Luis Beltrán Prieto Figueroa
Encyclopedia
Luis Beltrán Prieto Figueroa (14 March 1902 – 22 April 1993), was a Venezuelan politician. A founder of Democratic Action
and Minister of Education in its first government (1947–1948), he was a leader of Democratic Action after the restoration of democracy in 1958. He split from Democratic Action in 1967 when it tried to prevent his victory in district-level primary election
s for the 1968 presidential race translating into Prieto Figueroa winning the nomination. He and a substantial group of supporters split from AD and founded the People's Electoral Movement
, which he led until his death.
(1934), he became engaged in politics, and was a senator from 1936 to 1941. He was a founding member of party Acción Democrática (AD, Democratic Action), and Minister of Education under Rómulo Gallegos
(1947-8). After the 1948 coup he went into exile, working for UNESCO
in Costa Rica and Honduras (1951-8), after a professorship at the University of Havana
(1950-1). Returning from exile after the end of the dictatorship of Marcos Pérez Jiménez
in 1958, he was again elected senator (1959–1969). During this time he was Secretary General of AD (1958-9), President of the Venezuelan Senate
from 1962 to 1967, and President of AD (1963–67).
In 1967 Prieto Figueroa campaigned to be the party's presidential candidate for the Venezuelan presidential election, 1968
; a Democratic Action convention was to be held in September 1967 which would choose the candidate. Previous practice had been for convention members to be chosen by a process where local party committees chose representatives for state conventions, and these chose state representatives for the national convention. However in spring 1967 the party decided to hold primary election
s at local level, with district representatives to district conventions elected by the mass membership instead of party committees. The Romulo Betancourt
faction supported Gonzalo Barrios
, considering Prieto too far left, but Prieto won between 65 and 75% of the local primaries. In response the national party began selectively holding district conventions in areas expected to yield pro-Barrios delegates; but these too came out for Prieto, "and made his victory at the national convention virtually inevitable. The only way the [Barrios faction could win] was to play dirty in the rest of the nomination process, and it was these tactics that provoked the split." Prieto Figueroa split from AD over the affair along with a substantial number of his supporters, founding the People's Electoral Movement
. As its candidate in the 1968 election he gained nearly 20% of the vote, coming fourth in a close election (COPEI
's Rafael Caldera
won with 29%). However Prieto's subsequent electoral run, in the Venezuelan presidential election, 1978
(the party endorsed Jesús Ángel Paz Galarraga in 1973), achieved only just over 1%.
Democratic Action
Democratic Action is a centrist Venezuelan political party established in 1941. The party and its antecedents played an important role in the early years of Venezuelan democracy, and led the government during Venezuela's first democratic period...
and Minister of Education in its first government (1947–1948), he was a leader of Democratic Action after the restoration of democracy in 1958. He split from Democratic Action in 1967 when it tried to prevent his victory in district-level primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
s for the 1968 presidential race translating into Prieto Figueroa winning the nomination. He and a substantial group of supporters split from AD and founded the People's Electoral Movement
People's Electoral Movement
The People's Electoral Movement was a left-wing political party in Venezuela, founded in 1967 by Luis Beltrán Prieto Figueroa...
, which he led until his death.
Career
After completing a doctorate in political and social sciences at the Central University of VenezuelaCentral University of Venezuela
The Central University of Venezuela is a premier public University of Venezuela located in Caracas...
(1934), he became engaged in politics, and was a senator from 1936 to 1941. He was a founding member of party Acción Democrática (AD, Democratic Action), and Minister of Education under 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....
(1947-8). After the 1948 coup he went into exile, working for UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
in Costa Rica and Honduras (1951-8), after a professorship at the University of Havana
University of Havana
The University of Havana or UH is a university located in the Vedado district of Havana, Cuba. Founded in 1728, the University of Havana is the oldest university in Cuba, and one of the first to be founded in the Americas...
(1950-1). Returning from exile after the end of 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...
in 1958, he was again elected senator (1959–1969). During this time he was Secretary General of AD (1958-9), President of the Venezuelan Senate
Venezuelan Senate
The Venezuelan Senate was the upper house of Venezuela's legislative under its 1961 constitution. Under the 1999 constitution, the bicameral system was replaced by the unicameral National Assembly of Venezuela....
from 1962 to 1967, and President of AD (1963–67).
In 1967 Prieto Figueroa campaigned to be the party's presidential candidate for the Venezuelan presidential election, 1968
Venezuelan presidential election, 1968
General elections were held in Venezuela on 1 December 1968. The presidential elections were won by Rafael Caldera of Copei, who received 29.1% of the vote, whilst Democratic Action remained the largest party in the Chamber of Deputies and Senate...
; a Democratic Action convention was to be held in September 1967 which would choose the candidate. Previous practice had been for convention members to be chosen by a process where local party committees chose representatives for state conventions, and these chose state representatives for the national convention. However in spring 1967 the party decided to hold primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
s at local level, with district representatives to district conventions elected by the mass membership instead of party committees. The 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...
faction supported Gonzalo Barrios
Gonzalo Barrios
Gonzalo Barrios Bustillos , was a Venezuelan politician. Founding member of party Acción Democrática , and Minister of Foreign Affairs in the first AD government . Later Minister of Interior and Justice under Raúl Leoni ....
, considering Prieto too far left, but Prieto won between 65 and 75% of the local primaries. In response the national party began selectively holding district conventions in areas expected to yield pro-Barrios delegates; but these too came out for Prieto, "and made his victory at the national convention virtually inevitable. The only way the [Barrios faction could win] was to play dirty in the rest of the nomination process, and it was these tactics that provoked the split." Prieto Figueroa split from AD over the affair along with a substantial number of his supporters, founding the People's Electoral Movement
People's Electoral Movement
The People's Electoral Movement was a left-wing political party in Venezuela, founded in 1967 by Luis Beltrán Prieto Figueroa...
. As its candidate in the 1968 election he gained nearly 20% of the vote, coming fourth in a close election (COPEI
COPEI
Copei – Social Christian Party of Venezuela is a third way political party in Venezuela. The name stands for Comité de Organización Política Electoral Independiente...
's 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...
won with 29%). However Prieto's subsequent electoral run, in the Venezuelan presidential election, 1978
Venezuelan presidential election, 1978
General elections were held in Venezuela on 3 December 1978. The presidential elections were won by Luis Herrera Campins of Copei, who received 46.6% of the vote. Although Copei received more votes, Democratic Action won the most seats in the Chamber of Deputies, whilst the two parties won 21 seats...
(the party endorsed Jesús Ángel Paz Galarraga in 1973), achieved only just over 1%.
Books
- Las ideas no se degüellan (1980)
- Pido la palabra (1982)
- Mi hermana María Secundina y otras escrituras (1984)