1. Politics in Caracas: From Punto Fijo to CHAVEZ

3. CARACAS

4. Panoramic View of Caracas

5. The Emergence of a Primate City
General Juan Vicente Gómez ( ) rules from a distance
Accelerating Growth with a new generation
Elitist democrats initiate modernization
Revolutionaries carry on with planned development

6. The Emergence of a Primate City: General Marcos Pérez Jimémez
New National Ideal ( )
Pérez Jiménez intensifies investment in Caracas
Up to 80% of all national investment in some years
Focused on physical infrastructure
Freeways
Housing blocs
Urban renewal
Improvised investment destabilizes the country

7. Caracas During Consolidation of Punto Fijo Democracy: 1958-69
Heavy Migration from countryside
Proliferation of shantytowns
Public services stressed
Lack of personal security

8. Caracas Votes Against Accion Democratica: 1958, 1963
Failed efforts to control growth
Return to countryside not feasible
Half measures and self-help housing fail to win support for the dominant political parties (AD & COPEI)

9. Caracas Reasserts Itself
Ruling political elite becomes comfortable in the capital city
Electoral weight leads to massive investment
Urban renewal again
Subway
Subsidized services

11. Elections in Caracas
1973 elections – consolidation of two-party dominance nationally
Caracas elections at the same time as national elections
Caracas electorate comes to resemble the rest of Venezuela ( )

12. Transforming Local Government in Caracas (1978 – 94)
Failure to institutionalize city managers
Rioting in February 28, 1988 opens the door to institutional reforms
Elected mayors of Libertador (Federal District)
Splintering of Eastern Caracas
Separation into four municipalities
Liquidation of metropolitan area city planning

13. Consequences of Urban Political Reforms
More decentralization
More accountability to local constituents
Economic downturn trumps political gains

14. 1998 – Support for something different: Hugo Chávez
Caracas leads the electoral revolution
AD vote falls below 19%
COPEI almost ceases to exist
Most important offices captured by allies of Hugo Chávez
Middle class areas elect mayors from small political parties

15. Hugo Chávez Former army paratrooper 1992 failed coup attempt
Appeal to the poor
Anti-corruption promises
Charismatic leader

16. Metropolitan Government in the Fifth Republic
Creation of the Capital District and the Bolivarian Revolution
1999 Constitution and creation of the Capital District
Genesis of the attempt to create a capital district
Demonstrations at the Constituent Assembly weaken the attempt
The compromise

17. Struggle between President and “High ” Mayor
Peña had support of Chávez in mega election of 2000
Metropolitan Police transferred to Alcaldia Mayor
Peña becomes a foe of the Bolivarian Revolution

18. Struggle between President and “High ” Mayor
Freddy Bernal, a support of President President Chávez is mayor of Libertador
Contest over control of patronage- institutions between Peña / Bernal
Rival views of guarding the political order intensify clashes between the two mayors
Violence that led up to coup of April 11, 2002 illustrates differing loyalties of Peña & Bernal

19. Caracas Middle Class Attempts to Remove the Government through Demonstrations
December 2002 – February 2003
City paralyzed
President uses oil reserves to frustrate strikers
Middle class dispirited

20. Caracas Poor: conditional loyalty to Chávez
Slum dwellers left behind
Desire for revenge
Pro-Chavez graffiti suggests grass roots support