People's Electoral Movement
Encyclopedia
The People's Electoral Movement (Movimiento Electoral del Pueblo, MEP) was a left-wing political party
in Venezuela
, founded in 1967 by Luis Beltrán Prieto Figueroa
. It merged into PSUV in 2007.
The MEP was founded after Prieto Figueroa won the 1967 Acción Democrática (AD) primary election
, only to see his nomination overturned by the Romulo Betancourt
faction, in favour of Gonzalo Barrios
, considering Prieto too far left. Prieto Figueroa, at the time President of the Venezuelan Senate
as well as President of AD, split from AD over the affair along with a substantial number of his supporters. Prieto Figueroa achieved 19% of the vote in the Venezuelan presidential election, 1968
, coming fourth in a close election (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%.
Prieto Figueroa led the party until his death in April 1993. At the December 1993 election
it was part of the National Convergence
coalition which successfully backed Rafael Caldera
. The party supported Hugo Chávez
from 1998 onwards, and in the legislative elections
, 4 December 2005, the party won 11 out of 165 seats in the National Assembly
. It merged into PSUV on 20 October 2007.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Venezuela
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...
, founded in 1967 by Luis Beltrán Prieto Figueroa
Luis Beltrán Prieto Figueroa
Luis Beltrán Prieto Figueroa , was a Venezuelan politician. A founder of Democratic Action and Minister of Education in its first government , he was a leader of Democratic Action after the restoration of democracy in 1958...
. It merged into PSUV in 2007.
The MEP was founded after Prieto Figueroa won the 1967 Acción Democrática (AD) 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....
, only to see his nomination overturned by 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, in favour of 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. Prieto Figueroa, at the time 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....
as well as President of AD, split from AD over the affair along with a substantial number of his supporters. Prieto Figueroa achieved 19% of the vote in 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...
, coming fourth in a close election (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%.
Prieto Figueroa led the party until his death in April 1993. At the December 1993 election
Venezuelan presidential election, 1993
General elections were held in Venezuela on 5 December 1993. The presidential elections were won by Rafael Caldera of National Convergence, who received 30.5% of the vote. Democratic Action remained the largest party in the Chamber of Deputies and Senate, which were elected on separate ballots for...
it was part of the National Convergence
National Convergence
The National Convergence is a conservative/Christian democratic political party in Venezuela. It was founded in 1993 by former President of Venezuela Rafael Caldera, successfully gaining a second term in the Venezuelan presidential election, 1993. From 1995 to 2004 Eduardo Lapi held the...
coalition which successfully backed 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 party supported Hugo Chávez
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
from 1998 onwards, and in the legislative elections
Venezuelan parliamentary election, 2005
The 2005 Venezuela parliamentary election took place on 4 December 2005. The election sent 167 deputies to the National Assembly of Venezuela, 12 deputies to the Latin American Parliament and 5 deputies to the Andean Parliament...
, 4 December 2005, the party won 11 out of 165 seats in the National Assembly
National Assembly of Venezuela
The National Assembly is the legislative branch of the Venezuelan government. It is a unicameral body made up of a variable number of members, who are elected by "universal, direct, personal, and secret" vote partly by direct election in state-based voting districts, and partly on a state-based...
. It merged into PSUV on 20 October 2007.
Presidential candidates supported
- 1968 electionVenezuelan presidential election, 1968General 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...
: Luis Beltrán Prieto FigueroaLuis Beltrán Prieto FigueroaLuis Beltrán Prieto Figueroa , was a Venezuelan politician. A founder of Democratic Action and Minister of Education in its first government , he was a leader of Democratic Action after the restoration of democracy in 1958...
(19.34%) - 1973 electionVenezuelan presidential election, 1973General 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:...
: Jesús Ángel Paz Galarraga (5.07%) - 1978 electionVenezuelan presidential election, 1978General 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...
: Luis Beltrán Prieto FigueroaLuis Beltrán Prieto FigueroaLuis Beltrán Prieto Figueroa , was a Venezuelan politician. A founder of Democratic Action and Minister of Education in its first government , he was a leader of Democratic Action after the restoration of democracy in 1958...
(1.12%) - 1983 electionVenezuelan presidential election, 1983General elections were held in Venezuela on 4 December 1983. The presidential elections were won by Jaime Lusinchi of Democratic Action, who received 58.4% of the vote, whilst his party won a majority of seats in the Chamber of Deputies and Senate. Voter turnout was 87.3%.-President:-Congress:...
: José Vicente RangelJosé Vicente RangelJosé Vicente Rangel Vale is a Venezuelan leftist politician. He ran for President three times in the 1970s and 1980s and later supported Hugo Chávez, successively becoming Foreign Minister, Defense Minister, and Vice President in Chávez's government.-Political activism:His political activism began...
(3.34%) - 1988 electionVenezuelan presidential election, 1988General elections were held in Venezuela on 4 December 1988. The presidential elections were won by Carlos Andrés Pérez of Democratic Action, who received 52.9% of the vote, whilst his party won the most seats in the Chamber of Deputies and Senate...
: Edmundo Chirinos - 1993 electionVenezuelan presidential election, 1993General elections were held in Venezuela on 5 December 1993. The presidential elections were won by Rafael Caldera of National Convergence, who received 30.5% of the vote. Democratic Action remained the largest party in the Chamber of Deputies and Senate, which were elected on separate ballots for...
: Rafael CalderaRafael CalderaRafael 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... - 1998 electionVenezuelan presidential election, 1998In the Venezuelan presidential election of 1998, Hugo Chávez was elected to his first term as President of Venezuela with the largest percentage of the popular vote in four decades...
: Hugo ChávezHugo ChávezHugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela... - 2000 electionVenezuelan presidential election, 2000A presidential election was held in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela on July 30, 2000. This was the first election held under Venezuela's newly adopted 1999 constitution.-Results:...
: Hugo ChávezHugo ChávezHugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela... - 2006 electionVenezuelan presidential election, 2006The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela held presidential elections on 3 December 2006, to choose a president for the six-year term to begin on 10 January 2007...
: Hugo ChávezHugo ChávezHugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...