Venezuela Government - 1986

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Official name: Republic of Venezuela

Type- republic

Capital: Caracas

Political subdivisions: 20 states, 1 federal district, 2 federal territories, and 72 island dependencies in the Caribbean

Lega¹ system: based on Napoleonic code; constitution promulgated 1961; judicial review of legislative acts in Cassation Court only; dual court system state and federal, legal education at Central University of Venezuela; has not accepted compulsory 1CJ jurisdiction

National holiday: Independence Day, 5 July

Branches: executive (President), bicameral legislature (National Congress—Senate, Chamber of Deputies), judiciary

Government leader: Jaime LUS1NCH1, President (since February 1984)

Suffrage: universal and compulsory over age 18, though rarely enforced

Elections: every five years by secret ballot; last held December 1983; next national election for President and bicameral legislature scheduled for December 1988

Political parties and leaders: Social Christian Party (COP! 1 Godofredo Gonzalez; Democratic Action (AD), Gonzalo Barrios; Movement Toward Socialism (MAS), Pompeyo Marquez (president), Freddy Mufioz (secretary general)

Voting strength: (1983 election'56 8% AD, 34 5% COP El, 4.17% MAS, 4.53% others

Communists: 10,000 members (est.)

Other political or pressure groups. FEDECAMARAS a conservative business group

Member of: Andean Pact, A1OEC, FAO, G-77,1ADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDB—Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, 1HO, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, 1PU, IRC, ITU, IWC—International Wheat Council, LAIA, OAS, OPEC, PAHO, SELA, WFTU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO

NOTE: The information regarding Venezuela on this page is re-published from the 1986 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Venezuela 1986 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Venezuela 1986 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.