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States of Venezuela since 1989

States Amazonas - Anzoátegui - Apure - Aragua - Barinas - Bolívar - Carabobo - Cojedes - Delta Amacuro - Distrito Capital - Falcón - Federal Dependencies - Guárico - Lara - Mérida - Miranda - Monagas - Nueva Esparta - Portuguesa -  Sucre - Táchira -  Trujillo - Vargas - Yaracuy - Zulia -

Note: The decentralization reforms of 1989 allowed the 20 state governors and the federal district (Caracas) mayor to be elected by popular vote for the first time in Dec 1989. The Constitution of 30 Dec 1999 confirmed the 1989 reforms in the now 23 states and created a Capital District with the same rank as the states, replacing the previous Federal District.

Party abbreviations: ABP = Alianza Bravo Pueblo (Fearless People's Alliance, est.2000, anti-Chavez); AD = Accion Democrática (Democratic Action, social-democratic); CD = Democratic Convergence; CN = Convergencia Nacional (National Convergence, est.1993); COPEI = Partido Social Cristiano de Venezuela (Social Christian Party of Venezuela, christian-democratic); LCR = La Causa Radical (The Radical Cause, socalist); MAS = Movimiento al Socialismo (Movement Towards Socialism, socialist); MPJ = Movimiento Primero Justicia (Justice First Movement, center-left, est.1992); PODEMOS = Por la Democracia Social (For Social Democracy, democratic socialist, est.2003); PCV = Partido Comunista de Venezuela (Communist Party of Venezuela); PPT = Patria Para Todos (Fatherland for All, socialist, est.1997 split from CR); PSUV = Partido Socialista Unido de Venezuela (United Socialist Party of Venezuela, est.Oct 2007 merger of pro-Chavez leftist parties incl. MVR); PV = Proyecto Venezuela (Project Venezuela, christian-democratic); UNT = Un Nuevo Tiempo (A New Era, center-left);
- Former parties:
CD = Convergencia (Democratic Convergence, split from COPEI); MIGATO = Movimiento Independiente Ganamos Todos (Everybody Wins Independent Movement, Monogas state, José Gregorio Briceño personalist, 1997-2007 merged it PSUV); MVR = Movimiento V República (Movement for the Fifth Republic, authoritarian- leftist, Hugo Chávez personalist, from 2007 PSUV) 



Amazonas

[Amazonas State (Venezuela)]
               Adopted 28 Feb 2002

 9 Dec 1924                Amazonas Federal Territory
23 Jul 1992                Amazonas State

Governors 
1992 - 1995                Edgar Sayago Murillo                                    MAS

1995 - 2001                José Bernabé Gutiérrez                                  AD
2001 -                     Liborio Guarulla Garrido           (b. 1954)            PPT



Anzoátegui 

Anzoategui State (Venezuela)
                 Adopted 19 May 1999

Governors 
1989 - 1994                Ovidio González                                         COPEI
1994 - 1998                Dennis Balza Ron                                        AD
1998 - 2000                Alexis Rosas                                            MVR
2000 - 2004                David Eugenio de Lima Salas                             MVR
Nov 2004 -                 Tarek Willians Saab Halabi         (b. 1962)           MVR;2007 PSUV



Apure

Apure State (Venezuela)

Governors 
1989 - 1992                José Gregorio Montilla (1st time)                       AD
1992 - 1995                Marcelo Oquendo Rojo                                    AD
1995 - 1999                José Gregorio Montilla (2nd time)                       AD
1999 - 2000                Jesús Aguilarte Gámez (1st time)   (b. 1958)            MVR
2000 - 2004                Luis Lippa                                              AD
Nov 2004 -                 Jesús Aguilarte Gámez (2nd time)   (s.a.)               MVR/PSUV



Aragua

Aragua State (Venezuela)
               Adopted 20 Oct 2002

Governors
1989 - 23 Jan 1996         Carlos Tablante                    (b. 1954)            MAS
23 Jan 1996 -  1 Dec 2008  Didalco Bolívar Graterol           (b. 1955)            MAS;2004 MVR
 1 Dec 2008 -              Rafael Eduardo Isea Romero
        (b. 1968)            PSUV



