Leopoldo Sucre Figarella
Encyclopedia
Leopoldo Sucre Figarella (1926–1996), was a Venezuela
n politician and engineer
. A member of the Sucre family
Sucre Figarella served as Governor
, Minister
and Senator during his long and eventful political career. He was nicknamed "The Builder" and "The Czar of Guayana".
on August 1, 1925. He received his education as a civil engineer at the Universidad Central de Venezuela and soon entered public service as an engineer at the Ministry of Public Works in Miranda
. During the 1950s, he actively opposed the dictatorship of Marcos Pérez Jiménez
and had to go into hiding several times due to security concerns.
In 1958 and with the fall of Pérez Jiménez, Sucre Figarella was named Governor
of Bolivar
by new president Romulo Betancourt
. There he pushed for the creation of Santo Tomé de Guayana, today known as Ciudad Guayana
, one of the most important and largest cities in the state. From 1960 to 1969 he served as Minister of Public Works during the governments of Betancourt and Raul Leoni
. From this position, Sucre pushed forward many important works such as the Angostura Bridge
in Ciudad Bolívar
, the General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge
in Maracaibo
, the Araña highway distributor, the Tejerías-Caracas highway, the Guri Dam
in Bolivar, the famous Cota Mil in Caracas as well as pushing forth works on the Caracas Metro
and the expansion of the Simón Bolívar International Airport
among others.
named him President of the Corporacion Venezolana de Guayana
with the rank of cabinet member. From there Sucre Figarella gave an important push to the region's development, the likes of which had not been seen previously. During this time the Guri Dam
project is finally completed, the Ciudad Bolívar
–Ciudad Guayana
and Ciudad Guayana
–Upata
highways are built along with other important roadworks including the completion of several bridges. He also expanded the production capacity of Sidor
, Ferrominera, Venelum, Alcasa and Interalumina and created Bauxiven, Proforca, Remorca and other important companies. The entire waterworks
of the Guayana region
was improved upon along with the health, justice, sports and agriculture infrastructure.
Some, such as newspaper columnist José Ignacio Acevedo, consider Sucre Figarella's infrastructure construction to be the most useful and expansive during the whole of the democratic period in Venezuela. He would remain at the helm of the CVG during the presidencies of Jaime Lusinchi
and Carlos Andrés Pérez
, finally stepping down in 1993. During his time with the CVG, he had also been elected Senator for the state of Bolivar
for the period between 1984 and 1989. After his resignation from the state-owned company, he was elected for another period lasting between 1994 and 1999. He was unable to complete this second appointment due to his sudden death on October 17, 1996 only a few months after the death of his brother General Juan Manuel Sucre Figarella
.
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 politician and engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
. A member of the Sucre family
Sucre family
The Sucre Family is a prominent political family of Venezuela.-Origin:The family was founded in Venezuela, by Carlos Francisco de Sucre Garrido y Pardo, a Flanders-born noble, son of Charles Adrien de Sucre y d'Yves, Marquess of Preux, of Flemish origin, and of María Buenaventura Carolina Isabel...
Sucre Figarella served as Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
, Minister
Minister (government)
A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet....
and Senator during his long and eventful political career. He was nicknamed "The Builder" and "The Czar of Guayana".
Early career
He was born in Tumeremo in the state of BolivarBolívar (state)
Bolívar State , is one of the 23 states into which Venezuela is divided. The state capital city is Ciudad Bolívar. Bolívar State covers a total surface area of 238,000 km² and in June 30, 2010 had an estimated population of 1,620,359....
on August 1, 1925. He received his education as a civil engineer at the Universidad Central de Venezuela and soon entered public service as an engineer at the Ministry of Public Works in Miranda
Miranda (state)
Miranda State is one of the 23 states into which Venezuela is divided. It is ranked second in population among Venezuelan states, after Zulia State. In June 30, 2010, it had approximately 2,987,968 residents. It also has the greatest Human Development Index in Venezuela, according to the...
. During the 1950s, he actively opposed the dictatorship 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...
and had to go into hiding several times due to security concerns.
In 1958 and with the fall of Pérez Jiménez, Sucre Figarella was named Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of Bolivar
Bolívar (state)
Bolívar State , is one of the 23 states into which Venezuela is divided. The state capital city is Ciudad Bolívar. Bolívar State covers a total surface area of 238,000 km² and in June 30, 2010 had an estimated population of 1,620,359....
by new president Romulo 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...
. There he pushed for the creation of Santo Tomé de Guayana, today known as Ciudad Guayana
Ciudad Guayana
Ciudad Guayana is a city in Bolívar State, Venezuela. It lies south of the Orinoco, where the river is joined by the Caroní River. The city, officially founded in 1961, is actually composed of the old town of San Félix at the east and the new town of Puerto Ordaz at the west, which lie either...
, one of the most important and largest cities in the state. From 1960 to 1969 he served as Minister of Public Works during the governments of Betancourt and Raul 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....
. From this position, Sucre pushed forward many important works such as the Angostura Bridge
Angostura Bridge
Angostura Bridge is a suspension bridge that spans the Orinoco River at Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela. The Spanish word Angostura means "narrows"....
in Ciudad Bolívar
Ciudad Bolívar
Ciudad Bolívar is the capital of Venezuela's southeastern Bolivar State. It was founded with the name Angostura in 1764, renamed in 1846, and, as of 2010, had an estimated population of 350,691....
