Jóvito Villalba
Encyclopedia
Jóvito Villalba Gutiérrez (March 23, 1908 - July 8, 1989), was a Venezuela
n lawyer and politician, member of the Generation of 1928
, founder of the party URD (Democratic Republican Union) and signer of the Punto Fijo Pact
.
, where he studied secondary education. After that, he moved to Caracas
, where he continued his studies at the Liceo Caracas, headed by Rómulo Gallegos
.
. From that, participates at numerous political activities, becoming from his speech in the National Pantheon in 1928, against the dictatorship of Juan Vicente Gómez
, an important political figure. After that, on February 13, 1928, was imprisoned at El Cuño jail. During his first exile, resides in Mexico
, where forms part of the Venezuelan Revolutionary Party
. Returns to his country on April 7, 1928, participating in a coup against Gómez. After its failure, was imprisoned first in La Rotunda, and at a Fortress in Puerto Cabello
, staying six years devoted to the study of law and languages learning.
The death of Juan Vicente Gómez in 1935, motivates Villalba's return to Venezuela. Participating in the events of February 14, 1936, a demonstration of academics, professionals and workers protesting against the economic measures and policies of President Eleazar López Contreras
. Following these protests, Villalba interview with López Contreras, who accepted his requests. From that, forms along with Rómulo Betancourt
and Rodolfo Quintero, the clandestinely Partido Democrático Nacional (National Democratic Party). After that, is expelled from Venezuela. In 1937 married with Elsa Vera Fortique, divorcing in 1941. Exiles in Mexico and other Latin American countries, returning to continue his law studies at the Central University of Venezuela, graduating in 1943. The same year, was elected as senator for Nueva Esparta
.
The military junta, that overthrew Rómulo Gallegos
in 1948, commissioned Villalba and Rafael Caldera
the drafting of an electoral statute in 1949. The elections for deputies for a National Constituent Assembly
take place on November 30, 1952, winning URD the majority of seats at the Assembly, being the elections sabotaged by the government of Marcos Pérez Jiménez
, disowning the results on December 2. After this, Villalba is forced to leave the country. Exiles with his family in the United States
, Trinidad
and Mexico
.
and Rómulo Betancourt of Acción Democrática, the Punto Fijo Pact, for the acceptance of the 1958 presidential elections
, and the preservation of the rising democratic regime.
Despite the original intentions, URD leaves the pact, by disagreements in political and economic order. Thereafter, Villalba fiercely opposed to the government of Rómulo Betancourt, until the 1963 elections
, in which competes as presidential candidate, being defeated by Raúl Leoni
. He competes too in the 1973 election
. In subsequent years, he supports other presidential candidates, including Luis Herrera Campins
in 1978, and Jaime Lusinchi
in 1983, who were elected as president. He served as professor of constitutional law at the Faculty of Law, sociology in the School of Economics and Political Ideas in the School of Journalism, all at the Central University of Venezuela.
Jóvito Villalba died in Caracas
, on July 8, 1989, being buried at his hometown, was married with his niece Ismenia Villalba
.
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n lawyer and politician, member of the Generation of 1928
Generation of 1928
The Generation of 1928 was a group of Venezuelan students who led protests in Caracas in 1928 against the dictatorship of Juan Vicente Gómez. Many politicians prominent in Venezuela's transition to democracy took part in the protests...
, founder of the party URD (Democratic Republican Union) and signer of the Punto Fijo Pact
Punto Fijo Pact
Punto Fijo Pact was a formal arrangement arrived at between representatives of Venezuela's three main political parties in 1958: Acción Democrática, COPEI and Unión Republicana Democrática, for the acceptance of the 1958 presidential elections, and the preservation of the rising democratic regime.-...
.
Background
Villalba was born in 1908, to Ángela Gutiérrez and Jóvito Villalba. In 1921, he was accepted at the Federal School of La AsunciónLa Asunción
La Asunción is a city in Venezuela. The capital of Nueva Esparta state, it lies on the Isla Margarita in the Caribbean Sea, off the South American mainland.Owing to its settlement by Spain in 1524, many colonial buildings still remain....
