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Antonio Ledezma
Antonio José Ledezma Díaz (born 1 May 1955) is a Venezuelan lawyer, opposition politician and former political prisoner. After unsuccessfully challenging for the leadership of Democratic Action in 1999, he founded a new party, the Fearless People's Alliance.
After involvement in politics in his home state of Guárico in the 1970s for Democratic Action, he served two terms in the Venezuelan Chamber of Deputies (from 1984), and was elected to the Venezuelan Senate in 1994. He then served as mayor of the Libertador Municipality (1996–2000) of the Venezuelan Capital District, having been appointed governor of the now-defunct Federal District (1992–1993) by Carlos Andrés Pérez.
He also served as the head of Coordinadora Democrática opposition coalition. In 2003, he presented the list of signature collection centers to the National Electoral Council in preparation for the 2004 recall referendum against the Chávez's presidency. Ledezma left Coordinadora Democrática in September 2004, saying that he did not agree to participate in the upcoming regional elections and that the government would commit fraud. In 2014, Ledezma was one of the main leaders of La Salida protest movement.
In January 1992, he was appointed by President Carlos Andrés Pérez as Governor of the former Federal District (which included the current Capital District and Vargas State), replacing Virgilio Ávila Vivas. In November 1992, the Caracas police killed over 100 prisoners in the Catia prison. According to Ledezma: "What happened in the Catia prison is linked to the coup insurrection, because there is no doubt that what was intended was to create chaos in Caracas and that more than 3,000 inmates took to the streets, and this had to be controlled at the cost of many lives". He held this position until 21 May 1993, when President Pérez was dismissed by the Supreme Court of Justice, being replaced by César Rodríguez, also from Democratic Action.
He ran for mayor of the Libertador Municipality of Caracas in the 1995 regional elections and won, an office that he held between 1996 and 2000. From the beginning, he promoted a policy to reduce the number of street vendors and informal traders, demolished the popular market of La Hoyada, built the new public transportation terminal of La Bandera, took charge of the procedures for the repatriation of a large number of undocumented immigrants residing in Caracas, and campaigned for the construction of line 4 of the Caracas Metro. Regarding his relations with the national executive, in a sort of capital cohabitation, he maintained good relations with President Rafael Caldera. However, he kept distance with the Hugo Chávez government.
In 1998, according to the law, the term of all mayors was due to expire, but due to the large number of elections to be held that year (presidential, regional and parliamentary elections), the municipal elections were postponed. At the beginning of 2000, he announced his intention to run for the presidency, which was to be held that year due to the approval a year before of the new Constitution which stipulated new general elections. However, he decided to abandon the idea due to the launching of the candidacy of Chávez's former partner, Francisco Arias Cárdenas, indicating that he would not be a divisive element in the opposition. He then sought reelection as mayor, but was defeated by the ruling party candidate and member of the Fifth Republic Movement, Freddy Bernal. Ledezma did not recognize the results and considered them fraudulent.
During this period he also presided over the Metropolitan Council of Government (1997-1998), was appointed Vice President of the Union of Capital Cities of Iberoamerica in 1998, and between 1999 and 2000 he presided over the National Association of Mayors of Venezuela. In 1999, he aspired to the General Secretariat of Democratic Action, but declined shortly thereafter because he disagreed with the manner of election of the authorities of the party. For said reason, he resigned from that political organization in 2000 and founded, along with some dissidents, in that year, the Fearless People's Alliance party, an organization that he still presides.
In 2008, Ledezma ran as candidate for Caracas Metropolitan mayor, supported by different opposition parties and challenging pro-government PSUV and Fatherland for All candidate Aristóbulo Istúriz. In August the registration period for candidates to participate in the regional elections closed, and after Lepoldo López was unable to register, A New Era registered William Ojeda as its option for the mayoralty. In September Ojeda withdrew his candidacy and supported Ledezma, becoming the candidate of the unity. In October, days prior to the electoral event, some opinion polls showed a supposed technical tie between the pro-government candidate, Aristóbulo Istúriz and Ledezma, while others gave him a short advantage.
