Venezuela: Presidential defeat in national referendum on constitutional reform - timeline
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Timeline
- October 2007. Legislators in the National Assembly (the unicameral legislature) approve a total of 69 proposed amendments to Venezuela’s constitution of 1999.
- September 2007. During a second round of talks in the National Assembly, legislators approve a series of proposed amendments to Venezuela's constitution of 1999.
- August 2007. Proposed amendments to Venezuela's constitution of 1999 are approved by legislators, during an extraordinary session of the National Assembly.
- July 2007. President Hugo Chávez Frias says that Venezuela's constitution should be reformed to grant the president the right to seek re-election indefinitely.
- May 2007. The broadcasting licence of Radio Caracas Television (RCTV), Venezuela's oldest commercial television station, expires; the government announces the return to majority state control of four heavy oil ventures in Venezuela's eastern Faja region, near the Orinoco river.
- April 2007. Venezuela formally requests the extradition from Colombia of Pedro Carmona Estanga, the former president of Fedecamaras (the Venezuelan Federation of Associations and Chambers of Commerce and Industry--an employers' organisation), who was accused of rebellion in Venezuela for his role in a coup attempt in April 2002.
- March 2007. President Chávez announces that 16 estates, comprising more than 330,000 hectares of "idle" farm land, will be seized by the state for redistribution to agricultural co-operatives and the poor.
- March 2007. President Chávez and US President George W Bush conduct almost simultaneous tours of Latin America.
- February 2007. It is announced that the government will regulate prices in the entire supply chain of meat production.
- January 2007. President Chávez is inaugurated for his second consecutive six-year term in office during a ceremony held in the National Assembly in Caracas (the capital).
- December 2006. President Chávez is overwhelmingly re-elected for a new six-year term, after winning more than 62 per cent of the popular vote in a presidential election.
- September 2006. During an address to the opening session of the 61st UN General Assembly in New York, USA, President Chávez describes US President Bush as "the devil" and says that "US imperialism" threatens the "survival of the human species".
- August 2006. The US Agency for International Development (USAID), through its Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI), releases details of 132 contracts revealing that since 2002 the organisation has paid US$26 million to various groups in Venezuela to "promote democratic stability".
- July 2006. President Chávez signs a contract to buy 24 Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets and 53 helicopters from Russia.
- June 2006. Foreign Minister Alí Rodríguez Araque reproaches the USA over its attempts to prevent Venezuela from securing one of 10 non-permanent seats at the UN Security Council.
- May 2006. The National Assembly unanimously approves an amendment to Venezuela’s hydrocarbons law increasing the oil royalties levied on foreign oil companies operating in the country; the USA imposes a ban on "all commercial arms sales and retransfers to Venezuela".
- April 2006. The government takes control of seven oil fields that were operated by foreign oil companies; President Chávez announces the launch of a US$24 million programme of support for some 77,000 indigenous people living in Venezuela.
- March 2006. President Chávez describes US President Bush as "genocidal, alcoholic, drunk, immoral" and a "coward", saying that he was not prepared to go to Iraq to command US military forces, but only to lead "from afar".
- February 2006. President Chávez says that UK Prime Minister Tony Blair does not "have the morality to call on anyone to respect the rules of the international community".
- December 2005. President Chávez’s Fifth Republic Movement (MVR) wins 114 of the 167 seats in elections to the National Assembly.
- October 2005. In an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Chávez claims to be in possession of intelligence reports proving that the US government is planning a military invasion of Venezuela.
- September 2005. Chávez announces plans to revoke foreign gold and diamond mining concessions and stop issuing new ones to foreign companies.
- June 2005. The National Land Institute rules that La Bendicion Ramera ranch, a 27,000 hectare farm in south-west Apure state owned by UK firm Vestey Group, can be used for state agrarian projects.
- February 2005. The authorities announce that some 800 hectares of land on a 12,000-hectare cattle ranch are to be redistributed to landless peasants.
- January 2005. Chávez issues a decree ordering the commencement of a nationwide 90-day review intended to determine the validity of land titles and the productivity of estates.
- December 2004. Chávez signs the Radio and Television Social Responsibility Act, introduced ostensibly to protect children and young people from offensive language and gratuitous depictions of violence and sexual activity in radio and television programmes.