, where he studied secondary education. After that, he moved to Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
, where he continued his studies at the Liceo Caracas, headed by Rómulo Gallegos
Rómulo Gallegos
Rómulo Ángel del Monte Carmelo Gallegos Freire was a Venezuelan novelist and politician. For a period of some nine months during 1948, he was the first cleanly elected president in his country's history....
.
Early career (1926 - 1945)
In 1926 he began his career as lawyer at the Central University of VenezuelaCentral University of Venezuela
The Central University of Venezuela is a premier public University of Venezuela located in Caracas...
. From that, participates at numerous political activities, becoming from his speech in the National Pantheon in 1928, against the dictatorship of Juan Vicente Gómez
Juan Vicente Gómez
Juan Vicente Gómez Chacón was a military general and de facto ruler of Venezuela from 1908 until his death in 1935. He was president on three occasions during this time, and ruled as an unelected military strongman for the rest of the era.-Early years:Gómez was a barely literate cattle herder and...
, an important political figure. After that, on February 13, 1928, was imprisoned at El Cuño jail. During his first exile, resides in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, where forms part of the Venezuelan Revolutionary Party
Venezuelan Revolutionary Party
Venezuelan Revolutionary Party was a Venezuelan revolutionary organization. It was founded in Mexico in 1926 by a group of exiled communists, which had taken part in activities of the Communist Party of Mexico and other Latin American leftwing groups...
. Returns to his country on April 7, 1928, participating in a coup against Gómez. After its failure, was imprisoned first in La Rotunda, and at a Fortress in Puerto Cabello
Puerto Cabello
Puerto Cabello is a city on the north coast of Venezuela. It is located in Carabobo State about 75 km west of Caracas. As of 2001, the city has a population of around 154,000 people. The city is the home to the largest port in the country and is thus a vital cog in the country's vast oil...
, staying six years devoted to the study of law and languages learning.
The death of Juan Vicente Gómez in 1935, motivates Villalba's return to Venezuela. Participating in the events of February 14, 1936, a demonstration of academics, professionals and workers protesting against the economic measures and policies of President Eleazar López Contreras
Eleazar López Contreras
José Eleazar López Contreras was President of Venezuela . López was a general and one of Juan Vicente Gómez's collaborators.Eleazar López was the only child of Col. Manuel Maria López and Catalina Contreras...
. Following these protests, Villalba interview with López Contreras, who accepted his requests. From that, forms along with Rómulo Betancourt
Rómulo Betancourt
Rómulo Ernesto Betancourt Bello , known as "The Father of Venezuelan Democracy", was President of Venezuela from 1945 to 1948 and again from 1959 to 1964, as well as leader of Accion Democratica, Venezuela's dominant political party in the 20th century...
and Rodolfo Quintero, the clandestinely Partido Democrático Nacional (National Democratic Party). After that, is expelled from Venezuela. In 1937 married with Elsa Vera Fortique, divorcing in 1941. Exiles in Mexico and other Latin American countries, returning to continue his law studies at the Central University of Venezuela, graduating in 1943. The same year, was elected as senator for Nueva Esparta
Nueva Esparta
Nueva Esparta State is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. It comprises Margarita Island, Coche, and the largely uninhabited Cubagua.The state is the smallest one in area, and is located off the northeast Caribbean coast of Venezuela. It is the only insular state of Venuezuela...
.
Early years of URD (1945 - 1958)
In 1945, by initiative of Elías Toro, is created in Caracas the party Unión Republicana Democrática (URD). Being Villalba its secretary general and becoming a spokesman for the idea of creating a government of national integration. Between 1945 to 1947, dedicates at the promotion and development of his party, and being one of the main opponents of the government.The military junta, that overthrew Rómulo Gallegos
Rómulo Gallegos
Rómulo Ángel del Monte Carmelo Gallegos Freire was a Venezuelan novelist and politician. For a period of some nine months during 1948, he was the first cleanly elected president in his country's history....
