Del Puntofijisimo a la Quinta Republica: elecciones y democracia en Venezuela.

The primary objective of this article is to demonstrate that political stability in Venezuela depends upon the relationship between collective political preferences and the decisions made by elected officials. The author analyzes electoral patterns in the country between 1989 and 2000, in order to evaluate the effects of the Punto Fijo Pact, created in 1958, the reasons for President Hugo Chávez’s political strengthening, and his efforts to “recreate the republic”.