December 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (53
total) AD 18, COPEI 15, Causa R 9, MAS 5, National Convergence 6; note
- 3 former presidents (2 from AD, 1 from COPEI) hold lifetime senate
seats
Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados): elections last held 5
December 1993 (next to be held NA December 1998); results - AD 27.9%,
COPEI 26.9%, MAS 12.4%, National Convergence 12.9%, Causa R 19.9%;
seats - (203 total) AD 55, COPEI 53, MAS 24, National Convergence 26,
Causa R 40, other 5

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia)
Roberto YEPES, President

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), Pedro PARIS Montesinos, president, and Luis ALFARO Ucero,
secretary general; Movement Toward Socialism (MAS), Gustavo MARQUEZ,
president, and Enrique OCHOA Antich, secretary general; Radical Cause
(La Causa R), Pablo MEDINA, secretary general

Other political or pressure groups: FEDECAMARAS, a conservative
business group; Venezuelan Confederation of Workers (CTV, labor
organization dominated by the Democratic Action); VECINOS groups

Member of: AG, BCIE, CARICOM (observer), CDB, CG, ECLAC, FAO, G-11,
G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,
ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, MINURSO, NAM, OAS, ONUSAL, OPANAL, OPEC, PCA,
RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIH, UNPROFOR, UNU,
UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Pedro Luis ECHEVERRIA
chancery: 1099 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 342-2214
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans,
New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jeffrey DAVIDOW
embassy: Avenida Francisco de Miranda and Avenida Principal de la
Floresta, Caracas
mailing address: P. O. Box 62291, Caracas 1060-A; APO AA 34037
telephone: [58] (2) 285-2222, 3111
FAX: [58] (2) 285-0366

Flag: three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, and red with
the coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band and an arc of
seven white f