Climate of Venezuela

Weather
The climate varies according to altitude. Lowland areas have a tropical climate. The dry season is from December to April and the rainy season from May to December. During the rainy season, there is the possibility of flooding in certain low-lying areas, such as the Llanos and in some valley of the Andes.

Various parts of Venezuela, including Caracas and the eastern part of Sucre, are vulnerable to earthquakes, although there have been no serious earthquakes for many years. The best time to visit is between January and April.

Activities in Venezuela

Hiking and trekking

Venezuela has 42 national parks and around 20 nature reserves (monumentos naturales) which, together, cover some 15 per cent of the total land mass. All types of walks, ranging from signposted trails to mountain climbing and jungle paths, are possible.

Visitors should note that a permit, issued by central or regional Inparques offices, is required to visit the parks. The well-developed tourist facilities at the Parque Nacional El Avila include around 200km (125 miles) of fairly easy, signposted trails, as well as numerous camping grounds. Most serious trekkers head up to the Venezuelan Andes, stretching some 400km (250 miles) from Tachira on the Colombian border north-eastwards, and offering everything from snow-capped peaks to lush rainforests.

The most popular area for mountain trekking and rock climbing is the Sierra Nevada de Merida, where several of the country’s highest peaks (such as the Pico Bolivar or the Pico Humboldt) and the magnificent Parque Nacional Sierra Nevada are located. Experienced guides (who are strongly recommended for mountaineering) and equipment can be hired in Merida, the regional tourist hub. Other popular trekking destinations in the area include Los Nevados (reached via an easy trek along a beautiful mountain track); Pico El Aguila (accessible from Valera, which can be reached on a bus ride from Merida along Venezuela’s highest road); and the Sierra de la Culata (particularly known for its desert-like landscapes).

The Merida region is also noted for its cable car (teleferico), the world’s longest and highest, which runs for 12.6km (7.9 miles) from Merida to the top of Pico Espejo (4765m/15,629ft), and provides easy access to starting points for mountain treks.

Another popular trekking destination is Guyana, in the southeast, a region dotted with Venezuela’s characteristic tepuis (flat-topped mountains with vertical flanks) and home to the country’s most famous natural attraction - Angel Falls (called Salto Angel in Spanish), the world’s highest waterfall (with an uninterrupted drop of 979m/3212ft, which is about 16 times the height of Niagara Falls).

Tourist Attractions in Venezuela

Venezuela offers a great variety of landscapes - tropical beaches, immense plains, enormous rivers, forests, jungle, waterfalls and great mountains. Unfortunately, the flash floods and mudslides which hit Venezuela in 1999 severely damaged the country’s infrastructure; some of which may still not have been fully restored. Travelers should check prior to departure, particularly if planning to visit Vargas State.

Caracas

Nestling in a long narrow valley in the coastal mountain range 16km (10 miles) from the north coast, Caracas is typical of the ‘new Venezuela’, despite being one of the oldest established cities in the country (founded in 1567). The city is constantly growing and changing but, among the new developments, there are still areas of the old towns intact - San Jose and La Pastora, for example. Other periods of the country’s history have left substantial monuments; these include the Plaza Bolivar, flanked by the old cathedral and the Archbishop’s residence, the Casa Amarilla and the Capitol (the National Congress) building, erected in 1873 in just 114 days, which has a fine mural depicting Venezuelan military exploits.

Other places worth visiting include the Panteon Nacional (which contains the body of Simon Bolivar), the Jardin Botanico, the Parque Nacional del Este, and, for recreation, the Country Club. Museums in the capital include the Museo de Bellas Artes, the Museo del Arte Colonial, the Museo del Arte Contemporaneo, the Museo de Transporte and the Casa Natal del Libertador (a reconstruction of the house where Bolivar was born; the first was destroyed in an earthquake). Next door is a museum containing the liberator’s war relics.

