 975-6411
FAX:
[58] (2) 975-6710
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Flag description: |
three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, and red with the coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band and an arc of seven white five-pointed stars centered in the blue band
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