The 1993 general elections in Venezuela are the presidential and parliamentary elections held on December 5, 1993 . [1] Rafael Caldera from the Christian Democratic National Convergence Party, who received 30.5% of the vote, became the president for the second time. [2] Democratic action , although it lost about a third of its seats in the National Congress, nevertheless remained the largest party in the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. [3] Voter turnout was a record low of 60.2%, the lowest since World War II . [four]
The 1993 election was held amid a serious economic crisis, exacerbated by the banking crisis and corruption scandals. In 1992, two coup attempts were made, which, although they failed, showed that dissatisfaction with the political establishment was widespread even in the army . In 1993, former President Jaime Lusinci (1983-1988) and incumbent President Carlos Andres Perez were formally accused of corruption and prosecuted. As a result, Lusinci fled abroad, and Andres Perez was removed from power on May 20, 1993 and also left Venezuela. Economic and political turmoil led to a crisis of confidence in traditional core parties, Democratic Action and KOPEY .
Rafael Caldera, the founder of the social-Christian party KOPEY and one of the most experienced politicians in Venezuela, decided once again to run for president, but could not get the approval of the majority in his party. After this, Caldera left KOPEY and founded the Christian Democratic National Convergence Party, which nominated him for the post of head of state. Caldera was supported by 17 small parties, from the extreme left to the centrists , including the Movement to Socialism , the Democratic Republican Union , the People’s Electoral Movement and the Communist Party of Venezuela . His campaign promises included, inter alia, a pardon for the 1992 conspirators, including for Hugo Chavez .
Congressional elections were first held using a mixed electoral system , [5] similar to the German system, but with some variations. [6] The traditionally dominant Democratic Action and KOPEY supported electoral reform, considering the effectiveness of the new electoral system proven by the example of other countries. [5] The new system continued to use the old formula for distributing mandates between states, with a minimum of three deputies from each state. [5] Half of the deputies were elected in single-mandate constituencies , and the rest on closed party lists . To ensure greater proportionality, parties could receive up to five additional seats. [7] Also, for the first time, voters received separate ballots for the election of members of the Chamber of Deputies, the Senate, and state legislatures.
| ← 1988 1998 → |
| Venezuelan Presidential Election |
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| December 5, 1993 |
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| | | |
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| Candidate | Rafael Caldera | Claudio Fermin | Osvaldo Alvarez Paz |
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| The consignment | National convergence | Democratic action | KOPEY |
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| Votes | 1,710,772
(30.46%) | 1,326,287
(23.61%) | 1,276,506
(22.73%) |
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| Election result | Victory for National Convergence candidate Rafael Caldera |
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A total of 18 candidates were officially registered. For the first time in many years, 4 candidates at once had real chances to win the presidential election. All four previously held elected leadership positions.
- Rafael Caldera ( National Convergence ) is a lawyer , sociologist , politician , writer and speaker . The most experienced of all registered candidates. Five times he ran for president from the KOPEY, the president of Venezuela, founded by himself the Social Christian Party, in 1963-1968. For the sixth time he put forward his candidacy from his new party, not finding support for his ambitions within KOPEY. Supported by a number of small parties from the extreme left to the centrist.
- Claudio Fermin ( Democratic Action ) is a politician, sociologist and professor at the University of Venezuela, formerly Deputy Minister for Youth Affairs in the government of President Jaime Lusinci. The first mayor of the metropolitan area of Libertador (1989-1993), elected by direct election. The slogan is "I believe in Venezuela."
- Osvaldo Alvarez Paz ( KOPEY ) is a lawyer and professional politician. For 27 years he was a member of the National Congress (1966-1993), president of the Venezuelan Chamber of Deputies (1974-1979). Since 1989, the Governor of Zulia , the first governor elected by the people in the history of Venezuela. The slogan is “Forward from Osvaldo”.
- Andres Velazquez (The Radical Work ) is a metallurgical engineer and trade union leader, governor of the state of Bolivar . He ran for president for the third time.
Results
| Candidate | Portrait | The consignment | Vote | % |
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| Rafael Caldera | | National Convergence , Movement to Socialism , Democratic Republican Union | 1.710.772 | |
| Claudio Fermin | Democratic action | 1,326,287 | |
| Osvaldo Alvarez Paz | | Social Christian Party KOPEY | 1,276,506 | |
| Andres Velazquez | " Radical business " | 1 232 653 | |
| Modesto Rivero | Organization of genuine updates | 20,814 | |
| Nelso Ojeda Valenzuela | FPI | 18 690 | |
| Luis Alberto Machado | RDLI | 6 851 | |
| Fernando bianco | CEM | 5 590 | |
| Jose Antonio Cova | New democratic generation | 4 937 | |
| Gabriel Puerta Aponte | Popular Democracy Movement | 3 746 | |
| Rona Otolina | Formula 1 | 3 633 | |
| Romulo Abrue Duarte | Fevo | 1,554 | |
| Jesus Tang | National party | 1 251 | |
| Blas Garcia Nunez | PEV | 1 198 | |
| Juan Chasin | Podin | 981 | |
| Carmen de Gonzalez | Nationalist Civil Crusade | 866 | |
| Felix Diaz Ortega | "New order" | 780 | |
| Femistokles Fernandez | IT | 640 | |
| Invalid / Empty Bulletins | 212 517 | |
| Total [~ 1] | 5 829 216 | one hundred |
| Source: D. Nohlen |
- ↑ Both valid and invalid and empty ballots are considered
The 1993 election differed from the previous record low turnout, only 60.2%, as well as a very high share of invalid or empty ballots. About 40% of voters put blank or spoiled ballots in ballot boxes. It is believed that the reason for this behavior of voters was a crisis of confidence, both in the entire Venezuelan political system and in the leading parties and politicians of the country.
Immediately after the election, the candidate of the Radical Case party, Andres Velazquez, filed a complaint about the violations, stating that his party’s representatives were deprived of the opportunity to attend the vote count. [9] Also from Velazquez and his team there were other reports of other violations, including a very slow recount of ballots. All these signs of election fraud were not confirmed by other candidates.