Hugo Chávez was in power as president of Venezuela for about 14 years, from early 1999 until his death in March 2013.

Key dates

  • Chávez took office as president on 2 February 1999 after winning the 1998 election.
  • He remained president until he died on 5 March 2013, with his presidency formally spanning 1999–2013.

How many years in power?

  • Counting from February 1999 to March 2013, Chávez led Venezuela for just over 14 years.
  • During this time, he was repeatedly re‑elected, including major victories in 2000, 2006 and 2012 under Venezuela’s revised constitution.

TL;DR: Hugo Chávez was president of Venezuela for a little more than 14 years, from February 1999 until March 2013.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.