Crónica constitucional del proceso venezolano de transición gubernamental, ocasionado por la enfermedad y muerte del presidente Hugo Chávez, y de la instauración por el juez constitucional de un gobierno sin legitimidad democrática (diciembre 2012/abril 2013)

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to analyze the constitutional situation that developed in Venezuela between December 2012 and April 2013, resulting from the deterioration of the health and the death of President Hugo Chávez, and that is linked to the following events. First, on December 10, 2012 he left the country to be treated in La Habana Cuba, since then he was not seen in public anymore; second, he did not show up at his Inauguration and Oath Ceremony on January 10, 2013, to begin his new presidential term 2013-2019 for which he was elected in October 2012. Third, the Constitutional Jurisdiction ordered, without any logic, that the absent President nonetheless continued to be «in full charge of his office» along with his Ministers, imposing a non-elected official to be the Executive Vice-president and to exercise the Executive Power. Fourth, the same Constitutional Jurisdiction imposed, when the Vice-president announced the death of Chávez on March 5th, 2013, the same non elected Vice-president to be President in charge, without any democratic legitimacy, which gave him the opportunity to participate in the April 2013 presidential elections without having to leave the office.