There is a large number of art galleries, as well as daily concerts, theatrical productions, films and lectures. The city also has a wide range of nightclubs, bars and coffee shops, especially along the Boulevard de Sabana Grande.

Excursions
Mount Avila gives a superb view across the city and along the coast. There are several beaches within 30km (20 miles) of the capital, with excellent ‘taverns’ and restaurants. For further information on these and other coastal resorts, see the following section.

The North Coast
The 4000km (2800 miles) of Caribbean coastline represents the major tourist destination in the country. The area has numerous excellent beaches and resorts ranging from the comparatively luxurious to the unashamedly opulent, which stretch along the coastline. Maiquetia is one of the best and most popular, offering wide beaches, an extensive range of watersports and some of the best fishing (including an international competition for the giant blue sailfish).

There are daily air-shuttles from Maiquetia to Porlamar, on Margarita Island, a popular tourist resort with beautiful beaches, good hotels and extensive shopping centers. Also to the west of Caracas are Macuto, Marbella, Naiguata, Carabelleda, Leguna and Oriaco, all of which boast excellent beaches. To the north of Maiquetia are the idyllic islands of Los Roques.

La Guaira is the main port for Caracas. Although now heavily industrialized, the winding hilltop route from the city and the old town are worth visiting. Further west along the Inter-American highway is Maracay with its opera house, bullring and Gomez Mausoleum. Excursions run to Lake Valencia and Gomez’s country house, the Rancho Grande.

The coastal resorts of Ocumare de la Costa and Cata can be reached by way of the 1130m (3710ft) Portachuelo Pass through the central highlands. The coastline is dotted with fine beaches and islands, many inhabited only by flamingos and scarlet ibis. Most can be reached by hired boat.

Morrocoy, off the coast from Tucacas, is the most spectacular of these - hundreds of coral reefs with palm beaches ideal for scuba diving and fishing. Palma Sola and Chichiriviche are also popular. Ferries run from La Vela de Coro and Punto Fijo to the islands of Aruba and Curaçao. Journeys take about four hours and delays are to be expected.

Puerto la Cruz is a popular coastal resort with bars and restaurants and good beaches. It is also a good center for traveling to remoter beaches. There is the Morro marina development in the Lecherias area adjacent to Puerto la Cruz, and the attractive town of Pueblo Viejo with ‘old’ Caribbean architecture and a Venetian lagoon layout - boats are the only means of transport. The attractiveness of the Puerto la Cruz area means that there has been an increase of foreign investment here in recent years.

Central and Western Venezuela
The Llanos is an expansive, sparsely populated area of grassland east of the Cordillera de Merida and north of the Orinoco, reaching up to the north coast. The area is the heart of the Venezuelan cattle country and the landscape is flat and only varied here and there by slight outcrops of land. It is veined by numerous slow-running rivers, forested along their banks. The swamps are the home of egrets, parrots, alligators and monkeys.

The equestrian skills of the plainsmen can be seen at many rodeos throughout the Llanos, as well as exhibitions of cattle roping and the Joropo, Venezuela’s national dance. Barquisimeto, one of the oldest settlements in Venezuela, is now the country’s fourth-largest city and capital of the Llanos. Its cathedral is one of the most famous modern buildings in the country.

Along the Colombian border is the Cordillera de Merida and, to the east of this range, the Cordillera Oriental. Set in the area between these two ranges are the city of Maracaibo and Lake Maracaibo. Windless and excessively humid, the city and its environs are dominated by the machinery of oil production from the largest oil fields in the world, discovered in 1917. Sightseeing tours are available from here to the peninsula of Guajira to the north, where the Motilone and Guajiro Indians live.

Their lifestyle has changed little since the days of the first Spanish settlers. Their houses are raised above the lake on stilts and are in fact the original inspiration for naming the country Venezuela, or ‘Little Venice’.

The Cordillera de Merida are the only peaks in the country with a permanent snowline. Frosty plateau and lofty summits characterize the landscape and many cities have grown up at the foot of the mountains, combining tradition with modern ways of life, as well as diversified rural and urban scenery. The scenery in this area is extremely varied - lagoons, mountains, rivers, beaches, ancient villages, historical cities, oil camps, sand dunes and Indian lake dwellings on stilts. The Sierra Nevada National Park offers opportunities to ski between November and June but, at an altitude of 4270m (14,000ft), this is recommended only for the hardiest and most dedicated.

Merida, to the south, is today a city of wide modern avenues linking mainly large-scale 20th-century developments, although, wherever possible, relics of the colonial past have been allowed to stand. A university town and tourist center, it nestles in the Sierra Nevada, overshadowed by Bolivar Peak (5007m/15,260ft) and Mirror Peak (where the world’s highest cable car climbs to an altitude of 4675m/14,250ft).

Nightlife in Venezuela

There are many nightclubs and discos in the major cities of Venezuela. The National and Municipal Theaters offer a variety of concerts, ballet, plays, operas and operettas.

There are other theaters - some of which are open-air - in Caracas, as well as several cinemas.

Food and Dining in Venezuela

Cumin and saffron are used in many dishes but the distinctive and delicate flavor of most of the popular dishes comes from the use of local roots and vegetables. Some local specialties are tequenos, a popular hors d’oeuvres (thin dough wrapped around a finger of local white cheese and fried crisp); arepas (the native bread), made from primitive ground corn, water and salt; and tostadas, which are used for sandwiches (the mealy center is removed and the crisp shell is filled with anything from ham and cheese to spiced meat, chicken salad or cream cheese).

Guasacaca is a semi-hot relish used mostly with grilled meats. Pabellon criollo is a hash made with shredded meat and served with fried plantains and black beans on rice. Hallaca is a local delicacy, eaten at Christmas and New Year; cornmeal is combined with beef, pork, ham and green peppers, wrapped in individual pieces of banana leaves and cooked in boiling water. Parrilla criolla is beef marinated and cooked over a charcoal grill.

Hervido is soup made with chunks of beef, chicken or fish and native vegetables or roots. Puree de apio is one of the more exotic local roots (boiled and pureed, with salt and butter added, it tastes like chestnuts). Empanadas (meat turnovers), roast lapa (a rare, large rodent) and chipi chipi soup (made from tiny clams) are excellent. Table service is the norm and opening hours are 2100-2300.

There is no good local wine, although foreign wines are bottled locally. There are several good local beers, mineral waters, gin and excellent rum. Coffee is very good and a merengada (fruit pulp, ice, milk and sugar) is recommended.

Batido is similar but with water and no milk. Pousse-cafe is an after-dinner liqueur. Bars have either table or counter service. A lisa is a glass of draught beer and a tercio a bottled beer. Most bars are open very late and there are no licensing laws.

Shopping in Venezuela

There are many handicrafts unique to Venezuela that are made by local Indian tribes. Good purchases are gems and jewelry, cacique coins, gold, pearls, pompom slippers, seed necklaces, shoes and handbags, Indian bows, arrows, mats, pipes and baskets, alpargatas (traditional local footwear of the Campesinos), chinchorros (local hammocks) and many other Indian goods.

Shopping hours
Mon-Sat 0900-1300 and 1500-1900.

Currency Information:

Currency
Bolivar (Bs) = 100 centimos.

Notes are in denominations of Bs50,000, 20,000, 10,000, 5000, 2000, 1000, 500, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of Bs500, 100, 50, 25, 5, 2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10 and 5 centimos.

Currency exchange
Banks will change cheques and cash, and cambios will change cash only; as will hotels, although often at a less favorable rate.

Credit and debit cards
American Express, MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted; Diners Club has more limited acceptance. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and for other facilities which may be available.

Travelers cheques
Widely accepted, although one may be asked to produce a receipt of purchase when changing them in Venezuela. Exchange is more difficult in some places than others. Some kinds of travelers cheques are not accepted; seek advice before traveling. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travelers are advised to take travelers cheques in US Dollars.

