Political & Legal Systems

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1. What are the legal and political systems in Venezuela? How are these systems similar or different from the U.S. legal and political systems?

Let's look at some basic facts about Venezuela and United States, to see their differences in legal and political systems.

A. Venezuela:

Country name:
Conventional long form: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
Conventional short form: Venezuela
Government type: federal republic

Independence: 5 July 1811 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 5 July (1811)
Constitution: 30 December 1999

Legal system: open, adversarial court system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: Chief of state: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February 1999); Executive Vice President Ramon Alonzo CARRIZALEZ Rengifo (since 4 January 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February 1999); Executive Vice President Ramon Alonzo CARRIZALEZ Rengifo (since 4 January 2008); Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; Elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 3 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2012)

note: in 1999, a National Constituent Assembly drafted a new constitution that increased the presidential ...