Marcos Pérez Jiménez

President of Venezuela

Marcos Evangelista Pérez Jiménez 25 April 1914 Táchira, Venezuela

20 September 2001(2001-09-20) (87) Alcobendas, Spain

2 December 1952 – 23 January 1958 Provisional: 2 December 1952 – 19 April 1953

Venezuelan military officer and dictator of Venezuela (1950-58) For other people named Marcos Pérez, see Marcos Pérez (disambiguation). In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Pérez and the second or maternal family name is Jiménez. Marcos Evangelista Pérez Jiménez (25 April 1914 – 20 September 2001) was a Venezuelan military and general officer of the Army of Venezuela and the de facto leader of Venezuela from 1950 to 1958, ruling as member of the military junta from 1950 to 1952 and as president from 1952 to 1958. He took part in the 1948 coup d'état, becoming part of the ruling junta. He ran in the 1952 election. However, the junta cancelled the election when early results indicated that the opposition was ahead, and declared Jiménez provisional president. He became president in 1953 and instituted a constitution that granted him dictatorial powers. Under Pérez Jiménez's rule, the rise of oil prices facilitated many public works projects, including roads, bridges, government buildings and public housing, as well as the rapid development of industries such as hydroelectricity, mining, and steel. The economy of Venezuela developed rapidly while Jiménez was in power. On the downside, Pérez Jiménez presided over one of the most repressive governments in Latin America. His government's political police, the Dirección de Seguridad Nacional (National Security), suppressed criticism and imprisoned those who opposed his rule. Following massive public demonstrations in support of democratic reforms, Perez was deposed in a coup perpetrated by disgruntled sectors within the Armed Forces of Venezuela on 23 January 1958. Perez was then exiled to Dominican Republic, later Miami, United States and afterwards went on to settle in Spain under the Franco regime's protection.