Under the Venezuelan Constitution, the president of Venezuela is the head of state and head of government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. As chief of the executive branch and face of the government as a whole, the presidency is the highest political office in the country by influence and recognition. The president is also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The president is directly elected through a popular vote to a six-year term. Since the 2009 constitutional referendum, any person can be elected to the office an indefinite number of times. Upon the death, resignation, or removal from office of an incumbent president, the vice president assumes the office. The president must be at least 30 years of age, and has to be a "natural born" citizen of Venezuela, and cannot possess any other citizenship.

This list includes persons who have led the nation following the establishment of the independent State of Venezuela following its separation from Gran Columbia. José Antonio Páez, the first president, was inaugurated on 13 January 1830. Antonio Guzmán Blanco served during the most terms, with three. Juan Vicente Gómez has served during the longest (although interrupted by interim presidencies), with over 27 years. Rómulo Betancourt served from 1959 until 1964.fundaromulobetancourt.org Hugo Chávez served the longest uninterrupted and uncontested period in office with 11 consecutive years, from his restoration to power in April 2002 until his death in March 2013.

The presidency was disputed between Juan Guaidó and Nicolás Maduro from January 2019 to 2023 during the Venezuelan presidential crisis. Maduro was elected to his first term in 2013 but received backlash from opposing Venezuelans and some members of the international community especially the United States. Maduro was accused of authoritarian rule and fraud in the elections that were held on 20 May 2018. Guaidó, the president of the National Assembly of Venezuela, took the oath of office as interim president on 23 January 2019, citing Article 233 of the Constitution of Venezuela to "cease the usurpation, hold a transitional government, and call for new elections". The office remained disputed until December 2022 when opposition parties voted to dissolve the Guaidó government effective as of 5 January 2023.

Previous history Following Venezuela's declaration of independence from Spanish colonial rule, which took effect on 5 July 1811. Owing to the profound confusion of the Venezuelan War of Independence and the period of Gran Colombia over what is now Venezuela, this page does not include national leaders between 1811 and 1830.

The first president in 1811 was actually the president of a triumvirate of the first established Republic of Venezuela that rotated the presidency weekly. The person serving as president during the week of July 5 was one of the signatories of the Declaration of Independence: Cristóbal Mendoza. Mendoza shared the triumvirate with and . A second triumvirate followed on 3 April 1812, whose members were Francisco Espejo, and Francisco Javier Ustariz. Briceño Perozo, Mario. "Mendoza, Cristóbal de"lar, 1899. .

Following this period of triumvirates, historians refer to the Republic of Venezuela as the Second Republic of Venezuela (1813–1814) and the Third Republic of Venezuela (1817–1819) as Simón Bolívar twice reestablished the republic. The Congress of Angostura appointed Bolívar "Supreme Commander of the Republic of Venezuela" (Jefe Supremo de la República de Venezuela) from 1819 until 1830.

In 1830, José Antonio Páez declared Venezuela independent from Gran Colombia and became president, taking office on 13 January 1830. Although he was not the first president of Venezuela (having in mind Cristóbal Mendoza in 1811), he was the first head of state of independent Venezuela, after the dissolution of Gran Colombia.

Affiliation keys Abbreviation Party name (English) Party name (Spanish) Years PC Conservative Party Partido Conservador 1830–1851, 1890–1892 PL Liberal Party Gran Partido Liberal de Venezuela 1851–1858, 1859–1861, 1868–1869, 1870–1887, 1888–1890, 1892, 1898–1899 Military Venezuelan Armed Forces Fuerza Armada Nacional de la República de Venezuela 1858–1859, 1861–1868, 1869–1870, 1892–1898, 1899–1913, 1922–1929, 1931–1935, 1948–1950, 1952–1958 — Independent politician Político independiente 1859, 1868, 1887–1888, 1913–1922, 1929–1931, 1935–1941, 1950–1952, 1958–1959 PDV Venezuelan Democratic Party Partido Democrático Venezolano 1941–1945 AD Democratic Action Acción Democrática 1945–1948, 1959–1969, 1974–1979, 1984–1994 COPEI COPEI Comité de Organización Política Electoral Independiente 1969–1974, 1979–1984 National Convergence National Convergence Convergencia Nacional 1994–1999 MVR-PSUV Fifth Republic Movement–United Socialist Party Movimiento Quinta República-Partido Socialista Unido de Venezuela 1999–present

