Raúl Leoni

For the municipality, see Raúl Leoni Municipality.
Raúl Leoni
President of the Republic of Venezuela
In office
13 March 1964  11 March 1969
Preceded by Rómulo Betancourt
Succeeded by Rafael Caldera
Senator for life
In office
11 March 1969  5 July 1972
President of the National Congress of Venezuela
In office
1959–1962
Minister of Labor of Venezuela
In office
1945–1948
Personal details
Born Raúl Leoni Otero
(1905-04-26)26 April 1905
El Manteco, Bolívar State, Venezuela
Died 5 July 1972(1972-07-05) (aged 67)
New York City, New York, U.S.
Political party Acción Democrática
Spouse(s) Carmen América Fernández Alcalá (Menca de Leoni)
Religion Roman Catholic
Signature

Raúl Leoni Otero (26 April 1905 – 5 July 1972) was President of Venezuela from 1964 until 1969. He was a member of the Generation of 1928 and a charter member of the Acción Democrática party, and the first Labor minister of Venezuela (during El Trienio Adeco, 1945–48).

Background

Leoni was born in El Manteco, Bolívar State, son of a mason born in Corsica. He graduated at the Central University of Venezuela in Caracas as a lawyer. He was a member of the Generation of 1928, and the first Labor minister of Venezuela (during El Trienio Adeco, 1945–48).

Presidency

Monument to Leoni and his wife Menca, Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela

Leoni took control of the presidency on 13 March 1964, succeeding Rómulo Betancourt; both were members of the Acción Democrática.

One of the pillars of a political consolidation in Venezuela, the Pacto de Punto Fijo, was underestimated by Leoni, since in his opinion it reduced the "coherence and organization of the regime". Strictly, the pact mandated that the composition of the executive cabinet be limited to representatives of three of the more important political parties: Acción Democrática (AD), COPEI and Unión Republicana Democrática (URD). Leoni initially formed a cabinet with a few members of his party and a good number of independents. Later, in November 1964, Leoni initiated conversations with leaders of the involved parties to rescue the spirit of the pact. A new cabinet was formed, but it lasted for only 16 months.

During his government, Leoni carried out important structural projects in Venezuela, specifically the development of heavy industry in Guayana (hydroelectric, iron and steel), inauguration of the Bank of the Workers, and construction of road infrastructure (highways, freeways, and bridges – the most important of which crossed the Orinoco). Important changes to labor and social programs also occurred; unions gained force and the Social Security law was modified. Leoni made an attempt at reforming tax structure, but was restrained by a coalition of left and right that openly served the interests of oil companies.

In 1967 the Invasion of Machurucuto happened during the presidency where 12 guerrillas attempted to help Venezuelan guerrillas in the Venezuelan Andes.

Also, in this same period Leoni signed the Cartagena Agreement (precursor to the Andean Community trade bloc) in Bogotá between Venezuela, Chile, Colombia, Perú and Ecuador.

During Leoni's presidency the conflict with the leftist guerrilla movement Armed Forces for National Liberation (FALN) intensified. In 1967 he suspended constitutional guarantees.

On 11 March 1969, Leoni transferred power to Rafael Caldera, member of the Christian Democratic Party COPEI and signatory of the Pacto de Punto Fijo. This transfer definitively instituted the alternation of power between the important parties through the end of the 20th century in Venezuela.

Raúl Leoni's cabinet

Ministries [1]
OFFICENAMETERM
PresidentRaúl Leoni1964–1969
Home AffairsGonzalo Barrios1964–1966
 Reinaldo Leandro Mora1966–1969
Outer RelationsIgnacio Iribarren Borges1964–1969
FinanceAndrés Germán Otero1964–1965
 Eddy Morales Crespo1965–1967
 Benito Raúl Losada1967–1968
 Francisco Mendoza1968–1969
DefenseRamón Florencio Gómez1964–1969
DevelopmentManuel Egaña1964
 Luis Hernández Solís1964–1968
 Ana María Casanova1968–1969
Public WorksLeopoldo Sucre Figarella1964–1969
EducationJosé Manuel Siso Martínez1964–1969
LaborEloy Lares Martínez1964
 Hens Silva Torres1964–1967
 Simón Antoni Paván1967–1968
 Raúl Valera1968–1969
CommunicationsLorenzo Azpúrua Marturet1964
 J. J. González Gorrondona1964–1966
 Héctor Santaella1966–1967
 Juan Manuel Domínguez Chacín1967–1968
 Lorenzo Azpúrua Marturet1968–1969
AgricultureAlejandro Osorio1964
 Juan José Palacios1964–1965
 Pedro Segnini La Cruz1965–1966
 Alejandro Osorio1966–1969
Health and Social AssistanceAlfredo Arreaza Guzmán1964
 Domingo Guzmán Lander1964–1967
 Alfonso Araujo Belloso1967–1968
 Armando Soto Rivera1968–1969
JusticeMiguel Ángel Burelli Rivas1964
 Ramón Escovar Salom1964–1966
 José S. Núñez Aristimuño1966–1969
Mines and HydrocarbonsManuel Pérez Guerrero1964–1967
 José Antonio Mayobre1967–1969
Secretary of PresidencyManuel Mantilla1964–1969

Death

Leoni died on 5 July 1972 when he was 67 years old, at the Cornell Medical Center in New York City, where he was recovering from medical treatment after suffering a hemorrhage.

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Raúl Leoni.
  1. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Venezuela (1965). Oficina de Información, Prensa y Publicaciones. "El Presidente y su Gabinete."
Political offices
Preceded by
Rómulo Betancourt
President of Venezuela
1964–1969
Succeeded by
Rafael Caldera
Party political offices
Preceded by
Rómulo Betancourt (1958)
AD presidential candidate
1963 (won)
Succeeded by
Gonzalo Barrios (1968)
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