Pedro Carmona
Encyclopedia
Pedro Francisco Carmona Estanga (born 1941 in Barquisimeto
, Lara
, Venezuela
) is a former Venezuelan trade organization leader who was briefly declared President of Venezuela during an abortive 2002 military coup against Hugo Chávez
. He occupied the office of President from April 12 to April 13. After Chávez was restored to office, Carmona, wanted by the authorities for illegal usurpation of power, escaped house arrest, fled to Colombia, and later surfaced in Miami, Florida.
(Fedecámaras), Venezuela's largest business owners' association.
, commander-in-chief of the Venezuelan armed forces, announced in a broadcast to a nationwide audience that Chávez had tendered his resignation from the presidency. While Chávez was brought to a military base and held there, military leaders appointed Carmona as the transitional President of Venezuela, following mass protests and a general strike by his opponents.
In the face of crowds of Chávez supporters taking to the streets and under pressure from some quarters of the military, Chávez was restored to office.
During Carmona's 36-hour government, military officers held Chávez and attempted to force his exile. Additionally, security forces conducted raids without warrants and took some Chávez supporters into custody illegally, including National Assembly deputy Tarek William Saab
, a member of the Chávez-aligned MVR, who was taken into protective custody by security forces after a large crowd had gathered around his home, threatening him and his family. He was held incommunicado for several hours.
After the coup Carmona was placed under house arrest, but was able to gain asylum in the Colombian embassy after an anti-Chávez protest drew away his security detail.
Barquisimeto
Barquisimeto is the capital city of the State of Lara located in west central Venezuela, halfway between Caracas and Maracaibo on the Turbio River.-Overview:...
, Lara
Lara (state)
Lara State is one of the 23 states into which Venezuela is divided. The state capital is Barquisimeto.Lara State covers a total surface area of and, in 2007, had an estimated population of 1,795,100.- Municipalities and municipal seats :...
, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , 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...
) is a former Venezuelan trade organization leader who was briefly declared President of Venezuela during an abortive 2002 military coup against Hugo Chávez
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
. He occupied the office of President from April 12 to April 13. After Chávez was restored to office, Carmona, wanted by the authorities for illegal usurpation of power, escaped house arrest, fled to Colombia, and later surfaced in Miami, Florida.
Background
Carmona was a significant business figure in Venezuela, managing several petrochemical companies in the 1980s and 1990s, including Industrias Venoco (1990–2000). Carmona became president of the Venezuelan Federation of Chambers of CommerceVenezuelan Federation of Chambers of Commerce
The Venezuelan Federation of Chambers of Commerce or Fedecámaras is composed of chambers of commerce in twelve basic trade groups: banking, agriculture, commerce, construction, energy, manufacturing, media, mining, ranching, insurance, transportation, and tourism.In practice, the intended...
(Fedecámaras), Venezuela's largest business owners' association.
April 2002
On April 11, 2002, after Chávez's supporters and opponents were fired on by snipers, Lucas RincónLucas Rincón Romero
General Lucas Rincón Romero was the highest-ranking Venezuelan military officer at the time of the 2002 coup d'état attempt against Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez...
, commander-in-chief of the Venezuelan armed forces, announced in a broadcast to a nationwide audience that Chávez had tendered his resignation from the presidency. While Chávez was brought to a military base and held there, military leaders appointed Carmona as the transitional President of Venezuela, following mass protests and a general strike by his opponents.
In the face of crowds of Chávez supporters taking to the streets and under pressure from some quarters of the military, Chávez was restored to office.
During Carmona's 36-hour government, military officers held Chávez and attempted to force his exile. Additionally, security forces conducted raids without warrants and took some Chávez supporters into custody illegally, including National Assembly deputy Tarek William Saab
Tarek Saab
Tarek William Saab Halabi is a Lebanese-Venezuelan politician, lawyer and poet. He is a human rights activist and a leader of the Fifth Republic Movement party founded by Hugo Chávez, President of Venezuela. He has been the Governor of Anzoátegui since 2004.-Background:The son of Lebanese...
, a member of the Chávez-aligned MVR, who was taken into protective custody by security forces after a large crowd had gathered around his home, threatening him and his family. He was held incommunicado for several hours.
After the coup Carmona was placed under house arrest, but was able to gain asylum in the Colombian embassy after an anti-Chávez protest drew away his security detail.