4 OUTSTANDING CONSEQUENCES OF CAUDILLISMO IN VENEZUELA - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The consequences of caudillismo in Venezuela have been profound and varied and have strongly influenced the historical development of this country.

Caudillismo can be understood as a political phenomenon in which an individual exercises leadership, usually military, over a part of society, to carry out changes within that same society.

Cipriano Castro and Juan Vicente Gómez at the Yellow House.

Caudillismo in Venezuela has arisen from various causes such as power vacuums, political crises and the deformation of federalist and centralist concepts.

In general, it is accepted that caudillismo in Venezuela has been a phenomenon that has occurred since the time of the Spanish conquest. However, some authors say that this phenomenon began after the wars of independence.

Regardless of the time of the beginnings of caudillismo, it is accepted that the consequences of this phenomenon have been seen throughout the history of the Venezuelan state and continue to this day.

Key consequences of caudillismo in Venezuela

1- Formation of the modern Venezuelan state

The most general consequence of caudillismo in Venezuela is that this phenomenon contributed to shaping the Venezuelan state of the 20th century.

The historical presence of caudillismo in Venezuela has kept the country in a state of constant concern about becoming a failed state.

This concern and the centralist initiatives to combat this possibility are evident in the policies of 20th century Venezuelan leaders, including the Nolivarian movement of Hugo Chávez.

2- Peace and civil war

From the caudillismo it was possible to stop the imminent civil wars with which the private armies of the provinces threatened to break the peace of the country.

Although this very peace was constantly threatened by the rise of provincial caudillos, the victory of the most influential caudillos managed to undermine local caudillista initiatives, especially in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

3- Delay and establishment of a centralist state

Between the years 1859 and 1888, known as the time of the caudillista boom, the political ideology of the caudillos was based on the separation and defense of the local.

In this sense, the caudillista movements were an obstacle to establishing a dominant central power in Venezuela. However, the caudillos who came to occupy the central power always acted in a contrary way.

Almost ironically, in the face of the division of federalism and the regional struggles that these leaders defended in principle, they established authoritarian and centralist regimes when they came to power.

Many authors consider that this contributed greatly to the gradual construction of a national centralist power in Venezuela.

4- Restorative liberal revolution

Historically, the restorative liberal revolution that occurred between 1899 and 1903 is recognized as a consequence of the caudillista movements.

Between 1888 and 1899, regional caudillo movements had successfully prevented the establishment of a centralized national state and had retaken their local influence to take up arms in a threatening way for the state.

This state of affairs led Cipriano Castro, a military leader who became president of Venezuela in 1899, to carry out a series of political and military measures known as the liberal restorative revolution, which led to the total dissolution of the caudillismo of the time.

References

1. Cardoza E. Caudillismo and militarism in Venezuela. Origins, conceptualization and consequences. Historical Processes, Journal of History and Social Sciences. 2015; 28: 143-153.
2. Chirinos J. Two thousand always: Venezuela and the eternal caudillismo. Western Magazine. 2013; 388: 65-79.
3. Manwaring M. (2005) Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, Bolivarian Socialism, and Asymmetric Warfare. Defense technical information center.
4. Mendoza A. Recurrence of the caudillista system in the republican history of Venezuela. A positivist approach to the phenomenon. Time and space. 2014; 32 (61): 267-287
5. Varnagy D. KOENEKE H. The role of political parties in Venezuela's political culture. Political system and challenges, Politeja 2013; 24: 81-104.