Currency restrictions
The import and export of local and foreign currency is unlimited.

Exchange rate indicators
The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the Bolivar against Sterling and the US Dollar

Note
The above rates are the official rates for non-commercial transactions. ‘Essential Import’ and ‘Preferential’ rates are also used.

Banking hours
Mon-Fri 0830-1530.

Caracas: Venezuela

Caracas is the capital of Venezuela. It is located in the north of the country, following the contours of a narrow mountain valley. The valley’s temperatures are springlike, and the urbanizable terrain of the Caracas Valley lies between 2,500 and 3,000 ft (760 and 910 m) above sea level. The Valley is close to the Caribbean Sea , separated from the coast by a steep mountain range (Cerro Ã?vila) that rises above 8,000 ft (2600 m).

The historic center of Caracas, known as the Libertador Department, had a population of 1.9 million in 2004. In that same year, the metropolitan area boasted a population of 5.1 million. Distrito Federal is the name of Caracas’ primary seat. The metropolitan area also covers part of Miranda State.

History

The city was founded in 1567 as Santiago de Leon de Caracas by Spanish explorer Diego de Losada.

The city of Caracas was the birthplace of two of Latin America’s most important figures: Francisco de Miranda and “El Libertador” Simon Bolivar.

An earthquake destroyed Caracas on March 26, 1812 and was portrayed by authorities as a divine punishment to people rebelling against the Spanish Crown.

As the economy of oil-rich Venezuela grew steadily during the first part of the 20th century, Caracas became one of Latin America’s economic centers, and was also known as the preferred hub between Europe and South America. On October 17, 2004, one of the Parque Central Torre towers caught fire.

Flag

The flag of Caracas consists of a burgundy red field with the version of the Coat of Arms of the City effective since the decade of 1980. The red field, remembrance of the predominant color in the royal pennants of Colonial Caracas, symbolizes the blood spilled by Caraquenian people in favor to the Independence and the highest Ideals of the Venezuelan Nation.

The original design of the Caracas Flag appeared in the decade of 1980 and consisted of a burgundy red cloth with the version of the then adopted and still effective Coat of Arms located to the canton. Later 1994, approximately and presumably as a result of the change of municipal authorities, it was decided to place the Caracas CoA slightly increased of size on the center of the field, configuration that maintains at the present time.

Coat of Arms

The coat of arms of the City of Caracas was adopted by the Libertador Municipality to identify itself and later the Metropolitan Mayor Office assumed the lion, the scallop and the St. James Cross for the same aim. Symbollogically speaking, this raised a conflict then that Caracas identifies the Coat of Arms of the Capital of the Republic.

Places of interest

Capitolio Nacional

The National Capitol occupies an entire city block, and, with its golden domes and neoclassical pediments, can seem even bigger. The building was commissioned by Guzman Blanco in the 1870s, and is most famous for its Salon Eliptico, an oval hall with a mural-covered dome and walls lined with portraits of the country’s great and good.

Visit on Independence Day and you’ll catch a glimpse of the original Act of Independence of 1811, installed inside a pedestal topped by a bust of Bolivar and displayed only on this most auspicious of public days. The halls surrounding the salon are daubed with battle scenes commemorating Venezuela’s fight for independence.

Military of Venezuela

As of 2000, the national armed forces of Venezuela (FAN Fuerza Armada Nacional) enlisted 87,500 individuals in four service branches–the Army, Navy (including the Marine Corps), Air Force, and the Armed Forces of Cooperation (FAC), commonly known as the National Guard. As of 2005, about 100,000 soldiers were integrated in the military through a fifth service branch, the Armed Reserve, although this force is more of a militia than a formal, professional armed corps. In 2001, a civilian was appointed Minister of Defense for the first time in many decades.

