ach
state and the Federal District, and retired presidents; members are
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and Chamber of
Deputies or Camara de Diputados (203 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 5 December 1993 (next to be held NA
December 1998); Chamber of Deputies - last held 5 December 1993 (next
to be held NA December 1998)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - AD 18, COPEI 15, Causa R 9, MAS 5, National Convergence 6;
note - three former presidents (2 from AD, 1 from COPEI) hold lifetime
Senate seats; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - AD
27.9%, COPEI 26.9%, MAS 12.4%, National Convergence 12.9%, Causa R
19.9%; seats by party - AD 55, COPEI 53, MAS 24, National Convergence
26, Causa R 40, other 5

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia),
magistrates are elected by both chambers in joint session

Political parties and leaders: National Convergence (Convergencia),
Jose Miguel UZCATEGUI, president, Juan Jose CALDERA, national
coordinator; Social Christian Party (COPEI), Luis HERRERA Campins,
president, and Donald RAMIREZ, secretary general; Democratic Action
(AD), Pedro PARIS Montesinos, president, and Luis ALFARO Ucero,
secretary general; Movement Toward Socialism (MAS), Gustavo MARQUEZ,
president, and Enrique OCHOA Antich, secretary general; Radical Cause
(La Causa R), Lucas MATHEUS, secretary general

Political pressure groups and leaders: FEDECAMARAS, a conservative
business group; Venezuelan Confederation of Workers (CTV, labor
organization dominated by the Democratic Action); VECINOS groups

International organization participation: AG, BCIE, 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, MINURSO,
NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNIKOM, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Pedro Luis ECHEVERRIA
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)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission :