Cipriano Castro's Presidency: Venezuelan Politics and Constitutional Change (1899–1908)

Cipriano Castro: The Restorative Liberal Revolution (1899–1908)

Cipriano Castro ruled Venezuela from 1899 to 1908, seizing power through the Restorative Liberal Revolution (Revolución Liberal Restauradora). Venezuela, at the time, was accustomed to political instability and strongman rule.

Rise to Power and Andean Influence

• Castro, an Andean leader, successfully overthrew the government of Ignacio Andrade, who was also from the Andes region.
• Castro and his future successor, Juan Vicente Gómez, had previously been collaborators and shared a period of exile in Colombia.
• The weakness of the Andrade administration allowed Castro’s revolutionary proposal to succeed.
• Although there had been previous Andean governors, none had ruled with the same level of strength as Castro.

Key Events and Conflicts

Castro proved to be an energetic leader, facing numerous national and international conflicts during his tenure.

• Territorial Dispute: Days before Castro took power, Great Britain had seized approximately 150,000 km² of Venezuelan territory in the Essequibo region (Guyana Essequiba). Castro did not participate in this loss but also did not accept the territorial claim.
• Internal Opposition: To begin his government, Castro signed a Peace Treaty in Maracay to consolidate power. However, his government later included José Manuel Hernández, who subsequently led an uprising that Castro suppressed.
• Political Style: The Castro government was influential in the Valencian political circle, though the center of power remained rooted in the Andean region.

Constitutional Reforms and Motto

Castro’s political agenda included significant constitutional changes aimed at centralizing and extending his authority:

1. He amended the constitution twice: first in 1901, and again in 1904.
2. The constitutional period established in 1904 was designed to last until 1911, as he modified the constitution to lengthen the presidential term.
3. He modified the territorial structure, increasing the number of states from 10 to 13.

The official motto of his government was: “New men, new ideals, new procedures,” although critics noted that few of the figures involved were genuinely new to Venezuelan politics.

The Fall of Castro (1908)

In 1908, Castro traveled to Germany seeking treatment for prostate cancer. He left his trusted ally, Juan Vicente Gómez, in charge of the presidency. Gómez subsequently staged a coup d'état, permanently ousting Castro from power.

Venezuelan Historical Context and Social Structure

Historical Periods (1830–1935)

To understand the context of Castro's era, it is useful to review earlier Venezuelan history:

• Colonial Period: 1500–1821.
• Independence and Gran Colombia: 1821–1830. The separation movement, known as La Cosiata, occurred during this time.
• The Republic (1830 onwards): The establishment of the Republic of Venezuela coincided with the rise of José Antonio Páez and the beginning of the Agropecuario (Agricultural/Livestock) economic period.

Colonial Social Classes

Social stratification during the colonial period was rigidly based on race and skin color, following the Spanish caste system. The main groups included:

• White Creoles: Born in Venezuela, of Spanish descent.
• Peninsular Whites: Born in Spain.
• Mestizos: Mixed race.
• Indians: Indigenous populations.
• Slaves: Legally considered property rather than a social group or person.

Following political turmoil, many Spanish groups eventually left the mainland for the West Indies.