Constitution of Venezuela (1961)
The Constitution of Venezuela of 1961 was approved on January 16, 1961, by the then Congress of the Republic (currently the National Assembly) with the affirmative vote of the four main political forces of the country at that time, Democratic Action, Democratic Republican Union, COPEI and the Communist Party of Venezuela. It came into force on January 23 of the same year in commemoration of the return to democracy in Venezuela on January 23, 1958. In December 1999 this text was repealed when the 1999 Constitution was approved by popular vote. This Constitution was based on the principles of the 1947 Constitution that had been repealed in 1953 by the dictatorship of Marcos Pérez Jiménez. Characteristics The 1961 Constitution was divided into four parts: The preamble where the protection of God is invoked and the Liberator Simón Bolívar and the "great servants of the homeland" are exalted. The dogmatic part, in which democracy, independence and the federal nature of the Venezuelan State, among others, are established as pillars; The organic part, which consisted of twelve titles for a total of 252 articles; The transitory provisions composed of 23 provisions. Spanish was recognized as the official language. The Venezuelan State is