2000 Venezuelan general election

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2000 Venezuelan general election

30 July 2000
Presidential election
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Turnout56.63%
 
Nominee Hugo Chávez Francisco Arias Cárdenas
Party MVR LCR
Popular vote 3,757,773 2,359,459
Percentage 59.76% 37.52%

Results by state

President before election

Hugo Chávez
PSUV

Elected President

Hugo Chávez
PSUV

General elections were held in Venezuela on 30 July 2000, the first under the country's newly adopted 1999 constitution. Incumbent President Hugo Chávez ran for election for a full six-year term under the new constitution. He was challenged by another leftist and former ally, Zulia Governor Francisco Arias Cárdenas. Chávez won the election with almost 60% of the popular vote, increasing his vote share over the previous elections and managing to carry a larger number of states. Arias Cárdenas only managed to narrowly carry his home state of Zulia.

Background[edit]

The elections were for all popularly elected positions at different levels of government, which numbered more than six thousand.[1] Venezuela was going through economic problems: although the price of oil had tripled since Chávez had become president, the economy had shrunk by 7%, unemployment had increased and foreign investors had moved away from the country.[2] However, in spite of these problems and with the traditional political parties weakened, Chavez's reelection was imminent.[1]

The elections were originally scheduled for 28 May, but the directors of the National Electoral Council (CNE), appointed by the Chavista majority in the Constituent Assembly, proved to be inefficient and only two days before the elections were to be held, the Supreme Court of Justice suspended the vote as the Electoral Council was not ready yet.[3] Arias Cárdenas called his supporters to gather in front of the CNE to protest, but they were repelled by a group of Chavistas.[citation needed]

Presidential candidates[edit]

Only two politicians, Antonio Ledezma and Claudio Fermín, both former members of Democratic Action and former mayors of the Libertador Municipality of Caracas, made public their intentions to run against Chávez, both independently. Unexpectedly, in mid-February 2000, Chávez allies Francisco Arias Cárdenas, Jesús Urdaneta and Joel Acosta Chirinos; made a public statement giving Chávez an ultimatum to imprison some members of his government, claiming they had irrefutable evidence proving their corruption, including the president of the legislative power, Luis Miquilena, and foreign affairs minister José Vicente Rangel.[2][4] Chávez responded by criticizing his former colleagues, whom he reproached for "not having washed the rags at home".[4]

On 15 March Arias Cárdenas, supported by Urdaneta and Acosta Chirinos, registered his candidacy for the presidential election. Upon learning of this, Ledezma withdrew his but Fermin did not.[1] Miquilena's response was to qualify as "trash" those who abandoned Chávez to support Arias Cárdenas.[5] The new opposition leader received support from La Causa R and a handful of small leftist parties, although not from Democratic Action and Copei. Even though some analysts considered Arias Cardenas more pragmatic than Chávez, others such as Eleazar Díaz Rangel declared that they were basically the same.[6]

Electoral system[edit]

Representatives in the National Assembly were elected under a mixed member proportional representation, with 60% elected from single seat districts and the remainder by closed party lists.[7]

Results[edit]

President[edit]

CandidatePartyVotes%
Hugo ChávezFifth Republic Movement3,757,77359.76
Francisco Arias CárdenasRadical Cause2,359,45937.52
Claudio FermínNational Encounter171,3462.72
Total6,288,578100.00
Valid votes6,288,57894.75
Invalid/blank votes348,6985.25
Total votes6,637,276100.00
Registered voters/turnout11,720,66056.63
Source: CNE

National Assembly[edit]

