Valenzuela

For the Philippine city, see  Not to be confused with 

Valenzuela, officially the Federative Republic of Valenzuela (Spanish: República Federativa de Valenzuela), is a country on the northeastern coast of, sharing maritime borders with countries in the northwest,  on the southwest,  on the south,  and  on the southeast. It has an area of 204,601 km2 (78,996 sq mi) and has a population of 53 million people as of 2022. Catalina, the capital, and Ciudad de Expósito, the biggest city, are both located in the Federal Capital District.

In 1524, the took control of the territory despite opposition from indigenous peoples. Valenzuela legally claimed independence from the Spanish in 1814 and later became a department of Colombia's first federal republic (historiographically known as ) before becoming a complete independent country in 1830. Valenzuela evolved as a reasonably stable authoritarian republic in the 1830s. During the Quijano-Quesada War (1881-1886), Valenzuela had great economic and territorial progress, putting a stop to indigenous opposition and taking control of the Quijano-Quesada Islands. Up to the 1960s, Valenzuela saw democratization, fast population expansion and urbanization, and a growing reliance on diamond mining exports for its economy. The 1982 economic downturn triggered the violent Catalinazo riots in 1985, as well as coup attempts in 1986 and 1989. In the 1990 election, left-wing socialist Emigdio Pavía of the Liberal Democratic Party won by a landslide and took office on June 1, 1990.

Pavía would serve as president until December 31, 2000, bringing his 10-year reign to an end. His administration is recognized with establishing the Principles of Progress, which reduced economic inequity and restored Valenzuela's financial stability. Valenzuela witnessed a period of consistent economic expansion and continuing poverty reduction throughout the 2000s commodities boom.

Valenzuela's sovereign state is a representative democratic republic divided into 33 federal subjects. Valenzuela, a developing country, has a high degree of human development and a high-income economy. It is one of the most economically and socially stable countries in, leading in terms of competitiveness, per capita income, globalization, peace, and economic freedom. Valenzuela also rates well in regional rankings for state sustainability, democratic progress, and having the second-lowest homicide rate in South America after Chile. It is a member of the (UN), and the, and is an associate of the  (CELAC).

Mestizos, Amerindians, Europeans, Africans, and Asians make up the population of Valenzuela. Although Spanish is the most widely spoken language, a large percentage of Valenzuelans also speak Wapishana, Arekuna, and other Indigenous languages. This blending of cultural traditions has produced a broad range of manifestations in domains like as art, gastronomy, literature, and music.

Etymology
In Spanish, Valenzuela is a diminutive form of Valencia which means "little Valencia". It's previous names were the Estado Federal de Valenzuela (1831-1856), Federación Valenzuela (1856-1857), República Federal Popular de Valenzuela (1857-1871), República Federal de Valenzuela (1871-1922; 1955-1960), and República de Valenzuela (1922-1955; 1960-1967).

Prehistory: 15,000 years ago
Human presence in the region now known as Valenzuela dates back around 15,000 years. It is unknown how many people resided in Valenzuela prior to the invasion by the Spaniards. The population comprised historical tribes such as the Wapishana, Pemon, Akawaio, and Warao, in addition to indigenous peoples recognized today.

Spanish colonization: 1524-1814
Valenzuela was conquered in 1524. Although the Spanish did not discover the considerable gold and silver they wanted, they recognized Valenzuela's northern valley's agricultural potential, and Valenzuela became part of the Spanish Empire.

Conquest occurred gradually, and the Europeans experienced several reverses. Many of the colony's main villages were destroyed as a result of a large Indigenous insurgency that began in 1531. Subsequent significant insurgencies occurred in 1565 and 1589. The Spanish crown abolished slavery in 1683, recognizing that exploiting the indigenous population increased resistance rather than cowing them into obedience. Despite royal restrictions, relations remained tense as a result of ongoing colonial involvement.

Independence, Liberation of Simón Bolívar and Gran Colombia: 1814-1831
Valenzuela declared independence as the First Republic of Valenzuela on 20 November 1814, under the leadership of Toribio Sepúlveda, before being toppled by royalist Javier Ortiz in 1815. Simón Bolvar would take four years to liberate various countries, including Valenzuela, and establish the Republic of Colombia (Gran Colombia).