His role is largely policy-oriented, and operational command remains with a uniformed services commander. As of 2006 the FAN will be transformed into six service branches, the Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard, National Reserve, Territorial Guard. The Army, Navy, Air Force and National Guard will serve under the Strategic Operational Command (Comando Estrategico Operacional), the National Reserve and the Territorial Guard will serve under the National Reserve and Mobilization Command (Comando General de la Reserva Nacional y Movilizacion Nacional)

In 2005 Venezuela signed agreements with Spain to procure 12 naval transport and reconaissance aircraft and eight naval patrol vessels. The deal has been greeted with criticism from the United States, which opposes the regime of President Hugo Chavez. Chavez claims the deal is necessary for Venezuela’s defense, and criticized the United States for failing to supply spare parts for Venezuelan F-16 fighter jets.

The United States, in turn, has threatened to block the deal, since the Spanish defense exports contain suffecient amounts of American technology that an export license from the United States is required. As the deal is worth USD 1.5-2 billion dollars to the Spanish defense industry, as well as some 900 new job creations, this has caused tensions between the U.S. and Spain. [1]

Venezuela has also recently purchased 100,000 Kalashnikov assault rifles and 12 military helicopters from Russia.

Military branches: National Armed Forces (Fuerza Armada Nacional or FAN) includes:

- Ground Forces.or Army (Fuerzas Terrestres or Ejercito)

- Naval Forces (Fuerzas Navales or Armada)

- Air Force (Fuerzas Aereas or Aviacion)

- Armed Forces of Cooperation or National Guard (Fuerzas Armadas de Cooperacion or Guardia Nacional)

- National Reserve (Reserva Nacional)

- Territorial Guard (Guardia Territorial)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 6,767,862 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 4,870,751 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 249,319 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: USD 1,687 million (FY04) USD 934 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.5% (FY04) 0.9% (FY99)

Foreign relations of Venezuela

Venezuela’s priorities in the international arena are:

Respect for human rights;
The right of all people to self-determination;
Nonintervention in the internal affairs of other nations;
Peaceful settlement of disputes between nations, including border disputes;
The right of all people to peace and security; and
Support for democracy.

Hemispheric cooperation and integration are two pillars of president Hugo Chavez’s foreign policy. Venezuela worked closely with its neighbors following the 1997 Summit of the Americas in many areas–particularly energy integration–and championed the OAS decision to adopt an Anti-Corruption Convention. Venezuela also participates in the UN Friends groups for Haiti. It is pursuing efforts to join the MERCOSUR trade bloc to expand the hemisphere’s trade integration prospects. The Venezuelan government advocates an end to Cuba’s isolation and a “multi-polar” world based on ties among Third World countries.

Hugo Chavez era

Since Hugo Chavez was elected President of Venezuela, the long-standing close diplomatic relationship between Venezuela and the United States have progressively worsened. Chavez’s public friendship and significant trade relationship with Cuba and Fidel Castro have undermined the U.S. policy of isolating Cuba, and long-running ties between the U.S. and Venezuelan militaries were severed on Chavez’s initiative.

Chavez’s stance as an OPEC price hawk has raised the price of oil for the United States, as Venezuela pushed OPEC producers towards a higher price, around USD 25 a barrel. During Venezuela’s presidency of OPEC in 2000, Chavez made a ten-day tour of OPEC countries, in the process becoming the first head of state to meet Saddam Hussein since the Gulf War. The visit was controversial at home and in the US, although Chavez did respect the ban on international flights to and from Iraq (he drove from Iran, his previous stop).

Chavez opposition to U.S. foreign policy

Chavez’s stance as an OPEC price hawk has raised the price of oil for the United States, his public friendship and significant trade relationship with Cuba and Fidel Castro has undermined the U.S. policy of isolating Cuba, and long-running ties between the U.S. and Venezuelan militaries were severed on Chavez’s initiative. Chavez has been intensely critical of U.S. economic and foreign policy: in Iraq, Haiti, regarding the Free Trade Area of the Americas and in numerous other areas.

