Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justica)
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government—President Carlos Andres
PEREZ (since 2 February 1989)
Political parties and leaders: Social Christian Party (COPEI),
Eduardo Fernandez, secretary general; Democratic Action (AD),
Gonzalo Barrios, president, and Humberto Celli, secretary general;
Movement Toward Socialism (MAS), Teodoro Petkoff, president, and
Freddy Munoz, secretary general
Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18, though poorly enforced
Elections:
President—last held 4 December 1988 (next to be held
December 1993);
results—Carlos Andres Perez (AD) 53%,
Eduardo Fernandez (COPEI) 40%, others 7%;
Senate—last held 4 December 1988 (next to be held December 1993); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(49 total) AD 23, COPEI 22, others 4;
Chamber of Deputies—last held 4 December 1988 (next to be held December 1993); results—AD 43.7%, COPEI 31.4%, MAS 10.3%, others 14.6%; seats—(201 total) AD 97, COPEI 67, MAS 18, others 19
Communists: 10,000 members (est.)
Other political or pressure groups: FEDECAMARAS, a conservative business group; Venezuelan Confederation of Workers, the Democratic Action-dominated labor organization
Member of: Andean Pact, AIOEC, FAO, G-77, Group of Eight, IADB, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDB—Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, IRC, ITU, IWC—International Wheat Council, LAIA,
NAM, OAS, OPEC, PAHO, SELA, WFTU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO