Famous Venezuelan Leaders

Juan Guaidó is a Venezuelan politician who proclaimed himself the acting president of Venezuela with the support of the National Assembly. Since 2019, Guaidó has been influential in the ongoing Venezuelan presidential crisis, which started when the National Assembly refused to recognize Nicolas Maduro's inauguration to a second presidential term. In 2019, Guaidó was named in the Time 100 list.

Francisco de Miranda was a Venezuelan revolutionary and military leader. He is considered a predecessor of Simón Bolívar, who liberated much of South America during the Spanish American wars of independence. Miranda is best remembered for his role in three major political movements of his time: the French Revolution, the American Revolutionary War, and the Spanish American Wars of Independence. 

Antonio José de Sucre was a Venezuelan political leader who served as the President of Peru from 23 June to 17 July 1823. He also served as the second president of Bolivia from 29 December 1825 to 18 April 1828. Antonio José de Sucre also played an influential role as an independence leader through his work alongside Simón Bolívar.

Diosdado Cabello is a Venezuelan politician who served as the Acting President of Venezuela in April 2002. He also served as the Vice President of Venezuela from January to April 2002. An influential politician, Diosdado Cabello also served as the Minister of Interior and Justice from 28 April 2002 to 10 January 2003.

Carlos Andrés Pérez was a Venezuelan politician best remembered for his service as the President of Venezuela on two occasions; from 1974 to 1979 and again from 1989 to 1993. An important politician, Carlos Andrés Pérez also served as the Minister of Home Affairs of Venezuela from 12 March 1962 to 12 August 1963.

Former Venezuelan president Rómulo Betancourt was known for his left-wing ideals. Though his political career was marred by exiles, he is considered to be the Founding Father of modern democratic Venezuela. He was also known for his agrarian reforms and served 2 terms as the president.

Cilia Flores is a Venezuelan politician and lawyer. She is the current First Lady of Venezuela, although her post has been under dispute since 2019. From 15 August 2006 to 5 January 2011, she served as the President of the National Assembly. Since 2017, Cilia Flores has been a Member of the National Constituent Assembly.

Venezuelan military officer Marcos Pérez Jiménez became Venezuela’s minister of defense before serving the country as its president. His presidency witnessed rampant unemployment, inflation, and corruption. He was forced out of office, he fled to the US but was eventually jailed for embezzlement of government funds.

Rafael Caldera was a two-time president of Venezuela. He is remembered as a man who established a stable democracy in Venezuela by issuing a pardon that ended guerrilla warfare in the country. He lived a simple life, devoid of luxury. His written works include the award-winning Andrés Bello.

José Antonio Páez was a Venezuelan political leader who served as the President of Venezuela on three occasions; from 1830 to 1835, 1839 to 1843, and 1861 to 1863. He played an important role during the Venezuelan War of Independence, in which he supported Simón Bolívar and fought against the Spanish Crown. Later, Páez spearheaded Venezuela's independence from Gran Colombia.

Regarded as the intellectual father of South America, Venezuelan-Chilean poet Andrés Bello one taught revolutionary leader Simón Bolívar and also inspired the struggle for Venezuelan independence. He established the University of Chile and also penned masterpieces such as Las Silvas Americanas. As a legislator, he inspired the Chilean Civil Code.

Rómulo Gallegos was not just the first freely elected president of Venezuela but was also a Nobel Prize-nominated novelist. His written works include the iconic novels Doña Bárbara and Canaima. He was ousted from his office by the 1948 Venezuelan coup headed by several leading army officers.

After former Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez was forced to resign amid mass protests, Pedro Carmona stepped in as the acting president of Venezuela. However, Chávez was later restored to office, and Carmona’s presidency lasted a mere 36 hours. He was later granted asylum in Colombia, where he became a lecturer.

Henrique Capriles is a Venezuelan lawyer and politician. He is best known for his service as the Governor of Miranda from 29 November 2008 to 18 October 2017. Prior to his service as governor, Henrique Capriles served as the Mayor of Baruta from 30 July 2000 to 26 November 2008.

Venezuelan military general and dictator Juan Vicente Gómez served as the country’s president for 3 terms. Called the Tyrant of the Andes by his opponents, he is said to have become the richest man in South America. He reduced Venezuela’s foreign debts and maintained healthy relations with the Western powers.

Venezuelan American writer, politician, activist and Olympian Peter Miguel Camejo Guanche competed as a yachtsman with his father for Venezuela in the Star class at the 1960 Summer Olympics. His political pursuits included running for the 1976 presidential election, for Governor of California thrice (2002, 2003, 2006) and for the vice-presidential spot during the 2004 United States presidential election.

Known as the Lion of the Andes, Cipriano Castro went from being a cowboy to a soldier and then the president of Venezuela. His 9 years of presidency were marred by corruption, as he embezzled a huge amount of money. The first president from the Andes was eventually deposed by Juan Vicente Gómez.

Venezuelan politician Luis Herrera Campins, a member of the COPEI political party, served as President of Venezuela from 1979 to 1984. He assumed office as President at a time when the economic boom that his country witnessed after world oil prices quadrupled in 1973, started showing serious flaws and by the time his term ended, the economy was in meltdown. 

Former president of Venezuela Jaime Lusinchi led a presidency that was marred by excessive government expenditure, reduced oil revenues, inflation, and rising foreign debts. Accused of corruption, he fled the country. He flew to Miami and then lived in Costa Rica for a while, before returning to Caracas.

Venezuelan military leader Antonio Guzmán Blanco led the country as its president for 3 terms. The son of Liberal Party founder Antonio Leocadio Guzmán, he grew up to join the movement known as Liberalismo Amarillo. He modernized civil facilities in Caracas but curbed civil and religious liberties.

Venezuelan politician Dario Vivas had been the first vice president of the National Assembly of Venezuela twice, before serving as the governor of the Capital District. He introduced several reforms as the deputy to the National Assembly. The United Socialist Party of Venezuela politician died of COVID-19 at age 70.