Allegations of U.S. covert actions against Chavez government

The United States recognized the government of Pedro Carmona during the 2002 coup attempt which briefly overthrew Chavez. On 20 February 2005, Chavez stated that he had reasons to believe that the U.S. had plans to have him assassinated; he said that any attempt would mean that Venezuela would cut off oil to the U.S.

Personal disputes

Chavez’s anti-U.S. rhetoric has sometimes touched the personal: in response to the ouster of Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in February 2004, Chavez called U.S. President George W. Bush a pendejo (”prick”); in a later speech, he made personal remarks regarding Condoleezza Rice. The U.S. has called Chavez a “negative force” in the region, and requested support from Venezuela’s neighbors in isolating Chavez.

Allegations over weapons purchases

The U.S. has opposed and lobbied against numerous Venezuelan arms purchases, including a purchase of 100,000 rifles from Russia, which Donald Rumsfeld implied would be passed on to FARC, and the purchase of aircraft from Brazil. The U.S. has also warned Israel to not carry through on a deal to upgrade Venezuela’s aging fleet of F-16s, and has similarly pressured Spain.

Organization of American States (OAS)

At the 2005 meeting of the Organization of American States, a United States resolution to add a mechanism to monitor the nature of democracies was widely seen as a move to isolate Venezuela. The failure of the resolution was seen as politically significant, expressing Latin American support for Chavez.

Venezuela has longstanding border disputes with Colombia and Guyana but seeks to resolve them peacefully. Bilateral commissions have been established by Venezuela and Colombia to address a range of pending issues, including resolution of the maritime boundary in the Gulf of Venezuela. Relations with Guyana are complicated by Venezuela’s claim to roughly three-quarters of Guyana’s territory. Since 1987, the two countries have held exchanges on the boundary under the “good offices” of the United Nations.

Disputes - international: claims all of Guyana west of the Essequibo River; maritime boundary dispute with Colombia in the Gulf of Venezuela.

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of opium for the international drug trade on a small scale; however, large quantities of cocaine and heroin transit the country from Colombia bound for US and Europe; important money-laundering hub; active eradication program primarily targeting opium; increasing signs of drug-related activities by Colombian insurgents on border.

Music of Venezuela

Venezuelan pop music has been largely overshadowed on the international scene by its neighbors, especially Brazil, Trinidad and Colombia. It is known for its own salsa, merengue and other imported styles, as well as the distinct llanera music.

Originally a rural form of the llanos, or plains, llanera spread to musically creative artists like Juan-Vicente Torrealba, who helped popularize the music across the country, leading to a slick modern form of pop-llanera that has earned scorn from purists and much of the younger Venezuelan listeners, who perceive it as stale and watered-down. Some singers, like Simon Diaz and Reynaldo Armas have maintained a huge following over the years.

Another very popular music in venezuela is the gaita, this gender originated from the region of el Zulia is very popular during the christmas season, and has grown to be a national representation of the Venezuelan Christmas.

Other forms of Venezuelan folk music have achieved little or no popular acclaim, but are extensively recorded and researched due to the work of Caracas-based Fundacion Bigott. African-derived percussion (including multiple rhythms, such as sangeo, fulia and parranda) is perhaps the most well-documented subject, and has produced groups like Un Solo Pueblo, Huracan del Fuego and Grupo Madera. This vanguard fusion artists combine rumba, Latin jazz, llanera, salsa and other forms of music from Latin America.

Venezuelan calypso music, imported from Trinidad in the 1880s by immigrants arriving during a gold rush, has its own distinctive rhythms and lyrical style. Spelled calipso in Venezuela, the music has had major stars, including most famously VH. Another imported genre is Cuban-American salsa music, which has several domestic superstars, including Oscar D’Leon, Jose Luis Rodriguez. Dominican merengue and Latin pop acts like Billo’s Caracas Boys, Porfi Jimenez Orquesta and Los Melodicos.