Presidents of Venezuela since independence (1830–present) The list below includes interim "caretaker" as well as regular serving presidents, and democratically installed presidents as well as those installed by other means (e.g.; Marcos Pérez Jiménez).CALDERA, Rafael. «De Carabobo a Puntofijo: los Causahabientes». Editorial Libros Marcados. Quinta Edición. 2008.FERNANDEZ, Alfredo. «Venezuela: sus presidentes y constituciones». Organización Gráfica Capriles. 2006. Depósito Legal lf25220069002436.CAMEJO, Armando. «Historia de Venezuela: documental y crítica». Ediciones Paz Pérez. 1965.FERNANDEZ PAEZ, Carmelo. «Memorias». Ediciones de la Presidencia de la República. 1983.GONZÁLEZ GUINAN, Francisco. «Historia Contemporánea de Venezuela TOMO XI». Ediciones de la Presidencia de la República. 1954.RODRIGUEZ ITURBE, José. «Iglesia y Estado en Venezuela (1824-1964)». Universidad Central de Venezuela, Facultad de Derecho. 1968.SALCEDO, Bastardo. «Historia Fundamental de Venezuela». Universidad Central de Venezuela. Ediciones de Biblioteca, Segunda edición. 1972.USLAR PIETRI, Arturo. «Cuéntame a Venezuela». Editorial Lisbona S.A.. 1981-82.

State of Venezuela (1830–1864) President of the State of Venezuela Portrait Name Term of office Political party Elected Government Vice President Took office Left office Time in office José Antonio Páez 13 January 1830 6 May 1830 Conservative Party — Interim None 6 May 1830 24 March 1831 Páez I Diego Bautista Urbaneja 24 March 1831 20 January 1835 Andrés Narvarte Andrés Narvarte 20 January 1835 9 February 1835 Conservative Party — None José María Vargas 9 February 1835 9 July 1835 Conservative Party Vargas Andrés Narvarte Santiago Mariño 9 July 1835 27 July 1835 Military Revolution of the Reforms None José María Carreño 27 July 1835 20 August 1835 Conservative Party — None José María Vargas 20 August 1835 24 April 1836 Conservative Party — Andrés Narvarte Andrés Narvarte 24 April 1836 20 January 1837 Conservative Party — Interim None José María Carreño 27 January 1837 11 March 1837 Conservative Party — Interim Carlos Soublette Carlos Soublette 11 March 1837 1 February 1839 Conservative Party — Interim None José Antonio Páez 1 February 1839 28 January 1843 Conservative Party 1839 Páez II Carlos Soublette Santos Michelena Carlos Soublette 28 January 1843 20 January 1847 Conservative Party 1843 Santos Michelena Diego Bautista Urbaneja Diego Bautista Urbaneja 20 January 1847 1 March 1847 Conservative Party — Interim None José Tadeo Monagas 1 March 1847 20 January 1851 Conservative Party 1846 T. Monagas I Diego Bautista Urbaneja Liberal Party Antonio Leocadio Guzmán Antonio Leocadio Guzmán 20 January 1851 5 February 1851 Liberal Party — Interim None José Gregorio Monagas 5 February 1851 20 January 1855 Liberal Party 1850 G. Monagas Antonio Leocadio Guzmán Joaquín Herrera Joaquín Herrera 20 January 1855 31 January 1855 Liberal Party — Interim None José Tadeo Monagas 31 January 1855 15 March 1858 Liberal Party 1854 T. Monagas II Pedro Gual 1857 Pedro Gual 15 March 1858 18 March 1858 Conservative Party — Interim None Julián Castro 18 March 1858 9 July 1858 Military March Revolution Castro Manuel Felipe de Tovar 9 July 1858 7 June 1859 1858 Manuel Felipe de Tovar 7 June 1859 13 June 1859 Liberal Party — Interim None Julián Castro 13 June 1859 2 August 1859 Military — Castro Manuel Felipe de Tovar Pedro Gual 2 August 1859 29 September 1859 Conservatice Party — Interim I Manuel Felipe de Tovar Manuel Felipe de Tovar 29 September 1859 10 April 1860 Liberal Party — de Tovar None 10 April 1860 20 May 1861 1860 Pedro Gual Pedro Gual 20 May 1861 29 August 1861 Conservative Party — None José Antonio Páez 29 August 1861 15 June 1863 Military Coup d'état Páez III None Juan Crisóstomo Falcón 15 June 1863 22 April 1864 Military — Antonio Leocadio Guzmán

United States of Venezuela (1864–1953) Following the end of the Federal War the Treaty of Coche was signed which provided for the drafting of a new federalist constitution. A constituent assembly was assembled in La Victoria which drafted the document and a new Congress assembled in December of 1863.