Back دستور فنزويلا Arabic Ustav Venecuele BS Constitució veneçolana de l'any 1999 Catalan Verfassung Venezuelas von 1999 German Konstitucio de Venezuelo de 1999 Esperanto Constitución de Venezuela Spanish Constitution de la république bolivarienne du Venezuela French Վենեսուելայի սահմանադրություն Armenian Constituição venezuelana de 1999 Portuguese Конституция Венесуэлы Russian
| Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Original title | (in Spanish) Constitución de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela |
| Jurisdiction | Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela |
| Created | 17 November 1999 |
| Presented | 15 December 1999 |
| Ratified | 19 December 1999 |
| Date effective | 20 December 1999 |
| System | Federal presidential constitutional republic |
| Government structure | |
| Branches | Five (executive, legislature, judiciary, electoral, citizens') |
| Chambers | One |
| Executive | President Vice President |
| Judiciary | Supreme Tribunal of Justice |
| Federalism | Federation |
| Electoral college | No |
| First legislature | 2000 |
| First executive | 2000 |
| Last amended | 2009 |
| Signatories | 128 deputees |
| Supersedes | Constitution of Venezuela (1961) |
| Full text | |
 Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela at Wikisource | |
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 Venezuela portal |
The Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish: Constitución de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela (CRBV)) is the current and twenty-sixth constitution of Venezuela.[1] It was drafted in mid-1999 by a constituent assembly that had been created by popular referendum. Adopted in December 1999, it replaced the 1961 Constitution, the longest-serving in Venezuelan history.[2] It was primarily promoted by then President of Venezuela Hugo Chávez and thereafter received strong backing from diverse sectors, including figures involved in promulgating the 1961 constitution such as Luis Miquilena and Carlos Andrés Pérez. Chávez and his followers (chavistas) refer to the 1999 document as the "Constitución Bolivariana" (the "Bolivarian Constitution") because they assert that it is ideologically descended from the thinking and political philosophy of Simón Bolívar and Bolivarianism.
The Constitution of 1999 was the first constitution approved by popular referendum in Venezuelan history, and summarily inaugurated the so-called "Fifth Republic of Venezuela" due to the socioeconomic changes foretold in its pages, as well as the official change in Venezuela's name from the República de Venezuela ("Republic of Venezuela") to the República Bolivariana de Venezuela ("Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela"). Major changes are made to the structure of Venezuela's government and responsibilities, while a much greater number of human rights are enshrined in the document as guaranteed to all Venezuelans – including free education up to tertiary level, free health care, access to a clean environment, right of minorities (especially indigenous peoples) to uphold their own traditional cultures, religions, and languages, among others. The 1999 Constitution, with 350 articles, is among the world's longest, most complicated, and most comprehensive constitutions.
One of the outstanding differences between Venezuelan and most of the other constitutions of the Americas is the lack of the possibility of impeachment of the president by the national parliament. Instead, the president can be removed from office either by citizens through a recall referendum or by decision of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice.[3]
- ^ Planchart Manrique, Gustavo. "Constituciones de Venezuela" in Diccionario de Historia de Venezuela. Caracas: Fundación Polar, 1997. ISBN 980-6397-37-1
- ^ Elkins, Zachary, Tom Ginsburg, and James Melton (2009). The Endurance of National Constitutions. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- ^ Article 233, Section II of the Constitution of Venezuela (1999)