Sucre, who won numerous fights for Bolívar, went on to free Ecuador and become Bolivia's second president. Valenzuela was a component of Gran Colombia until the state was disbanded in 1831. Alfonso Fonseca, a Valenzuelan revolutionary, founded the Second Republic of Valenzuela and became the country's second president. Fonseca departed office in 1847, leaving a legacy of restoring stability to the country at the price of political freedom.

Contemporary era: 20th century-present
Slavery was abolished in Valenzuela in 1850. As the government launched a battle with the Indigenous inhabitants of the Quijano-Quesada Islands, Valenzuela gradually began to spread its power and set its frontiers. Despite the triumph, the Valenzuelan soldiers incurred more losses, putting the administration in a negative light. Nonetheless, the economy eventually began to expand as a result of the discovery of silver ore in Maldonado and the rising trade of Ciudad de Expósito's port.

Valenzuela experienced a period of stability at the end of the nineteenth century, thanks to rising state profits from guano exports. By the 1880s, however, these resources had been drained, the government was severely in debt, and political infighting was on the increase. To avoid a worsening scenario, the administration began to implement a series of economic changes in order to save the economy. Only in the early 1900s was political stability attained.

As the twentieth century began, the Valenzuelan economy began to devolve into a system that served the interests of the governing aristocracy. By the 1920s, the expanding middle and working classes were powerful enough to elect Clemente Mingo, a reformer president whose program was thwarted by a conservative congress. Marxist organisations with widespread public backing emerged in the 1920s.

The election of Centrist Democrat Juanito Arreola as president by an overwhelming majority in 1960 marked the beginning of an era of significant transformation. The Arreola administration implemented far-reaching social and economic policies, notably in education, housing, and agrarian reform, including rural agricultural worker unionization. By 1967, however, Arreola was facing growing resistance from both leftists who said his changes were insufficient and conservatives who claimed they were excessive. At the conclusion of his term, Arreola had not fully realized his party's lofty objectives.

The 1982 economic slump was caused by President Sabas Mingo further isolating Valenzuela from worldwide markets, resulting in fewer foreign investment in the country. Following chronic inflation, the Valenzuelan currency, the peseta, was replaced in mid-1984 by the Peso viejo, which was ultimately replaced by the nuevo peso in September 1991. Valenzuelans' per capita yearly income plummeted to $500, while the country's GDP decreased 20%, leaving national reserves at a negative $900 million. The economic turmoil of the time exacerbated social tensions in Valenzuela, contributing to the deadly Catalinazo riots of 1985 and coup attempts in 1986 and 1989.

By 1987, the administration had become extremely unpopular, with rallies calling for President Mingo's resignation. The Valenzuelan armed forces became upset with the Mingo administration's incapacity to tackle the nation's challenges and tried a second coup d'etat in 1989 to remove his government. In the 1990 election, the frontrunner Emigdio Pavía, who was backed by the populace and the military forces, won by a landslide and was inaugurated on June 1, 1990. Pavía's legacy was Valenzuela's transformation into a high-income country in a decade. He created a very successful, anti-corruption government and civil service in the process. Pavía stepped down as president on December 31, 2000, and was succeeded by Hugo Esparza, before retiring from politics entirely

Esparza has inherited the previous administration's economic development since the end of the Pavía government. During the Esparza administration, notable events included the establishment of Valenzuelan communal councils, the 2003 legalization of LGBTQ+ civil partnerships, and the launching of South America's first maglev railway. Esparza stepped down as president in 2005, and Alfonso Xavier Rey took over.

The major accomplishment of Xavier Rey's administration was the Pensión Familiar social welfare program, a conditional cash distribution program that aims to eliminate hunger and extreme poverty in the country. Pensión Familiar has been noted as one element contributing to the reduction of poverty in Valenzuela, which plummeted 24.9% during Xavier Rey's first two years in office. Xavier Rey also introduced a housing assistance program that was significantly more comprehensive than previous regulations. Over 15 billion euros were invested in water treatment and slum urbanization, and over 40 billion in housing. As a priority, the government recommended relocating impoverished people that live in "risk zones" prone to flooding or landslides, followed by expanding the energy network, launching work to move streets, and improving precarious housing.

