Venezuela

By alyssa.berry01
  • Aug 1, 1498

    Landing in Venezuela

    Christopher Columbus was the first European to visit Venezuela. He came in 1498 during his third voyage to the New World, and landed on the Peninsula de Paria.

  • Rebel

    First rebellion against Spanish colonial rule.

  • Independence from spain

    Venezuela declared independence from Spain.

  • Full independence

    Venezuela gained full independence in 1845.

  • Federal war

    During the 19th and 20th centuries Venezuela experiences political turmoil and is alternately ruled by a handful of military strongmen, each overthrowing the other. A civil war rages through the country for four years from 1859, killing hundreds of thousands of people.

  • Oil

    Venezuela becomes world's largest oil exporter.

  • Democracy

    Rómulo Betancourt is heralded as the Father of Venezuelan Democracy, serving two elected presidencies. The first, a short-lived period from 1945, and then again for five years from 1959 after the military dictator Pérez Jiménez is ousted.

  • New president

    Hugo Chavez elected president

  • President Chavez died

    Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez died at age 58, after 14 years in power. Mr Chavez had been seriously ill with cancer for more than a year, undergoing several operations in Cuba.

  • Protest!

    Hundreds of thousands of people take part in a protest in Caracas calling for the removal of President Maduro, blaming him for the economic crisis and accusing the electoral commission of delaying a referendum which could shorten his term in office.