Octavio Lepage
Encyclopedia
Octavio Lepage Barreto, (born 24 November 1923 in Santa Rosa, Anzoátegui
) was Acting President of Venezuela from 21 May 1993 to 5 June 1993.
Lepage was a member of the student movement of the political party Acción Democrática (AD) at the Central University of Venezuela
(UCV), being designated in 1945 as Secretary in the Executive Committee of AD in Caracas
. He graduated from UCV with a degree in law in 1947, and in 1948 he was elected as the deputy for Anzoátegui to the National Congress. In November of that year, he was elected Secretary General of AD, but did not take the position due to the suppression of political parties following the overthrow of Rómulo Gallegos
.
Lepage was the First Secretary of Acción Democrática while it operated clandestinely from January to September 1949, when he was succeeded by Leonardo Ruiz Pineda
. Lepage also was part of the Secretariat of Organization of the party. In July 1950, he was arrested by the Seguridad Nacional (National Security) and imprisoned in San Juan de los Morros
. Upon being released in July 1954, he was expelled from the country, and in exile was a member of the coordinating foreign committee.
Returning from exile, Lepage was elected deputy for Anzoátegui in 1959. In 1964 he was appointed as the ambassador to Belgium. He served there until 1965, when he returned to Venezuela to assume the General Secretariat of Acción Democrática. In the 1973 elections he was elected to the Venezuelan Senate
for Miranda
and in 1975 he was designated by President Carlos Andrés Pérez
as Minister of Interior, being appointed again during the administration of Jaime Lusinchi
. Lusinchi wanted Lepage to be the AD candidate in the Venezuelan presidential election, 1988
, but in a primary election
the party chose Carlos Andrés Pérez
.
In 1993, he succeeded Carlos Andrés Pérez
and assumed the Provisional Presidency of the Republic as the President of the Congress after the suspension of Pérez over corruption allegations. Octavio Lepage was succeeded by Ramón José Velásquez
, who became President on 5 June 1993.
Anzoátegui
Anzoátegui State , is one of the 23 component states of Venezuela, located in the northeastern region of the country. Anzoátegui is well known for its beautiful beaches that attract many visitors. Its coast consists of a single beach approximately 100 km long...
) was Acting President of Venezuela from 21 May 1993 to 5 June 1993.
Lepage was a member of the student movement of the political party Acción Democrática (AD) at the Central University of Venezuela
Central University of Venezuela
The Central University of Venezuela is a premier public University of Venezuela located in Caracas...
(UCV), being designated in 1945 as Secretary in the Executive Committee of AD in Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
. He graduated from UCV with a degree in law in 1947, and in 1948 he was elected as the deputy for Anzoátegui to the National Congress. In November of that year, he was elected Secretary General of AD, but did not take the position due to the suppression of political parties following the overthrow of Rómulo Gallegos
Rómulo Gallegos
Rómulo Ángel del Monte Carmelo Gallegos Freire was a Venezuelan novelist and politician. For a period of some nine months during 1948, he was the first cleanly elected president in his country's history....
.
Lepage was the First Secretary of Acción Democrática while it operated clandestinely from January to September 1949, when he was succeeded by Leonardo Ruiz Pineda
Leonardo Ruiz Pineda
Leonardo Ruiz Pineda, was a Venezuelan lawyer and politician, member and one of the founders of the party Acción Democrática , of which was Secretary General and leader of the clandestine resistance between 1949 to 1952 against the dictatorship of Marcos Pérez Jiménez.- References :...
. Lepage also was part of the Secretariat of Organization of the party. In July 1950, he was arrested by the Seguridad Nacional (National Security) and imprisoned in San Juan de los Morros
San Juan de los Morros
San Juan de los Morros is the capital of the Guarico state and capital of the Juan Germán Roscio municipality, and is a town located in central Venezuela.- Overview :...
. Upon being released in July 1954, he was expelled from the country, and in exile was a member of the coordinating foreign committee.
Returning from exile, Lepage was elected deputy for Anzoátegui in 1959. In 1964 he was appointed as the ambassador to Belgium. He served there until 1965, when he returned to Venezuela to assume the General Secretariat of Acción Democrática. In the 1973 elections he was elected to the Venezuelan Senate
Venezuelan Senate
The Venezuelan Senate was the upper house of Venezuela's legislative under its 1961 constitution. Under the 1999 constitution, the bicameral system was replaced by the unicameral National Assembly of Venezuela....
for Miranda
Miranda (state)
Miranda State is one of the 23 states into which Venezuela is divided. It is ranked second in population among Venezuelan states, after Zulia State. In June 30, 2010, it had approximately 2,987,968 residents. It also has the greatest Human Development Index in Venezuela, according to the...
and in 1975 he was designated by President Carlos Andrés Pérez
Carlos Andrés Pérez
Carlos Andrés Pérez Rodríguez , also known as CAP and often referred to as El Gocho , was a Venezuelan politician, President of Venezuela from 1974 to 1979 and again from 1989 to 1993. His first presidency was known as the Saudi Venezuela due to its economic and social prosperity thanks to...
as Minister of Interior, being appointed again during the administration of Jaime Lusinchi
Jaime Lusinchi
Jaime Ramón Lusinchi is a Venezuelan politician who was the President of Venezuela from 1984 to 1989. His term was characterized by an economic crisis, growth of the External debt, populist policies, currency depreciation, inflation and corruption that exacerbated the crisis of the political...
. Lusinchi wanted Lepage to be the AD candidate in the Venezuelan presidential election, 1988
Venezuelan presidential election, 1988
General elections were held in Venezuela on 4 December 1988. The presidential elections were won by Carlos Andrés Pérez of Democratic Action, who received 52.9% of the vote, whilst his party won the most seats in the Chamber of Deputies and Senate...
, but in a primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
the party chose Carlos Andrés Pérez
Carlos Andrés Pérez
Carlos Andrés Pérez Rodríguez , also known as CAP and often referred to as El Gocho , was a Venezuelan politician, President of Venezuela from 1974 to 1979 and again from 1989 to 1993. His first presidency was known as the Saudi Venezuela due to its economic and social prosperity thanks to...
.
In 1993, he succeeded Carlos Andrés Pérez
Carlos Andrés Pérez
Carlos Andrés Pérez Rodríguez , also known as CAP and often referred to as El Gocho , was a Venezuelan politician, President of Venezuela from 1974 to 1979 and again from 1989 to 1993. His first presidency was known as the Saudi Venezuela due to its economic and social prosperity thanks to...
and assumed the Provisional Presidency of the Republic as the President of the Congress after the suspension of Pérez over corruption allegations. Octavio Lepage was succeeded by Ramón José Velásquez
Ramón José Velásquez
Ramón José Velásquez Mujica is a Venezuelan political figure. He served as Acting president of Venezuela between 1993 and 1994. He is known as a historian, journalist, lawyer, politician and entertainer of companies for his knowledge of the "national life".Velásquez was born in Táchira,Venezuela...
, who became President on 5 June 1993.
See also
- VenezuelaVenezuelaVenezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
- Presidents of Venezuela