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Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is born
The leader of the “Bolivarian Revolution,” a socialist political program for much of Latin America, named after Simón Bolívar, the South American independence hero. -
Early life Of Hugo
Chávez grew up in Sabaneta, a small town in the southwestern plains of Venezuela. He was the second of six surviving children, all boys. His parents, both schoolteachers, did not have enough money to support all their children. -
Hugo joins Military Academy
In 1971 Chávez entered the Venezuelan Military Academy in Caracas, the national capital, not because he wanted to be a soldier but because he dreamed of becoming a professional baseball player, and the academy had good baseball coaches. -
Hugo starts in the army
Chávez started his military career as a second lieutenant in the army. His first assignment was to capture the remaining leftist guerrillas. -
Hugos attempt to overthrow the gov of pres
On February 4, 1992, Chávez and a group of military officers led an attempt to overthrow the government of Pres. Carlos Andrés Pérez. Unfortunately for Chávez, the rebellion quickly collapsed. -
Hugo in jail
Chávez was imprisoned without a court ruling for the attempted coup until 1994, when Pres. Rafael Caldera Rodríguez, bowing to Chávez’s growing popularity, dropped the charges against him. -
Hugo takes Office
Chávez took office in February 1999. During his first year in office, his approval rating reached 80 percent, and his platform—which advocated an end to corruption, increased spending on social programs, and redistribution of the country’s oil wealth -
Hugo is forced to resign
In December 2002 the opposition began a national strike designed to force Chávez to resign. At the centre of the strike was the state oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), which accounted for 80 percent of Venezuela’s export revenue. I -
Hugo is president again
In December 2006 Chávez was elected president for a third time, with 63 percent of the vote. -
Hugo got Cancer
In December 2012 Chávez underwent his fourth cancer surgery in Cuba. Before leaving for Cuba, Chávez had designated Vice President Nicolás Maduro as his successor should he not survive the surgery. -
Hugo dies
Chávez died on March 5, and Maduro became interim president. Maduro then defeated Capriles in the special election on April 14 to choose a president to serve out the remainder of Chávez’s term. -
Maduro takes office
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who won over the country’s poor with so-called “21st century socialism” during his 14-year rule, dies from cancer at 58. His preferred successor, Vice President Nicolas Maduro, takes office. -
Leopoldo Lopez is arrested
Venezuelan security forces arrest well-known opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez on charges of fomenting unrest, after a wave of protests known as ‘The Exit,’ seeking to oust Maduro. -
Oil prices have collapsed
Democratic Unity coalition wins control of Venezuela’s legislative body, the National Assembly, for the first time in 16 years, riding a wave of popular discontent with a prolonged recession and rising inflation after oil prices collapsed. -
International Outcry
Venezuela's Supreme Court, which has consistently sided with the ruling Socialist Party, announces here it is taking over the functions of the National Assembly. The court quickly walks back the decision amid international outcry. -
Government Announcment
Mediation talks between the government and the opposition collapse amid disagreement over the timing of the next presidential election. The government announces the vote will be held in the first half of the year, and the main opposition parties pledge to boycott. -
Latin American governments
Maduro goes ahead with his inauguration for a second six-year term, ignoring the advice of several Latin American governments. Juan Guaido, a virtually unknown here opposition lawmaker who assumed leadership of the largely toothless National Assembly days earlier, calls Maduro a "usurper." -
Guaido swears himself in
Guaido swears himself in here as interim president at the opposition's largest rally since 2017. He is recognized as the country's legitimate president by the United States and many of Venezuela's neighbors.
