Los Notables

Los Notables (lit. 'The Notables') were a group of Venezuelan intellectuals formed in 1990 and headed by Arturo Uslar Pietri critical of the second government of Carlos Andrés Pérez who proposed the implementation of several public reforms. The group would later demand the proposals implementation, demand the resignation or dismissal of Carlos Andrés and would criticize other state institutions, including the Venezuelan Supreme Court and judicial system, the Supreme Electoral Council [es], the Congress and the political parties.^[1] It was later suggested that members of the group may have been involved in subsequent conspiracies against the government of Carlos Andres, including the first and second attempted coup d'état in Venezuela in 1992.^[2] Rafael Caldera and Ramón Escovar Salom [es], Venezuela's attorney general, are also usually included in the group.^[3]

After the 1970's oil boom, the Venezuelan economy entered into crisis as a result of the indebtedness incurred by the first government of Carlos Andrés Pérez. Starting with the 1980's fall of oil prices, a gradual economic slowdown began while the Venezuelan State increased its revenues and expenses, which caused a devaluation of the currency in 1983. From then on, the economic policies of the governments of Luis Herrera Campíns and Jaime Lusinchi were not able to stop the inflationary spirals, generating distrust in investments and loss of credibility in the national currency. Some of the measures applied by these governments to stop the structural effects were the establishment of the Differential Exchange Rate Regime (RECADI), during the Herrera Campins government, and a price control, during the Lusinchi government, measures that resulted in administrative corruption and black markets of foreign currency and goods. Carlos Andrés Pérez, elected as Democratic Action's candidate on 4 December 1988, began a series of liberalizing economic measures in response to the crisis known as El Gran Viraje [es].

During his presidency, personal animosity towards Carlos Andres from some sectors of society joined the rejection of his economic measures, causing an agreement between the right and the political left in their rejection of Pérez. Carlos Andrés served as Minister of Internal Affairs during the government of Rómulo Betancourt, where he played an important role against the anti-guerrilla struggle, which had generated resentment in sectors of the left. During the first government of Andrés Pérez, Ramón Escovar Salom was removed as Minister of Foreign Affairs. Democratic Action was also involved in the 1945 Venezuelan coup d'état against the government of Isaías Medina Angarita, where Arturo Uslar Pietri had held the position of Minister of Internal Affairs. Said coup thwarted Uslar Pietri's political aspirations, including the possibility of becoming President of Venezuela.^[4]

On 10 August 1990, a group of intellectuals, including Arturo Uslar Pietri, organized as a civil association and published an open letter addressed to President Carlos Andrés Pérez, proposing electoral and judicial reforms. The group would later become known as "Los Notables" and the signatories were as follows:^[4][5]

On 25 August, Arturo Uslar Pietri proposed the creation of the figure of a prime minister, and on 3 December, the group of Los Notables published a second document in which they complained about the Executive and the political parties for not taking into account their demand for uninominal elections and judicial reform.^[4]

On 30 July 1991, Los Notables publish a third document demanding the satisfaction of their petitions as a response to the national crisis. In an interview to El Nacional, Uslar Pietri declared on 17 November that if answers were not given to the Venezuelan crisis, a coup d'état could take place. On 1 December, Uslar Pietri again declares in RCTV's Primer Plano talk show that "it would be idiotic to deny the possibility of a coup".^[4]

By 1992 the group had gained significant renown and prestige, aided by their academic careers. It was later suggested that members of the group could have been involved in subsequent conspiracies against the government of Carlos Andres, including the first and second coup attempts of 1992.^[2] After the 4 February coup d'état attempt, Los Notables proceeded to press for greater demands, including criticism of the Supreme Court of Justice and the Venezuelan judicial system, the Supreme Electoral Council (demanding judicial and electoral reform that included uninational voting), political parties, Congress and the government of Carlos Andrés.^[4] After the coup, Uslar Pietri declared that "it would be very serious to think" that the military rebels were just "madmen who threw the parade" because with other Venezuelans they shared "a sovereign dislike for the way the government functioned".^[4]

In an extraordinary session of the National Congress on the occasion of the coup d'état attempt, then Senator Rafael Caldera made the following speech:

A confidential report prepared by the National Directorate of Intelligence and Prevention Services (DISIP) in March 1992 for President Carlos Andrés linked Arturo Uslar Pietri and Douglas Bravo to participate in the coup attempt. Despite its confidentiality, it was widely published by the local press and caused discomfort among those mentioned in the conspiracy, who denied any involvement. The connection with the intellectuals of the group of Los Notables was due to their coincidence in demanding the resignation of the magistrates of the Supreme Court of Justice, which was raised in a public act at the Hilton Hotel after the coup, in the presence of Douglas Bravo, Francisco Prada Barasarte (Hugo Chávez's connection) and Tarek William Saab.^[6]

After the first coup attempt, Carlos Andrés created the Consultative Council to recommend new policies. Several of the proposals made by the Council included proposals from the group of Los Notables.^[4]

Afterwards, one of the leaders of the second coup attempt on 27 November 1992, Francisco Visconti [es], stated from his refuge in Iquitos, Peru, that the conspirators were more inclined to approach some civilians for this attempt and considered governing with some members of Los Notables. However, Visconti denied that Uslar Pietri was involved in the movement.^[7]

One of the members of Los Notables, José Vicente Rangel, denounced in his television program the alleged embezzlement in the use of a secret fund of Carlos Andrés Pérez. The accusation was picked up by Attorney General Ramón Escovar Salom [es], whom Pérez had appointed to the position, in spite of the existing hostility between them.^[8]

The group of Notables insisted on the seriousness of the country's crisis and the need for Carlos Andres' resignation to allow for "lasting" solutions until his dismissal in 1993.^[3][1] In March 1993, Attorney General Ramón Escovar Salom filed a request for a pre-trial of merit against President Andrés Pérez for the crime of "fraudulent embezzlement" and "malfeasance" of 250 million bolívares of a secret item for the management of which he was responsible. On 20 May 1993, the report requested by the Supreme Court of Justice to Chief Justice Gonzalo Rodríguez Corro was made public,^[9] declaring the request for a pre-trial on merit to be admissible. The following day, on 21 May, the National Congress authorized the trial, impeaching Carlos Andres from the presidency.^[10] During the trial it was revealed that the money had been used for international aid to President Violeta Chamorro in Nicaragua. The trial had several irregularities. In an article in the Diario de Caracas in 1993, it was pointed out that the investigation was flawed at the beginning, that its motivations were political, that the first decisions were dictated under pressure and that fundamental guarantees were disregarded.^[11]

Being interviewed by Venezuelan historian Agustín Blanco Muñoz [es] in his book "Yo sigo acusando! Habla CAP", Carlos Andrés Pérez blames the group for his dismissal and declares that they were motivated by revenge for having removed them from power in 1945.^[12]

• Caracazo
• February 1992 Venezuelan coup attempt
• November 1992 Venezuelan coup attempt
• 1945 Venezuelan coup d'état