Venezuela

The International Republican Institute (IRI) has worked in Venezuela since 1994 to promote greater civic and youth participation in the democratic process. IRI believes strong, accountable political parties are fundamental to democracy and a vital long-term solution to Venezuelan democratic instability. IRI also believes, and has played a critical role in helping political parties recognize both the importance of electoral participation and the damaging affects of abstention. IRI’s programs continue to advocate full participation in all of the nation’s electoral processes and IRI is committed to helping democratic political actors remain confident in their decision to participate in electoral proceedings.

IRI seeks to enhance competitiveness in Venezuelan politics and help all sectors of Venezuelan society regain trust in their political leaders by promoting mechanisms of accountability between parties and their constituents. IRI provides nonpartisan technical training and organizational support to all political parties in critical areas of reform that extend beyond the context of elections and campaigns.

In the run-up to December’s presidential election, IRI worked with party leaders at the national and local level to promote leadership renewal and develop alternative policy proposals offering citizens market-based solutions to poverty. IRI also held a series of youth training seminars in the states of Miranda, Zulia, Anzoátegui, Vargas, Carabobo and Falcon covering key topics, including political communication, grassroots outreach, fundraising and ethics. Political parties were given one-on-one guidance on strengthening party platforms, message development, political communications and outreach to marginalized communities. In addition, IRI carried out a series of technical sessions throughout the year aimed at improving party structure democratization and youth leadership and women's participation in the political process.

Venezuela Elections Assistance

Prior to the referendum and regional elections of 2004, IRI launched a campaign school program to provide parties with direct campaign assistance aimed specifically at supporting an open, transparent and competitive electoral environment in Venezuela. The program is designed to ensure that all democratic political parties effectively participate in the electoral process, representing as wide a portion of the population as possible, and that parties conduct positive, issue-based campaigns reflective of their constituents' concerns and expectations.

In 2004, IRI and a local Venezuelan nongovernmental organization, Hagamos Democracia (HD), developed a poll watcher training program aimed to increase transparency and accountability in the electoral processes, while empowering political parties to play a larger and more responsible role in elections. At the outset of this program, IRI and HD projected a goal of training at least 10,556 local party poll watchers, one for each polling station on the country. By the end of the initiative, IRI and HD surpassed the goal training more than 18,000 local party poll watchers to participate in the electoral events.

To help prepare political parties to compete effectively in the 2005 city council and national assembly elections, IRI trained hundreds of campaign staff and candidates at the national and regional levels on the mechanics of electoral campaigns. IRI's bi-monthly party trainings initially targeted six locations – Anzoategui, Bolivar, Carabobo, Caracas, Tachira and Zulia. The project's geographic coverage was extended to cover 10 states and more than 40 counties, reaching out to more than eight national political parties, four local political parties and many local political movements. The school's five modules addressed candidate profiles, campaign strategy and organization, message development, membership and recruitment, get-out-the-vote techniques, election-day activities, and understanding relevant electoral laws.

After four decades of relative political stability, Venezuelan democracy is at a critical juncture. In the 1990s, corruption and mismanagement led to financial crises, the temporary suspension of constitutional liberties and the breakdown of the two-party system that had dominated Venezuela's political landscape since 1958. In December 1998, disillusioned with 20 years of declining living standards, a majority of Venezuelans elected former paratrooper and twice unsuccessful coup-leader Hugo Chávez Frías as president. Chávez's anti-corruption populist platform advocating the radical reform of political institutions and dissolution of the traditional political establishment symbolized the Venezuelan people's long-standing frustrations with the existing constitutional system.

Following his election, Chávez quickly eliminated weakened or co-opted checks and balances on executive power and secured the loyalty of new political actors. A National Constituent Assembly was elected to draft new constitution in July 1999. The draft charter was approved by popular referendum on December 15. In a national election on July 30, 2000, President Chávez’s election was reaffirmed, and the legislature, governors and mayors were elected under the new constitution. Although a few governors remained affiliated with the opposition, the federal government, loyal to Chávez, retaliated by cutting federal funding to these areas.

Since Chávez's reelection, Venezuela's political dynamic has been marked by substantial turmoil and polarization, including an abortive coup on April 12, 2002, a devastating national strike in February 2003 and a presidential recall referendum on August 15, 2004.

On December 3, 2006, Hugo Chávez won re-election for another six-year term. Although the democratic opposition lost, this was the first campaign since Chávez’s rise to power that they did not boycott. The opposition conducted a campaign focused on issues facing Venezuelan voters and in the end peacefully recognized defeat. IRI will continue to help all democratic actors in Venezuela with special emphasis on emerging leaders at the local level.

Political Overview

Chief of State: President Hugo Chávez Frías, Movimiento V República

Type of Government: federal republic

Suffrage: universal, age 18

Elections Calendar

Project Overview

Focus of Program: strengthening political party outreach to marginalized groups, elections assistance

Funding Source: National Endowment for Democracy and the United States Agency for International Development