27 - Venezuela

Summary

The basic bibliographical reference is J. V. Lombardi et al., Venezuelan History: A Comprehensive Working Bibliography (Boston, 1977). Also important is the Diccionario de historia de Venezuela, published by the Fundación Polar under the direction of M. Pérez Vila, 3 vols. (Caracas, 1988). Two modern short histories are J. V. Lombardi, Venezuela (New York, 1982) andj. Ewell, Venezuela (London, 1984).

The political history of the period 1870–1930 can be studied in M. Picón Salas et al., Venezuela independiente: Evolutión politica y social, 1810–1960 (Caracas, 1962), and the later years in R. J. Velásquez et al., Venezuela moderna: Medio siglo de historia, 1926–1976, 2nd ed. (Caracas, 1979). Up until the year 1890 the relevant volumes of F. González Guinán, Historia contemporánea de Venezuela, 15 vols. (Caracas, 1909–25) are still most valuable. Three collections of documents are particularly useful: P. Grases and M. Pérez Vila (eds.), Documentos que hicieron historia (Caracas, 1862); N. Suárez Figueroa, Programas politicos venezolanos de la primera mitad del siglo XX, 2 vols. (Caracas, 1977); R. J. Velásquez (ed.), El pensamiento político del siglo XX: Documentos para su estudio (Caracas, 1983– ; two series so far). See also M. V. Magallanes, Los partidos políticos en la evolutión venezolana (Caracas, 1973).