Barinas

Barinas State (Venezuela)
            Adopted 10 Dec 1997

Governors 
1989 - 1992                Rafael Rosales Peña (1st time)     (b. 1939)            AD
1992 - 1995                Gehard Cartay Ramíerz              (b. 1950)            COPEI 
1995 - 1998                Rafael Rosales Peña (2nd time)     (s.a.)               AD
1998 -  2 Dec 2008         Hugo de los Reyes Chávez           (b. 1933)           MVR;2007 PSUV
 2 Dec 2008 -              Adán Coromoto Ch
ávez Frías         (b. 1953)            PSUV



Bolívar 

Bolivar State (Venezuela)
               Adopted 10 Oct 2000
 

Governors 
1989 - 1995                Andrés Velasquez                   (b. 1953)            LCR
1995 - 2000                Jorge Carvajal Morales             (b. 1956)            AD
2000 - 2004                Antonio Rojas Suárez                                    MVR 
2004 -                     Francisco José Rangel Gómez        (b. 1953)           MVR;2007 PSUV



Carabobo

old Carabobo State (Venezuela)                    1995 - 12 Mar 2006
Carabobo State (Venezuela)                   Adopted 12 Mar 2006

Governors
1989 - 1995                Henrique Salas Römer               (b. 1936)            COPEI 
1995 - 2004                Henrique Fernando Salas Feo                             PV
                             (1st time)
2004 -  4 Dec 2008         Luís Felipe Acosta Carlez          (b. 1957)          
MVR;2007 PSUV
 4 Dec 2008 -              Henrique Fernando Salas Feo                             PV
                             (2nd time)                



Cojedes

Cojedes State (Venezuela)
               Adopted 3 Apr 1997

Governors 
1989 - 1992                José Gerardo Lozada                                     AD
1992 - 1995                José Felipe Machado                                     COPEI 
1995 - 2000                Alberto Galíndez                                        AD
2000 - 28 Nov 2008         Jhonny Yáñez Rangel                (b. 1961)           MVR;2007 PSUV
28 Nov 2008 -              Teodoro Bolívar Caballero          (b. 1960)            PSUV



Delta Amacuro

Delta Amacuro State (Venezuela)
                Adopted 14 Oct 2004

1901                       Delta Amacuro Federal Territory
 8 Mar 1991                Delta Amacuro State

Governors 
1992                       Sarkis Nemer
1992 - 1994                Emery Mata Millán (1st time)                            COPEI 
1994 - 1995                Armando Salazar                                         MAS
1995 - 2000                Emery Mata Millán (2nd time)                           AD;1998 COPEI
2000 - 15 Dec 2008         Yelitza Santaella Hernandez (f)                        MAS;2004 MVR
15 Dec 2008 -              Lizeta Hernández Abchi (f)         (b. 1967)            PSUV



Distrito Capital

[Caracas - Capital District (Venezuela)]
                   Adopted 1994

29 Feb 1864                Distrito Federal de Venezuela 
22 Apr 1998                After separation of Vargas municipality to form Vargas state,
                             the Distrito Federal comprises only 
Caracas municipality.
 8 Mar 2000                Distrito Federal replaced by Distrito Capital with the
                             Distrito Metropolitano de Caracas, which is subordinated to
                             the mayors of the 
Libertador municipality.
13 Apr 2009                D
istrict government restored.

Governors of Distrito Federal
 2 Feb 1989 - Jan 1992     Virgilio Ávila Vivas               (b. 1941)            AD
Jan 1992 - May 1993        Antonio José Ledezma Díaz          (b. 1955)            AD
May 1993 - 1994            César Rodríguez
1994 - 1996                Asdrúbal Aguiar 
Aranguren          (b. 1949)            CD
1996 - 1998                Abdón Vivas Terán                                       COPEI
1998 -  2 Feb 1999         Moisés Orozco                                           Non-party
 2 Feb 1999 - 2000         Hernán Grüber Odremán              (b. 1940)
            MVR
Mayors of Metropolitan Caracas
30 Jul 2000 - 31 Oct 2004  Alfredo Peña                       (b. 1944)            MVR