, the General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge
General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge
The General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge is located at the outlet of Lake Maracaibo, in western Venezuela. The bridge connects Maracaibo with much of the rest of the country...
in Maracaibo
Maracaibo
Maracaibo is a city and municipality located in northwestern Venezuela off the western coast of the Lake Maracaibo. It is the second-largest city in the country after the national capital Caracas and the capital of Zulia state...
, the Araña highway distributor, the Tejerías-Caracas highway, the Guri Dam
Guri Dam
The Guri Dam is a concrete gravity and embankment dam in Bolívar State, Venezuela on the Caroni River. Its official name is Central Hidroeléctrica Simón Bolívar...
in Bolivar, the famous Cota Mil in Caracas as well as pushing forth works on the Caracas Metro
Caracas Metro
The Caracas Metro is a mass rapid transit system serving Caracas, Venezuela. It is constructed and operated by Compañía Anónima Metro de Caracas, a government-owned company that was founded in 1977 by José González-Lander who headed the project for more than thirty years since the early planning...
and the expansion of the Simón Bolívar International Airport
Simón Bolívar International Airport (Venezuela)
Simón Bolívar International Airport of Maiquetia is an international airport located in Maiquetía, Venezuela, about 13 miles from downtown Caracas....
among others.
Czar of Guayana
In 1984, President Jaime LusinchiJaime 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...
named him President of the Corporacion Venezolana de Guayana
Corporación Venezolana de Guayana
The Corporacion Venezolana de Guayana is a decentralized state-owned Venezuelan conglomerate, located in the Guayana Region in the southeast of the country. Its subsidiaries include the aluminium producer Alcasa....
with the rank of cabinet member. From there Sucre Figarella gave an important push to the region's development, the likes of which had not been seen previously. During this time the Guri Dam
Guri Dam
The Guri Dam is a concrete gravity and embankment dam in Bolívar State, Venezuela on the Caroni River. Its official name is Central Hidroeléctrica Simón Bolívar...
project is finally completed, the Ciudad Bolívar
Ciudad Bolívar
Ciudad Bolívar is the capital of Venezuela's southeastern Bolivar State. It was founded with the name Angostura in 1764, renamed in 1846, and, as of 2010, had an estimated population of 350,691....
–Ciudad Guayana
Ciudad Guayana
Ciudad Guayana is a city in Bolívar State, Venezuela. It lies south of the Orinoco, where the river is joined by the Caroní River. The city, officially founded in 1961, is actually composed of the old town of San Félix at the east and the new town of Puerto Ordaz at the west, which lie either...
and Ciudad Guayana
Ciudad Guayana
Ciudad Guayana is a city in Bolívar State, Venezuela. It lies south of the Orinoco, where the river is joined by the Caroní River. The city, officially founded in 1961, is actually composed of the old town of San Félix at the east and the new town of Puerto Ordaz at the west, which lie either...
–Upata
Upata
Upata is a Venezuelan city inside the bulk of Guayana at the north of the Bolívar State. It is the capital and most important town of Piar Municipality. It is located between the basins of the rivers Orinoco and Cuyuní...
highways are built along with other important roadworks including the completion of several bridges. He also expanded the production capacity of Sidor
Sidor
Siderúrgica de Orinoco C.A. "Alfredo Maneiro" is the biggest Venezuelan steel corporation. The company is situated in an industrial zone in Ciudad Guayana, Bolívar State, near the Orinoco River. Major iron deposits were found in the area in 1926 and 1947...
, Ferrominera, Venelum, Alcasa and Interalumina and created Bauxiven, Proforca, Remorca and other important companies. The entire waterworks
WaterWorks
WaterWorks is a water park owned by Cedar Fair, located at the back of Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia. When it debuted in 1992, it was originally named Hurricane Reef...
of the Guayana region
Guayana Region
The Guayana Region is an administrative region of Venezuela.The region has a population of 1,383,297 inhabitants and a territory of 458,344 km². It borders the independent nation of Guyana which forms part of The Guyanas...
was improved upon along with the health, justice, sports and agriculture infrastructure.
Some, such as newspaper columnist José Ignacio Acevedo, consider Sucre Figarella's infrastructure construction to be the most useful and expansive during the whole of the democratic period in Venezuela. He would remain at the helm of the CVG during the presidencies of 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...
and Carlos Andrés Pérez
Carlos Andrés Pérez
Carlos Andrés Pérez Rodríguez , also known as CAP and often referred to as El Gocho , was a Venezuelan politician, President of Venezuela from 1974 to 1979 and again from 1989 to 1993. His first presidency was known as the Saudi Venezuela due to its economic and social prosperity thanks to...
, finally stepping down in 1993. During his time with the CVG, he had also been elected Senator for the state of Bolivar
Bolívar (state)
Bolívar State , is one of the 23 states into which Venezuela is divided. The state capital city is Ciudad Bolívar. Bolívar State covers a total surface area of 238,000 km² and in June 30, 2010 had an estimated population of 1,620,359....
for the period between 1984 and 1989. After his resignation from the state-owned company, he was elected for another period lasting between 1994 and 1999. He was unable to complete this second appointment due to his sudden death on October 17, 1996 only a few months after the death of his brother General Juan Manuel Sucre Figarella
Juan Manuel Sucre Figarella
Juan Manuel Sucre Figarella , was a Venezuelan Army Brigadier General who served as Chief of Staff of the Venezuelan army in the 1970s during the administration of President Rafael Caldera...
.