Carlos Andres Perez, former president of Venezuela, passed away

December 25, 2010

As was reported by Diego Arria, former ambassador and minister of Venezuela, “Former Venezuelan President Carlos Andres Perez died on Saturday at his home in Miami at 88 years old”.

Carlos Andrés Pérez was president for two terms from 1974 to 1979 and from 1989 to 1993, and in 2003 suffered a cardiovascular attack that paralyzed the right half of his body.

During his first term, he promoted the growth in export of oil, calling the country as the “Saudi Venezuela”.

In the second period he suffered a major economic crisis that plunged the country into civil chaos known as the “Caracazo” of 1989, where there were scandals of corruption and attempted coups in 1992 led by Hugo Chávez, Venezuela’s current president, and a military group.

Perez was dismissed in 1993 by the Congress after the Supreme Court convicted him of embezzlement and had to serve two years of house arrest.