31 Oct 2004 - 26 Nov 2008  Juan Alejandro Barreto Cipriani    (b. 1959)          MVR;2007 PSUV
26 Nov 2008 -              Antonio José Ledezma Díaz          (s.a.)               ABP
Mayors of Libertador de Caracas
1996 - 2000                
Antonio José Ledezma Díaz          (s.a.)
2000 - 30 Nov 2008         Freddy Bernal                      (b. 1962)
          MVR;2007 PSUV
30 Nov 2008 -              Jorge Rodríguez                    (b. 1965)            PSUV
Chief of government of Distrito Capital
16 Apr 2009 -              Jacqueline Faría (f)                                    PSUV



Falcón 
 
Falcon State (Venezuela) 1997
           17 Jun 1997 - 4 Aug 2006 
              Adopted 4 Aug 2006

Governors 
1989 - 1995                Aldo Cermeño Garrido                                    COPEI 
1995 - 2000                José Curiel                        (b. 1937)            COPEI
2000 - 28 Nov 2008         Jesús Montilla                     (b. 1961)          MVR;2007 PSUV
28 Nov 2008 -              Stella Lugo de Montilla (f)        (b. 1965)            PSUV



Federal Dependencies

20 Jul 1938                Federal Dependencies (72 Caribbean islands not part
                             of any state) created.
30 Dec 1999                Administration of the Federal Dependencies transferred to 
                             the federal Ministry of Justice.

Administrators
30 Dec 1999 -              the federal Ministers of Justice 



Guárico

Guarico State (Venezuela)

Govenors
1989 - 1990                Alberto Díaz Heredia                                    AD
1990                       Rafael Tobias Delgado                                   AD
1990 - 1992                Modesto Freites Piñate                                  AD
1992 - 1995                José Antonio Malavé Risso          (b. 1942)            COPEI
1995 - 1998                Rafael Emilio Silveira                                  AD
1998 -  8 Dec 2008         Eduardo Manuitt Carpio                                  MVR;2004 PPT
 8 Dec 2008 -              Willian Rafael Lara
               (b. 1959)            PSUV



Lara

Lara State (Venezuela)
                     Adopted 8 Dec 2000

Governors 
1987 - 1996                José Mariano Navarro                                    AD
1996 - 2000                Orlando Fernández Medina                                MAS
2000 - 13 Dec 2008         Luis Reyes Reyes                                       MVR;2007 PSUV
13 Dec 2008 -              Henri José Falcón Fuentes          (b. 1961)            PSUV



Mérida

Merida State (Venezuela)
                 Adopted 5 Nov 1996

Governors 
1989 - 1995                Jesús Rondón Nucete                                     COPEI 
1995 - 2000                William Dávila Barrios                                  AD
2000 - 12 Dec 2008         Florencio Porras                                       MVR;2007 PSUV
12 Dec 2008 -              Marcos Díaz Orellana               (b. 1960)            PSUV



Miranda
 
Miranda State (Venezuela) to 2006
                to 28 Mar 2006 
Miranda State (Venezuela)
                 Adopted 28 Mar 2006

Governors 
1989 - 1995                Arnaldo Arocha Vargas                                   COPEI 
1995 - 2004                Enrique Mendoza D'Ascoli           (b. 1945)            COPEI 
2004 - 29 Nov 2008         Diosdado Cabello Rondón            (b. 1963)           MVR;2007 PSUV
29 Nov 2008 -              Henrique Capriles Radonski         (b. 1972)            MPJ



Monagas 

Monagas State (Venezuela)
                    Adopted 2002

Governors 
1989 - 1995                Guillermo Call (1st time)          (b. 1940)            AD
1995 - 2000                Luis Eduardo Martínez                                   AD
2000                       Miguel Gómez (acting)                                   MAS
2000 - 2004                Guillermo Call (2nd time)          (s.a.)               AD
2004 -                     José Gregorio "el Gato" Briceño    (b. 1965)        MIGATO:2007 PSUV



