Venezuelan presidential election, 1952

Constitutional Assembly elections were held in Venezuela on 30 November 1952. After its election, the Assembly would nominate a provisional President and then draft a new constitution. Although taking place under military dictatorship with the main opposition party (Democratic Action) banned, the election was fair enough to permit early results to show an unexpected defeat for the ruling military junta as the Democratic Republican Union won 62.8% of the vote. The junta blocked the final results from being published and installed General Marcos Pérez Jiménez as Provisional President, an outcome confirmed by the Constitutional Assembly, which the opposition parties boycotted.

Venezuela had been run by a three-person junta from the 1948 Venezuelan coup d'état, under the leadership of Carlos Delgado Chalbaud. His assassination in November 1950 caused delays in the promulgation of the junta's promised electoral law, and afterwards Pérez Jiménez, its most powerful member, opposed the draft law's enfranchisement of all persons over 18, describing it as enfranchising illiterates and minors. Perceived pressure of domestic and international opinion saw the electoral law published in April 1951.

The main party of the Venezuelan opposition, and of the previous democratic government, Democratic Action, was banned and was specifically prohibited from participating. The Communist Party of Venezuela was also banned. In the absence of Democratic Action, the Democratic Republican Union (URD) was the most powerful opposition party. It seriously considered abstaining, but ultimately decided to participate.

The opposition URD, led by Jóvito Villalba, and COPEI, led by Rafael Caldera, "had to furnish detailed information to the government regarding party-sponsored public meetings, membership rolls, and finances". In addition, press coverage of both parties was censored so strictly that it hardly communicated any more than movements of its leaders, with party policy simply omitted.

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