frage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Rafael CALDERA Rodriguez (since 2 February
1994); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Rafael CALDERA Rodriguez (since 2
February 1994); note-the president is both the chief of state and head
of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 5 December 1993 (next to be held 6 December 1998)
election results: Rafael CALDERA Rodriguez elected president; percent
of vote-Rafael CALDERA Rodriguez (National Convergence) 30.45%,
Claudio FERMIN (AD) 23.59%, Oswaldo ALVAREZ PAZ (COPEI) 22.72%, Andres
VELASQUEZ (Causa R) 21.94%, other 1.3%

Legislative branch: bicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de
la Republica consists of the Senate or Senado (52 seats, two from each
state and the Federal District (50), and retired presidents (2);
members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and
Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (207 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate-last held 5 December 1993 (next to be held 6
December 1998); Chamber of Deputies-last held 5 December 1993 (next to
be held 6 December 1998)
election results: Senate-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by
party-AD 16, COPEI 14, Causa R 9, National Convergence 5, MAS 3,
independents 5; note-two former presidents (1 from AD, 1 from COPEI)
hold lifetime Senate seats; Chamber of Deputies-percent of vote by
party-AD 25.6%, COPEI 24.6%, MAS 10.6%, National Convergence 8.7%,
Causa R 19.3%; seats by party-AD 53, COPEI 51, Causa R 40, MAS 22,
National Convergence 18, other 23

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia),
magistrates are elected by both chambers in joint session for a
nine-year term, a third are re-elected every three years

Political parties and leaders: National Convergence (Convergencia),
Jose Miguel UZCATEGUI, president, Juan Jose CALDERA, national
coordinator; Social Christian Party (COPEI), Luis HERRERA Campins,
president, and Donald RAMIREZ, secretary general; Democratic Action
(AD), David MORALES Bello, president, and Luis ALFARO Ucero, secretary
general; Movement Toward Socialism (MAS), Felipe MUJICA, president,
and Leopoldo PUCHI, secretary general; Radical Cause (La Causa R),
Lucas MATHEUS, secretary