The Fifth Republic Movement (Spanish: Movimiento V [Quinta] República, MVR) was a socialist political party in Venezuela. It was founded in July 1997, following a national congress of the Revolutionary Bolivarian Movement-200, to support the candidacy of Hugo Chávez in the 1998 Venezuelan presidential election. The "Fifth Republic" refers to the fact that in 1997 the Republic of Venezuela was the fourth in Venezuelan history, and the Movement aimed to re-found the Republic through a constituent assembly. Following Chávez' 1998 election victory, this took place in 1999, leading to the 1999 Constitution of Venezuela.
At the 2000 Venezuelan parliamentary election, the party won 91 out of 165 seats in the National Assembly. On the same day, Chávez won the 2000 Venezuelan presidential election with 59.5% of the votes. In the 2005 Venezuelan parliamentary election, the party won 114 out of 167 seats, with allied parties winning the remaining seats. In December 2006 and January 2007, the party started its dissolution, to form the proposed United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). It merged into the PSUV on 20 October 2007.
Foundation
The MVR was founded in July 1997 to support the electoral aims of the Revolutionary Bolivarian Movement-200. In the early years after his release, Chávez considered the possibility of another coup attempt, but with the prospects appearing slim, some advisers, notably Luis Miquilena, urged him to reconsider his scepticism of the elections. In July 1997, Chávez registered the new Fifth Republic Movement with the National Electoral Council.
Aims
The party was committed to the Bolivarian Revolution and claimed to be the political voice of the country's poor. The MVR also pursued radical anti-Americanism and Marxism. Party leaders often had contacts with Fidel Castro and the Cuban Communist Party, for example. The MVR also promoted a stronger role for the military in political life, aligning with Hugo Chávez's vision of a "civil military union". This included efforts to integrate military officers into administrative positions and use forces in the implementation of programs.
Scholars argue that the root of this displacement was caused by political and economic transformations initiated under the Bolivarian Revolution, and out migration accelerated following Hugo Chávez's presidency.
Internationally, Chávez's rhetoric and policies drew attention. In 2006, Jerry Falwell criticized a speech in which Chávez had referred to U.S. President George W. Bush as "the devil" and encouraged a boycott of Citgo, a Venezuelan owned company. Such statements made by Chávez heavily contributed to perceptions of Venezuela as confrontational globally. Domestically, opposition groups and analyst argued that the MVR concentrated power within the leadership circle, limited internal party democracy and promoted clientelism.
Dissolution
On 18 December 2006, Hugo Chávez announced plans to dissolve the party, hoping that the 23 other parties that supported his government would follow suit and collectively form the proposed United Socialist Party of Venezuela. Drawing power from his political party, Hugo Chávez controlled the majority of media outlets within Venezuela. Having so much control and power over the country, Chavez fought opposition and succeeded. Venezuela's economic decline began during the period of Chavez's Bolivarian Revolution, and continued under Nicolas Maduro.
Nicolas Maduro
After Hugo Chávez's death, Nicolas Maduro was elected president of Venezuela. By now, the country depended on its oil revenues, and after Chavez's presidency and the Bolivarian Revolution, oil revenues began decreasing. The country's economy was not stable, and it became even more unstable after oil prices dropped worldwide in 2014. As a result of this, Maduro initiated a plan on printing more money in 2014, rising inflation levels.
Post-Chavismo humanitarian crisis
The effects of Hugo Chávez and his Fifth Republic movement can be seen in Venezuela to this day. The country is undergoing a humanitarian crisis, due to its citizens lacking basic needs such as food and water. This crisis has driven many Venezuelans to emigrate to other Latin American countries such as Colombia and Brazil, causing a migratory crisis. These countries are lacking the resources to bear asylum for Venezuelan migrants.