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Antonio Ledezma
Antonio José Ledezma Díaz (born 1 May 1955) is a Venezuelan lawyer, opposition politician and former political prisoner. After unsuccessfully challenging for the leadership of Democratic Action in 1999, he founded a new party, the Fearless People's Alliance.
After involvement in politics in his home state of Guárico in the 1970s for Democratic Action, he served two terms in the Venezuelan Chamber of Deputies (from 1984), and was elected to the Venezuelan Senate in 1994. He then served as mayor of the Libertador Municipality (1996–2000) of the Venezuelan Capital District, having been appointed governor of the now-defunct Federal District (1992–1993) by Carlos Andrés Pérez.
He also served as the head of Coordinadora Democrática opposition coalition. In 2003, he presented the list of signature collection centers to the National Electoral Council in preparation for the 2004 recall referendum against the Chávez's presidency. Ledezma left Coordinadora Democrática in September 2004, saying that he did not agree to participate in the upcoming regional elections and that the government would commit fraud. In 2014, Ledezma was one of the main leaders of La Salida protest movement.
In January 1992, he was appointed by President Carlos Andrés Pérez as Governor of the former Federal District (which included the current Capital District and Vargas State), replacing Virgilio Ávila Vivas. In November 1992, the Caracas police killed over 100 prisoners in the Catia prison. According to Ledezma: "What happened in the Catia prison is linked to the coup insurrection, because there is no doubt that what was intended was to create chaos in Caracas and that more than 3,000 inmates took to the streets, and this had to be controlled at the cost of many lives". He held this position until 21 May 1993, when President Pérez was dismissed by the Supreme Court of Justice, being replaced by César Rodríguez, also from Democratic Action.
He ran for mayor of the Libertador Municipality of Caracas in the 1995 regional elections and won, an office that he held between 1996 and 2000. From the beginning, he promoted a policy to reduce the number of street vendors and informal traders, demolished the popular market of La Hoyada, built the new public transportation terminal of La Bandera, took charge of the procedures for the repatriation of a large number of undocumented immigrants residing in Caracas, and campaigned for the construction of line 4 of the Caracas Metro. Regarding his relations with the national executive, in a sort of capital cohabitation, he maintained good relations with President Rafael Caldera. However, he kept distance with the Hugo Chávez government.
In 1998, according to the law, the term of all mayors was due to expire, but due to the large number of elections to be held that year (presidential, regional and parliamentary elections), the municipal elections were postponed. At the beginning of 2000, he announced his intention to run for the presidency, which was to be held that year due to the approval a year before of the new Constitution which stipulated new general elections. However, he decided to abandon the idea due to the launching of the candidacy of Chávez's former partner, Francisco Arias Cárdenas, indicating that he would not be a divisive element in the opposition. He then sought reelection as mayor, but was defeated by the ruling party candidate and member of the Fifth Republic Movement, Freddy Bernal. Ledezma did not recognize the results and considered them fraudulent.
During this period he also presided over the Metropolitan Council of Government (1997-1998), was appointed Vice President of the Union of Capital Cities of Iberoamerica in 1998, and between 1999 and 2000 he presided over the National Association of Mayors of Venezuela. In 1999, he aspired to the General Secretariat of Democratic Action, but declined shortly thereafter because he disagreed with the manner of election of the authorities of the party. For said reason, he resigned from that political organization in 2000 and founded, along with some dissidents, in that year, the Fearless People's Alliance party, an organization that he still presides.
In 2008, Ledezma ran as candidate for Caracas Metropolitan mayor, supported by different opposition parties and challenging pro-government PSUV and Fatherland for All candidate Aristóbulo Istúriz. In August the registration period for candidates to participate in the regional elections closed, and after Lepoldo López was unable to register, A New Era registered William Ojeda as its option for the mayoralty. In September Ojeda withdrew his candidacy and supported Ledezma, becoming the candidate of the unity. In October, days prior to the electoral event, some opinion polls showed a supposed technical tie between the pro-government candidate, Aristóbulo Istúriz and Ledezma, while others gave him a short advantage.