Nueva Esparta

Nueva Esparta state (Venezuela)
                Adopted 7 Aug 1998

Governors 
1989 – 1995                Morel Rodríguez Ávila (1st time)                        AD
1995 - 11 Jan 1999         Rafael Tovar                       (b. 1928 - d. 1999)  COPEI 
1999 - 2000                Irene Lailin Sáez Conde (f)        (b. 1961)            MVR
2000                       Eustacio Aguilera (acting)                              PCV
2000 - 2004                Alexis Navarro Rojas                                    MVR
2004 -                     Morel Rodríguez Ávila (2nd time)                        AD



Portuguesa

Portuguesa State (Venezuela)
                     Adopted 1981

Governors 
1989 - 1995                Elias D'Onghia Colaprico                                AD
1995 - 2000                Iván Colmenares                                         MAS
2000 -  4 Dec 2008         Antonia Muños (f)                                      MVR;2007 PSUV
 4 Dec 2008 -              Wilmar Castro Soteldo              (b. 1956)            PSUV



Sucre

Sucre State (Venezuela)
    Adopted 24 Nov 1965 and 3 Feb 1996

Governors 
1989 - 1992                Eduardo Morales Gil                                     AD
1992 - 1998                Ramón Martínez (1st time)          (b. 1968)            MAS
1998 - 2000                Eloy Gil                           (b. 1947)            AD
2000 -  3 Dec 2008         Ramón Martínez (2nd time)          (s.a.)            MAS;2004 MVR
 3 Dec 2008 -              Enrique
José Maestre               (b. 1968)            PSUV



Táchira

Tachira State (Venezuela)
                Adopted 12 Oct 1997

Governors 
1989 - 1995                José Francisco Ron Sandoval                             AD
1995 - 1998                Ricardo Méndez Moreno                                   AD
1998 - 2000                Sergio Omar Calderón               (b. 1949)            COPEI
2000 -  7 Jan 2009         Roland Blanco La Cruz              (b. 1959)           MVR;2007 PSUV
 7 Jan 2009 -              César Pérez Vivas                                       COPEI



Trujillo

Trujillo State (Venezuela)
              Adopted 18 Nov 1994

Governors 
1989 – 1995                José Méndez Quijada                                     AD
1995 - 2000                Luis González                                           AD
2000 -  2 Dec 2008         Gilmer Enrique Viloria             (b. 1945)           MVR;2007 PSUV
 2 Dec 2008 -              Hugo Cesar Cabezas Bracamonte      (b. 1972)            PSUV



Vargas 

Vargas State (Venezuela)
                     Adopted 1997

22 Apr 1998                Vargas Territory, created from part of Distrito Federal.
31 Dec 1998                Vargas State

Governors
1998 - 2000                Alfredo Laya                                            MAS
2000 - 28 Nov 2008         Antonio Rodríguez San Juan         (b. 1957)           MVR;2007 PSUV
28 Nov 2008 -              Jorge García Carneiro              (b. 1952)            PSUV



Yaracuy

Yaracuy State (Venezuela)
                 Adopted 19 Mar 2000

Governors 
1989 – 1995                Nelson Suárez Montiel                                   COPEI
1995 - 2004                Eduardo Lapi García                                     CN
2004 - 14 Jun 2008         Carlos Eduardo Giménez Colmenares  (b. 1959)            PODEMOS
14 Jun 2008 -  4 Dec 2008  Álex Sánchez
                                            PSUV
 4 Dec 2008 -              Julio Cesar León Heredia           (b. 1966)            PSUV



Zulia

Zulia State (Venezuela)
                Adopted 23 Jan 1991

Governors 
1989 – 1993                Osvaldo Álvarez Paz                (b. 1943)            COPEI
1993 – 1996                Lolita Aniyar de Castro (f)        (b. 1937)            MAS
1996 - 2000                Francisco Javier Arias Cárdenas    (b. 1950)            LCR
1998 - 1999                Giovanny Villalobos 
                             (acting for Cárdenas)
1999 - 2000                Germán Valero Chacón 
                             (acting for Cárdenas)
30 Jul 2000 -  1 Dec 2008  Manuel Rosales                     (b. 1952)            UNT
 1 Dec 2008 -              Pablo Martín Pérez Álvarez
        (b. 1969)            UNT







©2006  Ben Cahoon