PartyVotes%Seats
Fifth Republic Movement1,977,99244.3892
Democratic Action718,14816.1133
Project Venezuela309,1686.946
Copei227,3495.106
Movement for Socialism224,1705.036
Radical Cause196,7874.413
Justice First109,9002.475
Fatherland for All101,2462.271
A New Era78,1091.753
Fearless People's Alliance49,2181.100
Voters of Miranda48,2911.080
Convergence47,6201.074
Democratic Left37,2300.840
National Encounter37,0360.830
United for Human Rights33,6690.760
MIGATO21,0440.471
Movement for Direct Democracy19,8560.450
Communist Party of Venezuela15,9970.360
Independent Solidarity15,2720.340
Red Flag Party14,2730.320
National Integration Movement11,2340.250
Organisation Force in Motion10,5470.240
Formula 110,1630.230
Independents for National Community7,7600.170
FCT6,8690.150
Builders of a Country6,2590.140
Caroni Decides8,7880.200
Emerging People5,0440.110
New Democratic Regime4,4030.100
Organised Renovation And Emerging Group4,0500.090
Revolutionary Apureño Movement3,9520.090
People's Electoral Movement3,7380.080
Social Democratic Alliance3,1730.070
Advanced Regional Movement2,9390.070
Independent Regional Emerging Movement2,6860.060
Voluntariado2,6430.060
Democratic Republican Union2,6410.060
Acijusta2,5610.060
Communities United for Reason and Self-Esteem2,4930.060
Trabuco Mirandino2,4480.050
Justice Patrol2,4390.050
Integration, Representation and New Hope2,4010.050
United for Vargas2,3480.050
Ospinero Independent Front for Portuguesa2,3110.050
Iniciativa Propia2,1630.050
Organised Independent Indigenous Movement1,9670.040
United Multi-Ethnic Peoples of Amazonas1,8370.041
Out of Love for Venezuela1,7510.040
MDD1,7330.040
Organised Citizen Option1,7200.040
Towards the Good Homeland1,6830.040
Social Cause1,6590.040
Optimistic People1,5400.030
New Insular Generation1,5090.030
Renewing Democracy 20001,5050.030
Movimiento Civilista Adelante Cojedes1,3980.030
Citizens in Action1,2740.030
Voluntariado Organizado Zuliano1,1810.030
Reto Popular Merideño1,1120.020
Authentic Renewal Organization1,0660.020
Comando de Partecipación Comunitaria9950.020
National Opinion9560.020
Movimiento Patriotico Ciudadano "Yo Existo"9360.020
Vision Social Constituyente9270.020
Apoyo Profesional9120.020
Organización Contra el Abuso7620.020
Fuerza Popular7470.020
Caricuao Somos Todos7400.020
Depostistas7110.020
Rompe el Silencio6950.020
Movimiento Ecologico para la Vida6930.020
Pueblo Revolucionario al Cambio y Desarrollo Larense6880.020
Movimiento Democratico6870.021
Fuerza Activa de Partecipación6350.010
Partecipación Popular5900.010
Frente Civico de Militantes Zulianos5760.010
Movimiento 1005670.010
Frente Insular Organizado de Electores5470.010
Patriotas Revolucionarios Independientes5450.010
Decision de Portuguesa5440.010
Poder Vecinal5350.010
Movimiento Unitario Real Opcion5270.010
Foro Democratico5240.010
Opening for National Participation5220.010
Movimiento Republicano5110.010
Guaiqueres en Acción5090.010
Frente Nacionalista Maisanta5080.010
Movimiento De Base Parroquial Zuliano5080.010
RC4720.010
TU CAMINO4570.010
ARENA4550.010
MOV 204510.010
REALCI4290.010
CAMVIO4030.010
FALCONIA3960.010
AR3860.010
DP3790.010
EL3720.010
SOLUCION3700.010
MIAU3680.010
APD3630.010
M20003590.010
ACTIVE3560.010
VOTAUNIDOS3510.010
CENUREPU3500.010
PODER MORAL3410.010
G CONDOR3320.010
IPRS3290.010
OPC REG 983270.010
PROY III MELENIO3220.010
MCR 2003200.010
FPC3130.010
CON3120.010
MP3070.010
NFG2890.010
PPA2890.010
CON GUARICO2850.010
MDR2850.010
SOID SIGLO XXI2690.010
EL PODER 72610.010
TRIPLE C2560.010
IND AL 20002410.010
MEV VARGAS2390.010
ASIR2380.010
AB 20002370.010
IAP2280.010
FT2230.010
VARGAS AL PRO2230.010
IPV2160.000
VEA2160.000
BS212140.000
MHM2020.000
UVI1930.000
IS1870.000
AMI1800.000
PN1690.000
FRD1630.000
CORDIALIDAD1440.000
POPA1290.000
MOREI 20001160.000
VEA1090.000
T UCLAS1030.000
MOCI1010.000
MLI1000.000
MRG 20001000.000
AV 98940.000
CONPACO940.000
PACIFICO900.000
SER880.000
POETA840.000
AI800.000
MIO770.000
INITA740.000
MIA AMAZONAS710.000
PM710.000
DEPURACION700.000
FAI640.000
CFPI610.000
PCMI580.000
MJPT570.000
MUPI490.000
OPIC480.000
GIR AMAZONAS410.000
MOVE400.000
MU CAMBIO390.000
DR 2000380.000
INCVF350.000
MOVES 21330.000
PARTICIPA210.000
MEAI130.000
MIRA80.000
TSV80.000
CI50.000
Indigenous representatives3
Total4,457,296100.00165
Valid votes4,457,29667.96
Invalid/blank votes2,101,85032.04
Total votes6,559,146100.00
Registered voters/turnout11,705,70256.03
Source: CNE, CNE

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Aznárez, Juan Jesús (19 March 2000). "Duelo de comandantes". El País (España). Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  2. ^ a b "Deriva venezolana". El País (España). 22 February 2000. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  3. ^ Aznárez, Juan Jesús (26 May 2000). "El Tribunal Supremo de Venezuela suspende las elecciones por falta de condiciones técnicas". El País (España). Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  4. ^ a b Vinogradoff, Ludmila (17 February 2000). "Los compañeros golpistas de Chávez amenazan con retirarle el apoyo si no encarcela a varios altos cargos". El País (España). Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  5. ^ "Comentarios: Nubarrones en las Megaelecciones" (PDF). SIC (623): 120. 2000. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  6. ^ Aznarez, Juan Jesús (29 July 2000). "Guerra sin cuartel entre las dos caras de la revolución bolivariana". El País (España). Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  7. ^ CNN, Venezuela (Presidential), accessed 27 September 2010