▁in ▁the ▁pol ls , ▁Ch á vez ▁ran ▁on ▁an ▁anti - cor ruption ▁and ▁anti - p over ty ▁platform , ▁condem ning ▁the ▁two ▁major ▁parties ▁that ▁had ▁domin ated ▁Venez uel an ▁politics ▁since ▁ 1 9 5 8 ; ▁and ▁began ▁to ▁gain ▁ground ▁in ▁the ▁pol ls ▁after ▁the ▁previous ▁front ▁run ners ▁f aded . ▁Despite ▁the ▁fact ▁that ▁the ▁major ▁parties ▁( CO PE I ▁and ▁Democratic ▁Action ) ▁end ors ed ▁Sal as ▁Rö mer , ▁Ch á vez ▁was ▁elected ▁into ▁his ▁first ▁term ▁as ▁President ▁of ▁Venezuela . ▁ ▁A ▁real ign ing ▁election , ▁the ▁result ▁meant ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁P unto f ij ismo ▁that ▁had ▁domin ated ▁the ▁political ▁atmosphere ▁of ▁the ▁country ▁in ▁the ▁last ▁ 4 0 ▁years , ▁and ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁domin ance ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁M V R ▁party ▁( l ater ▁renamed ▁PS U V ). ▁ ▁Background ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁the ▁Venez uel an ▁government ' s ▁economic ▁strength ▁and ▁political ▁legit im acy ▁was ▁decl ining , ▁with ▁two ▁coup ▁attempts ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁and ▁the ▁im pe achment ▁for ▁cor ruption ▁of ▁President ▁Carlos ▁And rés ▁Pérez . ▁The ▁result ▁was ▁a ▁turn ▁against ▁the ▁traditional ▁P unto ▁F ijo ▁parties ▁( D em ocr atic ▁Action ▁and ▁CO PE I ) ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁elections : ▁Rafael ▁Cal der a ' s ▁victory ▁in