- October 2004. Chávez announces an increase in the rate of royalties payable to the government by foreign oil companies from 1 per cent to 16.6 per cent.
- August 2004. The National Electoral Council (CNE) confirms that the opposition has failed to secure the number of votes required in a recall referendum to force the resignation of Chávez.
- June 2004. The CNE announces that sufficient signatures have been collected to authorise the holding of a referendum on the question of whether Chávez should be recalled.
- March 2004. At least nine people are killed in violence which erupts after the CNE announces that an insufficient number of signatures have been collected to force the holding of a recall referendum.
- September 2003. The CNE rejects a petition collected by an umbrella organisation of extra-parliamentary opposition elements and calling for the holding of a referendum on whether or not Chávez should be recalled from office.
- May 2003. It is agreed that a binding recall referendum can be held to ask the electorate if they wish to cut short Chávez's presidential term and hold immediate elections.
- January 2003. The supreme court orders the suspension of preparations to hold a non-binding referendum on the question of whether Chávez should cut short his term in office.
- December 2002. A nationwide general strike and employer lockout is announced as part of attempts to force Chávez to resign or to announce the holding of a general election in the first quarter of 2003.
- October 2002. Fedecamaras threatens to call an indefinite strike if Chávez does not announce a date for a referendum on cutting short his presidential mandate.
- April 2002. Chávez is temporarily removed from power during a military coup.
- December 2000. In a national referendum voters approve a motion giving Chávez a mandate to remove leaders of the 1 million member Venezuelan Workers' Confederation (CTV), pending elections to replace them.
- July 2000. Chávez is re-elected for a new six-year term, winning 59.7 per cent of the vote in a presidential election that was called under the terms of a new constitution.
- May 2000. Chávez announces that public sector employees will receive a 20 per cent pay increase, instead of a previously announced 10 per cent increase.
- February 2000. Chávez announces a series of tax measures designed to attract investment.
- December 1999. Voters overwhelmingly approve a new constitution in a national referendum.
- August 1999. A constitutional crisis erupts after the newly convened constituent assembly declares a "legislative emergency".
- July 1999. Candidates from the ruling Patriotic Front coalition win 121 of the 128 seats contested in elections to a constituent assembly charged with rewriting Venezuela’s constitution.
- April 1999. Voters overwhelmingly approve the creation of a constituent assembly to rewrite Venezuela’s constitution and approve terms for electing the assembly’s members.
- March 1999. The supreme court partially overrules a decree issued by Chávez in February calling for a national referendum on whether to create a constituent assembly.
- February 1999. Chávez is inaugurated as the president and issues a presidential decree calling for the holding of a referendum on the creation of a constituent assembly to reform Venezuela's constitution.
- January 1999. The supreme court rules that it is not unconstitutional to hold a national referendum on the question of convening a constituent assembly to redraft Venezuela’s constitution.
- December 1998. Chávez wins the presidential elections, securing just over 56 per cent of the vote.
- September 1993. Interim President Ramón Velásquez proposes a number of reforms to Venezuela’s constitution of 1961, effectively limiting presidential power by creating the post of prime minister, introducing a double round of voting in the presidential elections and giving greater autonomy to the state and municipal governments.
- November 1992. The constitution is suspended after Chávez leads a failed coup attempt against the government of President Carlos Andrés Pérez.
- June 1985. The government issues a decree liberalising foreign investment rules.
- December 1983. Jaime Lusinchi is elected as the president, whilst his party, Democratic Action (AD), gains the greatest number of seats in the National Assembly.
- April 1976. The government expropriates the Venezuelan holdings of Owens-Illinois, a US-based corporation, on the grounds that the company had violated Venezuela’s constitution by encouraging subversion and negotiating with kidnappers.
- December 1966. Venezuela’s constitution is partially suspended, the first such suspension since 1962.
- November 1960. President Romulo Betancourt is forced to appoint a new cabinet after opposition parties condemn the US government’s role in Latin America and Venezuela's dependence on foreign capital, particularly in the oil industry.
- January 1956. President Mareas Perez Jimenez invites foreign oil companies to apply for oil concessions in Venezuela.
- July 1947. A new constitution drafted by a constituent assembly is signed and promulgated at a special session of the National Assembly.
- January 1936. Venezuela’s constitution is suspended after the outbreak of rioting in protest against President Eleazar López Contreras.
