On April 26, Venezuela marks the 26th anniversary of the 1999 constitutional referendum, a pivotal moment initiated by Hugo Chávez that transformed the nation’s democracy and empowered the Venezuelan people through participatory governance.

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Venezuela commemorated this Friday the 26th anniversary of the historic 1999 constitutional referendum, a milestone that marked the beginning of a new era in the country’s political history. Convened by then-President Hugo Chávez, the referendum asked Venezuelans whether to convene a National Constituent Assembly (ANC) to draft a new constitution, laying the foundation for what would become a participatory and protagonist democracy. With over four million citizens casting their votes, the event represented a resounding call for change and the refoundation of the Republic.

The 1999 referendum was a direct response to decades of exclusion and oligarchic control, as Chávez sought to dismantle the old order and empower the long-ignored majority. The electorate overwhelmingly approved both questions posed in the referendum, with more than 80% in favor of convening the ANC and establishing the rules for its election. This massive support demonstrated the Venezuelan people’s desire for a new social contract and their rejection of what President Nicolás Maduro has described as “the farce of bourgeois democracy, that of surnames, of oligarchies,” in favor of a system where the people are the true protagonists.

The text reads: Today we celebrate 26 years since the first consultative referendum in 200 years of the Republic. Who called for it? Hugo Chávez Frías, who had made it his main electoral commitment,the great democratizer who handed political power over to the people of Venezuela.

Our Commander came to put an end to the farce of bourgeois democracy, the democracy of surnames and oligarchies, in order to begin building a popular democracy with an empowered and leading people. An unprecedented event!

The 1999 Constituent Assembly was an awakening, the beginning of a historic era, a truly popular process that today we are called to deepen with the Constitutional Reform to advance toward a new modernity.

Following the referendum, the National Constituent Assembly was elected by universal, direct, and secret vote, embodying the principles of popular participation. The ANC’s mandate was clear: to draft a new constitution that would guarantee social rights, expand popular sovereignty, and institutionalize mechanisms for citizen involvement in governance. The process was characterized by broad consultations with diverse sectors of Venezuelan society, reflecting the left’s commitment to inclusive, bottom-up political transformation. The resulting 1999 Constitution, later ratified by popular vote, strengthened participatory democracy and became a cornerstone of the Bolivarian project.

Enduring Legacy and the Call for Deepening Democracy

On this anniversary, President Maduro and other leaders of the Bolivarian Revolution have emphasized the enduring legacy of the 1999 referendum. They highlight it as an “awakening” and a historic break with the past, urging new generations to deepen the gains of participatory democracy through ongoing constitutional reform. This vision aligns with the broader trend among Latin America’s leftist governments, which have prioritized media democratization, popular empowerment, and the opposition of elite power structures as central to their political agendas. The 1999 referendum thus stands as a testament to the transformative potential of collective action and the enduring struggle for social justice in Venezuela and across the region.

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