Juan Vicente Gómez

ABOUT JUAN VICENTE GóMEZ

Venezuelan military leader who controlled Venezuela from 1908 until 1935. He served as president three times and de facto military leader for the in-between period. His last term as president was served until his death.

He worked as a cattle herder in his early life and joined the private army of Venezuelan leader Cipriano Castro in 1899.

Despite his reputation as a tyrant, he was credited with enriching the country's economy and social structure following the discovery of oil. He was succeeded by Eleazar López Contreras in 1935.

He never married, but he had two notable mistresses and fathered as many as eighty children.

Hugo Chavez was another controversial Venezuelan leader.