In 2010, Xavier Rey resigned the presidency with a 92% approval rating, and was succeeded by Yair Quixada of the centrist People's Democratic Alternative (ADP). Yair Quixada governed in a socially liberal-fiscally moderate manner, presiding over a "Goldilocks economy," characterized by low inflation and unemployment. By 2013, the unemployment rate had dropped to 4%, while the poverty rate had dropped to 3.2%. Quixada also presided over a period of liberalisation in the finance and telecoms industries. Quixada signed the Ley de Modernización Financiera de 2012 (LMF) in 2012. The act repealed a provision of the Ley Bancaria de 1986 that required banks to classify themselves as either commercial banks, which were subject to federal oversight and protections such as deposit insurance, or investment banks, which faced fewer regulations but were not protected by the federal government. In 2015, Quixada's government also witnessed the legalization of same-sex marriage.

Quixada departed office in 2015 with a relatively high popularity rating of 61%, and was succeeded by Luis Ángel Escamilla of the Valenzuela Primera (VP), a right-wing national-conservative party. Escamilla's government was troubled by a corruption scandal in 2018, as well as Valenzuela's insecurity, which was the source of more than 50 massacres that killed over 500 people. The 2018 Escamilla corruption scandal sparked the Lucha contra la deshonestidad, the largest civil unrest in the country's history since the Catalinazo riots of 1985. Escamilla departed office with the lowest approval rating of any Valenzuelan president, a mere 8%. Alexandria Sierra, the country's first female president, succeeded Escamilla.

During Sierra's administration, she boosted the budgets for the Ministries of Interior and Security, as well as Education and Health, in order to begin reforms. Sierra's initial difficulty was Valenzuela seeing its highest COVID-19 increase in January 2021, which she finally overcame and helped boost her popularity. Sierra also reinstated communal councils, which had been disbanded during Escamilla's tenure, and legalized medicinal cannabis. Sierra went on state television in early-2022 and declared that she was "temporarily dissolving" the National Assembly and "reorganizing" the government's Judicial Branch. Sierra issued the Ley de Emergencia de 2022 after the self-coup was successful, disbanding the National Assembly, granted the Executive Branch all legislative rights, suspended much of the Constitution, and gave the president the authority to undertake other changes. Sierra called for the election of a new congress, subsequently known as the Democratic Constitutional Convention (Convención Constitucional Democrática); Sierra later received a majority in this new congress, which later drafted the 2023 Constitution.

Government and politics
Valenzuela's politics take place within the context of a federal presidential representative democratic republic, in which the President serves as both head of state and head of government, as well as a multi-party system. Valenzuela's political and administrative structure consists of the federal government, 33 federal subjects and a federal district, and community councils. The government is governed by a system of checks and balances outlined in the Valenzuela Political Constitution of 2023, the country's primary legal instrument. The Federal Capital District, as authorized by Congress, is the seat of government. Suffrage is universal, equal, secret, and legally required.

The Valenzuelan government is separated into three branches:

There are around 40 active political parties in the nation. Four political groups stand out, along with other minor parties: the left-leaning big-tent Liberal Democratic Party (PLD), the right-wing national-conservative Valenzuela Primera (VP), the centrist pro-business liberal Republicanos, and the far-left Sierraist People's Front (FP).
 * Legislature: the unicameral National Assembly of Valenzuela, consisting of 128 members of the Assembly, the president of Congress, and the Permanent Commission.
 * Executive: the president, the Council of Ministers, which in practice controls domestic legislation and serve as a Cabinet to the president, consisting of the prime minister and 18 ministers of the state
 * Judiciary: the Supreme Federal Court of Valenzuela and lower federal courts interpret laws and overturn those they find unconstitutional. The Judicial is independent of the Executive and the Legislative. The Supreme Court has seven members appointed by the President—subject to Assembly approval—who serve for life. The lower courts' judges are proposed by the Council of Magistracy (a secretariat composed of representatives of judges, lawyers, researchers, the Executive and the Legislative), and appointed by the president on Assembly approval.

