Marcos Pérez Jiménez (April 25, 1914 – September 20, 2001) was a soldier and President of Venezuela from 1952 to 1958.
Marcos Evangelista Pérez Jiménez was born in Michelena, Táchira State. His father Juan Pérez Bustamante was a farmer and his mother Adela Jiménez a schoolteacher. He attended school in his home town and Colombia, and graduated from the Military Academy of Venezuela at the top of his class in 1934. He subsequently studied at military colleges in Peru.
In 1945, he participated in a coup that helped install Rómulo Betancourt (from the Democratic Action party), as President of the Revolutionary Government Junta. In 1947 free elections were held and Rómulo Gallegos was elected. In 1948, he participated in another coup under the leadership of Lt. Col. Carlos Delgado Chalbaud, a graduate of France's military academy, that ousted Gallegos due to the excesive partidism and populism of his government. From November 24, 1948 until 1952, Venezuela was ruled by a military junta headed by Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Delgado Chalbaud, that included Pérez. On November 13, 1950, Delgado Chalbaud was murdered. The junta elected attorney Germán Suárez as provisional president, but the real power behind him was Pérez. In 1952 general elections were held which the government did not recognize and Pérez became president of Venezuela. During his tenure, Venezuela was transformed into the most modern nation in Latin America.
Marcos Pérez Jiménez (April 25, 1914 – September 20, 2001) was a soldier and President of Venezuela from 1952 to 1958.
In 1945, he participated in a coup that helped install Rómulo Betancourt (from the Democratic Action party), as President of the Revolutionary Government Junta. In 1947 free elections were held and Rómulo Gallegos was elected. In 1948, he participated in another coup under the leadership of Lt. Col. Carlos Delgado Chalbaud, a graduate of France's military academy, that ousted Gallegos due to the excesive partidism and populism of his government. From November 24, 1948 until 1952, Venezuela was ruled by a military junta headed by Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Delgado Chalbaud, that included Pérez. On November 13, 1950, Delgado Chalbaud was murdered. The junta elected attorney Germán Suárez as provisional president, but the real power behind him was Pérez. In 1952 general elections were held which the government did not recognize and Pérez became president of Venezuela. During his tenure, Venezuela was transformed into the most modern nation in Latin America.
Marcos Pérez Jiménez (April 25, 1914 – September 20, 2001) was a soldier and President of Venezuela from 1952 to 1958.
