Rafael Caldera

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Rafael Caldera
President of Venezuela
In office
2 February 1994 – 2 February 1999
Preceded byRamón José Velásquez
Succeeded byHugo Chávez
In office
11 March 1969 – 12 March 1974
Preceded byRaúl Leoni
Succeeded byCarlos Andrés Pérez
Senator for Life
In office
12 March 1974 – 2 February 1994
In office
2 February 1999 – 20 December 1999
President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Congress of Venezuela
In office
1959–1962
Solicitor General of Venezuela
In office
26 October 1945 – 13 April 1946
Personal details
Born
Rafael Antonio Caldrea Rodríguez

(1916-01-24)24 January 1916
San Felipe, Yaracuy, Venezuela
Died24 December 2009(2009-12-24) (aged 93)
Caracas, Venezuela
Political partyCOPEI
(1946–1993)
National Convergence
(1993–2009)
Spouse(s)Alicia Pietri Montemayor
Alma materCentral University of Venezuela
OccupationLawyer
Signature
WebsiteOfficial website

Rafael Antonio Caldera Rodríguez (Spanish pronunciation: [rafaˈel anˈtonjo kalˈdeɾa roˈðɾiɣes]; 24 January 1916 – 24 December 2009),[1] twice elected President of Venezuela, served for two five-year terms (1969–1974 and 1994–1999), becoming the longest serving democratically elected leader to govern the country in the twentieth century.[2]

Widely acknowledged as one of the founders of Venezuela’s democratic system,[3] the main architect of the 1961 Constitution, and a pioneer of the Christian Democratic movement in Latin America, Caldera helped forge an unprecedented period of civilian democratic rule in a country beleaguered by a history of political violence and military caudillos.[4]

His leadership established Venezuela’s reputation as one of the more stable democracies in Latin America during the second half of the twentieth century.[5]

After graduating with a degree in law and political science from Central University of Venezuela in 1939, Caldera embarked on a 70-year long career that combined political, intellectual and academic activities.

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