in 1948, commissioned Villalba and Rafael Caldera
Rafael Caldera
Rafael Antonio Caldera Rodríguez was president of Venezuela from 1969 to 1974 and again from 1994 to 1999.Caldera taught sociology and law at various universities before entering politics. He was a founding member of COPEI, Venezuela's Christian Democratic party...
the drafting of an electoral statute in 1949. The elections for deputies for a National Constituent Assembly
Venezuelan presidential election, 1952
Constitutional Assembly elections were held in Venezuela on 30 November 1952. After its election, the Assembly would nominate a provisional President and then draft a new constitution...
take place on November 30, 1952, winning URD the majority of seats at the Assembly, being the elections sabotaged by the government of Marcos Pérez Jiménez
Marcos Pérez Jiménez
Marcos Evangelista Pérez Jiménez was a soldier and Presidents of Venezuela from 1952 to 1958.-Career:Marcos Evangelista Pérez Jiménez was born in Michelena, Táchira State. His father, Juan Pérez Bustamante, was a farmer; his mother, Adela Jiménez, a schoolteacher...
, disowning the results on December 2. After this, Villalba is forced to leave the country. Exiles with his family in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
Democratic era (1958 - 1989)
Returning on January 23, 1958, after the overthrown of Pérez Jiménez, signing on October 31, with Rafael Caldera of COPEICOPEI
Copei – Social Christian Party of Venezuela is a third way political party in Venezuela. The name stands for Comité de Organización Política Electoral Independiente...
and Rómulo Betancourt of Acción Democrática, the Punto Fijo Pact, for the acceptance of the 1958 presidential elections
Venezuelan presidential election, 1958
General elections were held in Venezuela on 7 December 1958. The presidential elections were won by Rómulo Betancourt of Democratic Action, who received 49.2% of the vote, whilst his party won 73 of the 132 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 32 of the 51 seats in the Senate...
, and the preservation of the rising democratic regime.
Despite the original intentions, URD leaves the pact, by disagreements in political and economic order. Thereafter, Villalba fiercely opposed to the government of Rómulo Betancourt, until the 1963 elections
Venezuelan presidential election, 1963
General elections were held in Venezuela on 1 December 1963. The presidential elections were won by Raúl Leoni of Democratic Action, who received 32.8% of the vote, whilst his party won 66 of the 179 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 22 of the 47 seats in the Senate...
, in which competes as presidential candidate, being defeated by Raúl Leoni
Raúl Leoni
Raúl Leoni Otero was President of Venezuela from 1964 until 1969. He fought against the dictators Juan Vicente Gómez and Marcos Pérez Jiménez, and was a charter member of the Acción Democrática party....
. He competes too in the 1973 election
Venezuelan presidential election, 1973
General elections were held in Venezuela on 9 December 1973. The presidential elections were won by Carlos Andrés Pérez of Democratic Action, who received 48.7% of the vote, whilst his party won a majority of seats in the Chamber of Deputies and Senate. Voter turnout was 96.5%.-President:-Congress:...
. In subsequent years, he supports other presidential candidates, including Luis Herrera Campins
Luis Herrera Campins
Luis Antonio Herrera Campins was President of Venezuela from 1979 to 1984. He was elected to one five-year term in 1978. He was a member of the COPEI party.- Early Life and career:...
in 1978, and Jaime Lusinchi
Jaime Lusinchi
Jaime Ramón Lusinchi is a Venezuelan politician who was the President of Venezuela from 1984 to 1989. His term was characterized by an economic crisis, growth of the External debt, populist policies, currency depreciation, inflation and corruption that exacerbated the crisis of the political...
in 1983, who were elected as president. He served as professor of constitutional law at the Faculty of Law, sociology in the School of Economics and Political Ideas in the School of Journalism, all at the Central University of Venezuela.
Jóvito Villalba died in Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
, on July 8, 1989, being buried at his hometown, was married with his niece Ismenia Villalba
Ismenia Villalba
Ismenia Villalba , was a Venezuelan politician, wife of Jóvito Villalba. Ismenia Villalba served as deputy for Caracas and Nueva Esparta and was the first woman that participates in a Presidential Election in Venezuela, representing the Unión Republicana Democrática in the 1988 election...
.