| Marcos Pérez Jiménez | |
 |
|
|
Provisional President of Venezuela
|
|
|---|---|
| In office December 2, 1952 – April 19, 1953 |
|
| Preceded by | Germán Suárez Flamerich |
|
|
|
| In office April 19, 1953 – January 23, 1958 |
|
| Succeeded by | Wolfgang Larrazábal |
|
|
|
| Born | April 25, 1914 Michelena, Táchira |
| Died | September 20, 2001 (aged 87) Alcobendas, Madrid, Spain |
| Spouse(s) | Flor María Chalbaud Cardona |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Signature |  |
Marcos Evangelista Pérez Jiménez (April 25, 1914 – September 20, 2001) was a soldier and President of Venezuela from 1952 to 1958.
Contents |
Biography
Career
Marcos Evangelista Pérez Jiménez was born in Michelena, Táchira State. His father, Juan Pérez Bustamante, was a farmer; his mother, Adela Jiménez, a schoolteacher. Pérez Jiménez attended school in his home town and in Colombia, and in 1934, he graduated from the Academia Militar de Venezuela, at the top of his class. He subsequently studied at military colleges in Peru.
In 1945, Pérez Jiménez participated in a coup that helped install left wing Democratic Action party founder, Rómulo Betancourt, as President of the Revolutionary Government Junta. After a constitutional change providing International Suffrage, elections were held in 1947 which resulted in the election of party member, Romulo Gallegos. Fears of cuts in pay for military men, reduction and lack of modernization of army equipment led Pérez Jiménez and Lt. Colonel Carlos Delgado Chalbaud to stage another coup in 1948 (Chalbaud has always been incorrectly referred to by his father's last names. Carlos Chalbaud's name was Carlos Roman Chalbaud Gomez). Betancourt and Gallegos were exiled, political parties were suppressed, and the Communist Party was once again banished by the Military Junta headed by Delgado Chalbaud, and included Pérez Jiménez. After a clumsily arranged kidnaping that ended in the murder of Delgado Chalbaud, the Military Junta changed its name to a Government Junta, and reorganized itself with Pérez Jiménez pulling the string of puppet President, Germán Suárez Flamerich. Results of the much anticipated 1952 elections were showing signs of rejection of the military government; it is widely believed that the junta fixed the results to show Pérez Jiménez as the winner.
During his tenure, Venezuela was transformed into one of the most modern nations in Latin America.[citation needed]
Presidency
The junta called an election for 1952. When early results showed that the opposition leader was ahead and would win, the junta suspended the election and made Pérez provisional president on the 2nd of December, 1952. He became president on the 19th of April, 1953.
Pérez Jiménez (widely known as "P.J.") changed the name of the country, which had been "United States of Venezuela" since 1864, to "Republic of Venezuela". This name would remain until 1999, when it was changed it to Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela by a Constitutional referendum. (Spanish: República Bolivariana de Venezuela.)
During his government, Pérez Jiménez undertook many infrastructure projects, including construction of roads, bridges, government buildings, large public housing complexes and the symbolic Humboldt Hotel overlooking Caracas. The economy of Venezuela developed rapidly during his term. Like most dictators, Pérez was not tolerant of criticism and his government ruthlessly pursued and suppressed the opposition. While Pérez was president of Venezuela, the government of the United States awarded him the U.S. Legion of Merit.
In December 1957, the government held a plebiscite which Pérez won by a wide margin. Few people trusted the official results.
Post-Presidency
In January 1958, there was a general uprising and, with rioting in the streets, Pérez left the country. He moved to the United States, where he lived until 1963, when he was extradited to Venezuela on charges of embezzling $200 million during his presidential tenure. Upon arrival in Venezuela he was imprisoned until his trial, which did not take place for another five years. Convicted of the charges, his sentence was commuted as he had already spent more time in jail while he awaited trial. He was then exiled to Spain. In 1968, he was elected to the Senate, but his election was contested, and he was kept from taking office. A quick law was passed whereby former prisoners were excluded from participating in the governmental process.
Pérez had four daughters with his wife, Flor Chalbaud, and one daughter with Marita Lorenz. He died in Alcobendas, Madrid, Spain, at the age of 87.
See also
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Marcos Pérez Jiménez |
References
- (Spanish) Marcos Pérez Jiménez — Official biography.
- (Spanish) Marcos Pérez Jiménez
| Preceded by Germán Suárez Flamerich |
President of Venezuela 1952 – 1958 |
Succeeded by Wolfgang Larrazábal |
|
|||||
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