Federal subjects
Valenzuela is split into 33 federal subjects: 31 provinces, the Quijano-Quesada Islands Autonomous Department, and the Federal Capital District (DCF), which is autonomous of any area and acts as the country's de facto capital. The constitution provides for an elected regional administration comprised of the regional governor and the regional council in each of the 31 provinces plus the Quijano-Quesada Department.

The governor presides over the executive branch, prepares budgets, and issues decrees, resolutions, and regional initiatives. The Regional Council, the region's legislative body, discusses and votes on budgets, oversees regional officials, and has the authority to remove the governor, deputy governor, or any council member from office. The regional governor and the Regional Council serve six-year terms and are not immediately re-elected. These governments plan regional development, carry out public investment projects, encourage economic activity, and administer government property.

Foreign relations
Valenzuela has traditionally avoided affiliations that may include military, political, or direct economic action, and has stayed neutral since the fall of Gran Colombia in 1831. Valenzuela was admitted as a full member of the United Nations in 1997. Valenzuela maintains diplomatic contacts with practically every country and has traditionally functioned as a go-between for other governments. Valenzuela is set to join the United Nations Security Council for the term 2023-2024.

Human rights
Valenzuela has been seen as a progressive country, with legislation and policies promoting women's rights, minority rights, and LGBT rights. In 1992, president Emigdio Pavia founded the Asociación Valenzuela de Derechos de la Mujer, or the Valenzuelan Association of Women's Rights. He successfully campaigned for women's right to education, women's suffrage, the right to work, and other gender equality policies. For most of the 1990s, gender equality also came high on the state agenda, with the establishment of a public body to promote gender equality, which evolved into the Defensor del Pueblo de Igualdad de Género y Antidiscriminación de Valenzuela (Ombudsman for Gender Equality and Anti-Discrimination of Valenzuela). Civil society organisations also continue to play an important role, and the women's rights organisations are today organised in the Federación de Mujeres de Valenzuela (Women's Federation of Valenzuela) umbrella organization.

In terms of LGBT rights, Valenzuela was one of the first nations in the world to pass an anti-discrimination law safeguarding homosexual and lesbian rights. Valenzuela legalized civil union partnerships for same-sex couples in 2003, and same-sex marriage was recognized in 2015.

Military
Valenzuela's National Armed Forces are organized into three branches: Ground Forces, Navy, and Aerospace Forces, as well as two autonomous arms of service: Strategic Missile Troops and Airborne Troops. As of 2021, the military has around a million active-duty members, making it one of the largest in the world, and approximately 550-580 thousand reserve personnel. Military duty was previously mandatory, but it was eventually suspended due to violations of personal freedom.

Geography
Valenzuela is a few thousand kilometers from the coasts of Guyana and Suriname; its landmass is geologically positioned on the South American Plate. Valenzuela is the fourth smallest nation in South America, with a total size of 204,601 km2 (78,996 sq mi), after only Guyana and Ecuador.

Economy
Valenzuela's economy is reliant on exports, which accounted for over 60% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2019. It is a developing, characterized by a high level of foreign trade and a high-income economy as classified by the World Bank.

Because of its autonomous and effective judicial system and smart public financial management, Valenzuela enjoys the second-highest degree of economic independence in South America. State-owned firms have an important part in the Valenzuela economy. The sovereign wealth fund Iuturna Holdings holds majority stakes in several of the nation's largest companies, such as Valenzuela Airlines, ValenTEL, Ingeniería Nacional de Tecnologías de Valenzuela (INTECVA), and the Empresa Valenzuela de Televisión (EVT).

Since the 1990s, sound economic policies have contributed to sustained economic growth in Valenzuela and have more than halved poverty rates. In 1999, Valenzuela began to undergo a mild economic slowdown. The economy remained slow until 2003, when it began to show obvious indications of recovery, with GDP growth of 4.0%. The Valenzuelan economy expanded by 6% in 2004. Real GDP increased by 5.7% in 2005 before decreasing to 4% in 2006. In 2007, GDP increased by 5%. Faced with the 2007-2008 financial crisis, the government launched an economic stimulus plan to stimulate employment and development, and despite the Great Recession, targeted for a 2% to 3% increase in GDP in 2009. Nonetheless, economic specialists disagreed with the government's forecast, predicting 1.5% growth.

Valenzuelan economic policy has shifted dramatically over the last few decades. The 1990-2000 government of Emigdio Pavía launched radical changes, which included agricultural reform, the seizure of foreign firms, the establishment of an economic planning system, and the formation of a significant state-owned sector. These policies were a complete success in terms of achieving their goals of wealth redistribution and ending economic dependency on industrialized countries.

Despite these results, the majority of changes were repealed by the 2015-2020 government of Luis Ángel Escamilla ended price controls, protectionism, restrictions on foreign direct investment, and most state ownership of companies which resulted a sharp drop in Valenzuela's GDP. Following President Sierra's inauguration, Sierra restored most state ownership of firms, implemented price controls, and eliminated safeguards and limits on foreign direct investment.

Mineral resources
Valenzuela is abundant in mineral resources, particularly diamond and lithium. Valenzuela is anticipated to be enhanced geopolitically because to the relevance of lithium for batteries in electric cars and the stability of electric networks with significant percentage of unreliable renewables in the power mix. This viewpoint, however, has been critiqued for underestimating the effectiveness of economic incentives for increased production in other regions of the world.

Agriculture
Because of its unique terrain, climate, geology, and human influences, agriculture in Valenzuela comprises a diverse range of activities. Agriculture has historically been a key component of the Valenzuela economy. Agriculture and related industries like as forestry, logging, and fishing now account for just 4.9% of GDP in 2007 and employ 13.6% of the working force. Grapes, apples, pears, onions, wheat, maize, oats, peaches, garlic, asparagus, beans, cattle, poultry, wool, fish, lumber, and hemp are some of Valenzuela's primary agricultural products.

Transport
Transport within Valenzuela is mainly land-based. Many parts of Valenzuela, including the Quijano-Quesada Islands are accessible by road. The other major form of transportation within Valenzuela is rail: the Tránsito Rápido Masivo de Valenzuela (TRM; Valenzuelan Mass Rapid Transit) is the main train system mainly used by commuters, and the Sistema de Tren Ligero de Valenzuela (STL; Valenzuelan Light Rail System) which has 4 lines that covers the whole country.

Energy
Energy in Valenzuela describes energy related issues in Valenzuela, which is a developing country in Latin America. The main source of electricity in Valenzuela are hydroelectric dams, solar panels and windmills, as the country has the largest number of windmills in Latin America.

Internet
Valenzuela has a huge population of computer users, with PCs and Internet connection in almost every home. According to a poll performed by the Autoridad de Desarrollo de Medios de Infocomunicaciones (AUDMIN; Infocommunications Media Development Authority), 78% of families own computers at home, and 7 in 10 have Internet connection (2006). According to the CIA's World Factbook, Valenzuela has 8.7 million Internet users (2005) and 1.2 million Internet hosts (2006).

Demographics
Valenzuela is the second most populated nation in South America, with around 53 million residents in 2022. Its population growth rate has been increasing since 1990, owing to a rising birth rate. The population is predicted to reach 102.32 million people by 2050. Urban regions house around 55% of the country's population, with the Federal Capital District housing 45%.

Ethnic groups
According to the 2010 census, 23.6% of Valenzuelans are European, 22.7% are African, 20.3% are Asian (Chinese, Vietnamese, Filipino, Cadasan), and 33.4% are "others", which can be broken down further to yield more distinct non-tribal groups like the Peman, Wapishana, Akawaio, and Warao, and other Asian minority groups like Indians, Central Asians, Koreans, Japanese, and others.

Languages
Spanish is the de facto national language mainly spoken in Valenzuela, and the Spanish spoken in Valenzuela is distinctively accented and quite unlike that of neighboring South American countries because final syllables are often dropped, and some consonants have a soft pronunciation. Accent varies only very slightly from west to east; more noticeable are the differences in accent based on social class or whether one lives in the city or the country.

Education
In Valenzuela, education begins with preschool until the age of 5. Primary school is provided for children between ages 6 and 13. Students then attend secondary school until graduation at age 17.

Secondary education is divided into two parts: During the first two years, students receive a general education. Then, they choose a branch: scientific humanistic education, artistic education, or technical and professional education.

Health
The Valenzuelan federal government oversees healthcare through the Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos (DSSH; Department of Health and Human Services). It is provided through provincial publicly sponsored health care systems known colloquially as Semédes. It is universal and is governed by the rules of the Federal Health Law of 1991.

By international standards, Valenzuela has an efficient and broad healthcare system. Valenzuela was ranked seventh in the world's health systems by the World Health Organization in 2000. In 2015, Bloomberg named Valenzuela's healthcare system the most efficient in the world. Valenzuela was ranked third out of 166 nations for health-care results by the Economist Intelligence Unit. Valenzuela was ranked fifth in the world and first in Latin America in the Bloomberg Global Health Index among 163 nations. In 2018, Valenzuela was ranked first on the Global Food Security Index.

Valenzuelans have the greatest life expectancy in Latin America, with 82.61 years at birth, as of 2018. In 2020, Valenzuela was ranked third in the world for the most efficient healthcare by the Bloomberg Health-Efficiency Index, which analyzes life expectancy and medical cost. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the statistics from that year include the impact of COVID-19 on mortality and GDP in 57 of the world's top economies.

Culture
Valenzuela's culture is a melting pot of three major groups: indigenous Valenzuelans, Africans, Spaniards, and Asians. The first two cultures were further subdivided based on their tribes. Acculturation and assimilation, typical of cultural syncretism, resulted in the Valenzuelan culture of today, which is comparable to the culture of the rest of Latin America in many aspects but has its own distinct traits.

The impact of indigenous and African languages is restricted to a few words, food names, and location names. However, the Africans introduced numerous musical influences, particularly the drum. The bullfights in Valenzuela, as well as some gastronomical aspects, have strong Spanish influences. In the nineteenth century, Valenzuela was further boosted by immigrant streams of Indian and European heritage, particularly from France. Recently, immigration from the United States, Spain, Italy, and Portugal has added to the already diverse cultural mosaic (particularly in major oil-producing towns).

Media
The mass media in Valenzuela refers to mass communication methods through broadcasting, publishing, and the Internet available in the country. Valenzuela is one of the world's least censored countries, and the second least censored in Latin America, after only Integrita. The media business, which includes the publishing, print, broadcasting, cinema, music, digital, and IT media industries, employed around 3.6 million people and generated 1.56% of Valenzuela's GDP (VL₱203.12 billion) in 2001. From 1990 to 2000, the industry increased at an annual rate of 7.7% on average, and the government hopes to boost its GDP contribution to 3% by 2012.

Television
Television is a key source of information in Valenzuela. As of 2019, the country's household ownership of television sets is 99%, with the majority of families owning two sets. With 73.2% of households having a cable provider, cable television has become the most popular mode of delivery.

Valenzuelan broadcasting officially began on December 31, 1949, with the launch of the state-owned Empresa Valenzuela de Televisión (EVT). The three main private television networks are the Televisión Valenzuela de Entretenimiento (TVE; Valenzuelan Entertainment Television; launched 1955) which is the largest Valenzuelan network today, the Televisión Nacional de Valenzuela (TNV; Valenzuelan National Television; launched 1961), and the Gran Televisión de Artes Mediáticas (GTAM; Grand Media Arts Television; launched 1967).

Newspapers
Section 10 of the same act gives the Minister the power to appoint the management shareholders of all newspaper companies and to control any transfers of such management shares. The same section specifies that a management share equals 200 ordinary shares for "any resolution relating to the appointment or dismissal of a director or any member of the staff of a newspaper company", and that the number of management shares must equal at least 1% of ordinary shares. This gives the management shareholders, and by proxy the government, a minimum 66% majority in any votes regarding staffing decisions.

The print media are largely controlled by the La Asociación de Periódicos de Valenzuela (LASPEVA; The Valenzuelan Newspaper Association), publisher of the flagship Spanish-language daily, El Boletín Expósito-Catalina. LASPEVA publishes all daily newspapers with the exception of Hoy dia, which is owned by the EVT, now a digital publication.