The use of Venezuelan history
Venezuela historiography recognizes four "republics," or major regime changes, since the country was founded in 1811. The First Republic, known as the "Venezuelan Confederation," lasted until 1812. The Second Republic is the restored republican regime that was instituted by Simón Bolívar after his Admirable Campaign in 1813, and which lasted until 1814. The Third Republic refers to the period after 1816 in which various patriot guerrilla bands joined under Bolívar's leadership in the Llanos of Venezuela and set up an independent government. This process culminated in the Congress of Angostura, but shortly thereafter the Congress declared Venezuela to be part of a larger Gran Colombia. Gran Colombia lasted only a decade and at its dissolution Venezuela became once again the "Republic of Venezuela," which is considered the start of the Fourth Republic. In 1864, the country was then restructured into the "United States of Venezuela", before reverting once again to the name "Republic of Venezuela" in 1953. Although both periods began with the implementation of new constitutions (the fourth and twenty-fourth constitutions, respectively), both have been deemed by Venezuelan historiography as a continuation of the Fourth Republic.
Since Chávez's election to the Presidency in 1998, the country has been known as the "Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela", signaling Chávez' desires to usher in a new era of politics and government. This unique "Bolivarian" government is the "Fifth Republic" referred to in the party's title. The use of the phrase also echoes the French Fifth Republic, which was another sweeping political change to deal with political instability during decolonisation.
Chávez repeatedly framed the Bolivarian Revolution as a break from what he described as the political stagnation and corruption of the Fourth Republic. By promoting the idea of a "Fifth Republic", his movement emphasized the creation of new institutions. The 1999 Constitution was presented as the foundational document of this new republican era, making the beginning of what the MVR considered a phase in Venezuelan History.
Dissolution
On 18 December 2006, Hugo Chávez announced plans to dissolve the party, hoping that the 23 other parties that supported his government would follow suit and collectively form the proposed United Socialist Party of Venezuela. According to Hetland(2017), the creation of the PSUV in 2007 was motivated by the need for a more cohesive organization to consolidate Chavista control. The PSUV quickly arose in power and became Venezuela's largest political party, incorporating MVR members and leaders. Scholars note that this merger marked the transition from a fragmented pro-government coalition to a system centered on Chavismo, shaping Venezuelan politics for years to come.
Elections the MVR participated in:
- 1998 Venezuelan presidential election, 2000 Venezuelan presidential election, 2006 Venezuelan presidential election
- 1998 Venezuelan parliamentary election, 2000 Venezuelan parliamentary election, 2005 Venezuelan parliamentary election
- 1998 Venezuelan regional elections, 2000 Venezuelan regional elections, 2004 Venezuelan regional elections
- April 1999 Venezuelan constitutional referendum, December 1999 Venezuelan constitutional referendum, 2004 Venezuelan recall referendum
Leaders of MVR
- Hugo Chávez
- Francisco Ameliach
- Juan Barreto
- Diosdado Cabello
- Jesse Chacón
- Cilia Flores
- Willian Lara
- Nicolás Maduro
- Tarek William Saab
- Luis Tascón
- Iris Varela
- Darío Vivas
Election results
Presidential
{| class=wikitable
|-
! rowspan=2|Election year
! rowspan=2|Name
! colspan=2|1st round
! colspan=2|2nd round
|-
! # of<br />overall votes
! % of<br />overall vote
! # of<br />overall votes
! % of<br />overall vote
|-
! 1998
| Hugo Chávez
| 3,673,685
| 56.2 (#1)
| colspan=2 bgcolor=lightgrey|
|-
! 2000
| Hugo Chávez
| 3,757,773
| 59.8 (#1)
| colspan=2 bgcolor=lightgrey|
|-
! 2006
| Hugo Chávez
| 7,309,080
| 62.8 (#1)
| colspan=2 bgcolor=lightgrey|
|}
Parliament (National Assembly)
{| class=wikitable
|-
! Election year
! # of<br />overall votes
! % of<br />overall vote
! # of<br />overall seats won
! +/–
|-
! 1998
| 986,131
| 19.9 (#2)
|
| 35
|-
! 2000
| 1,977,992
| 44.4 (#1)
|
| 56
|-
! 2005
| 2,041,293
| 60.0 (#1)
|
| 25
|}