uly (1811)

Constitution: 30 December 1999

Legal system: based on organic laws as of July 1999; open, adversarial
court system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February 1999);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February
1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 6 December 1998 (next to be held 28 May 2000 under
new constitution)
election results: Hugo CHAVEZ Frias elected president; percent of vote
- 57%
note: government coalition - Patriotic Pole or Polo Patriotico
consists of MVR, MAS, and PPT

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional;
under the 1999 constitution, the bicameral Congress of the Republic
has been replaced by a unicameral National Assembly; the total number
of seats in the new National Assembly has not yet been determined, but
members will be elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms;
three seats will be reserved for the indigenous peoples of Venezuela
elections: election for deputies to the new National Assembly are
scheduled to be held in May 2000
election results: NA; elections to be held in May 2000

Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Tribuna Suprema de
Justicia, magistrates are elected by the National Assembly for a
single 12-year term

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Action or AD ;
Fifth Republic Movement or MVR ; Homeland for All or PPT
; Movement Toward Socialism or MAS ; National
Convergence or Convergencia ; Radical Cause or La Causa R
; Social Christian Party or COPEI

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

International organization participation: CAN, 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, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM,
UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WI