The Miraflores Palace is the headquarters of the Government of Venezuela "National Executive Branch (Venezuela)"), where the official office of the President of the Republic is located, in the center-west of the federal capital of Caracas, a few blocks from the Federal Legislative Palace. It began to be built in mid-1884 under the direction of the Italian count Giussepe Orsi de Mombello during the mandate of President Joaquín Crespo (1884-1886),[1] but it was from 1900 that it began to be used as the Presidential Palace, under the government of Cipriano Castro.
Unlike other countries, the Vice Presidency maintains its office in a separate headquarters, located in front of the old Carmelitas Post Office building. The only government entity that is inside the palace is the Ministry of the Office of the Presidency. The residence of the president and vice president are located outside Miraflores. The La Casona Presidential Residence is located in the Santa Cecilia urbanization and the La Viñeta Official Residence (home of the vice president) within the Tiuna Fort.
History
On April 27, 1884, General Joaquín Crespo took office as President of the Republic and in August of the same year he purchased the land of Hacienda La Trilla, which in colonial times was property of the Count of San Javier, to begin the construction of a new residence, where he would live with his wife, Jacinta Parejo de Crespo, and their children.
That is why this residence was originally called La Trilla, and later it was called Miraflores, its current name. There were two elements that influenced the slow development of the construction of the palace. On the one hand, the presidential obligations that prevented Crespo from directly dealing with the project; and on the other, the irregularity of the terrain, due to the fact that it was located at the bottom of the southern slope of Ciego de Avila. Later, around 1887, the second historical stage of the construction of Miraflores began, which was affected by the time and money requirements that Crespo demanded to achieve his political goals.
For most of that time, Crespo will be out of the country, which makes continuing the project a bit difficult. However, in Spain he established contact with the builder Juan Bautista Sales, with whom he observed the models for construction, the design of the first plans, and hired a group of craftsmen in carpentry, blacksmithing and decoration. It is said that during his stay in Spain, Crespo took the name Miraflores due to a Charterhouse that exists in the city of Burgos. A second version indicates that Crespo was inspired by that name as a result of his exile in Peru, where he stayed for some time in an old hacienda called Miraflores.
Miraflores Palace
Introduction
The Miraflores Palace is the headquarters of the Government of Venezuela "National Executive Branch (Venezuela)"), where the official office of the President of the Republic is located, in the center-west of the federal capital of Caracas, a few blocks from the Federal Legislative Palace. It began to be built in mid-1884 under the direction of the Italian count Giussepe Orsi de Mombello during the mandate of President Joaquín Crespo (1884-1886),[1] but it was from 1900 that it began to be used as the Presidential Palace, under the government of Cipriano Castro.
Unlike other countries, the Vice Presidency maintains its office in a separate headquarters, located in front of the old Carmelitas Post Office building. The only government entity that is inside the palace is the Ministry of the Office of the Presidency. The residence of the president and vice president are located outside Miraflores. The La Casona Presidential Residence is located in the Santa Cecilia urbanization and the La Viñeta Official Residence (home of the vice president) within the Tiuna Fort.
History
On April 27, 1884, General Joaquín Crespo took office as President of the Republic and in August of the same year he purchased the land of Hacienda La Trilla, which in colonial times was property of the Count of San Javier, to begin the construction of a new residence, where he would live with his wife, Jacinta Parejo de Crespo, and their children.
That is why this residence was originally called La Trilla, and later it was called Miraflores, its current name. There were two elements that influenced the slow development of the construction of the palace. On the one hand, the presidential obligations that prevented Crespo from directly dealing with the project; and on the other, the irregularity of the terrain, due to the fact that it was located at the bottom of the southern slope of Ciego de Avila. Later, around 1887, the second historical stage of the construction of Miraflores began, which was affected by the time and money requirements that Crespo demanded to achieve his political goals.
For most of that time, Crespo will be out of the country, which makes continuing the project a bit difficult. However, in Spain he established contact with the builder Juan Bautista Sales, with whom he observed the models for construction, the design of the first plans, and hired a group of craftsmen in carpentry, blacksmithing and decoration. It is said that during his stay in Spain, Crespo took the name Miraflores due to a Charterhouse that exists in the city of Burgos. A second version indicates that Crespo was inspired by that name as a result of his exile in Peru, where he stayed for some time in an old hacienda called Miraflores.
By the year 1889, when Crespo returned from exile, the most favorable stage in the construction of the palace was completed, because Crespo would dedicate more time to the continuation and completion of this project. Even in 1892 there are graphic testimonies of the external structure of the Palace, completely finished, identified with the name of La Trilla. In 1893, Crespo was elected president again, after the triumph of his Legalist Revolution, a favorable event for the construction of Miraflores, since the construction could be completed in its internal part and also attend to the final details of the project.
In 1897, the corner that bears the name of Miraflores appears for the first time identified on the map of Caracas, in addition to the area of the building. At the beginning of 1898, before leaving for the interior, Crespo made his last visit to the Palace, and shortly afterwards he was assassinated in La Mata Carmelera. His death would generate a difficult stage in the construction of Miraflores. He had left numerous debts, which is why his assets are affected. In this way, Crespo's widow had to face some demands, from which Miraflores does not escape.
Following the earthquake that occurred in Caracas on October 29, 1900, General Cipriano Castro, already in power, decided to rent Miraflores as a presidential residence. He made such a decision under pressure from the fear that the earthquake inspired in him, since the earthquake surprised him in the Casa Amarilla "Casa Amarilla (Venezuela)") and he had to jump into the street from one of its balconies. Miraflores, on the other hand, had an anti-seismic construction. In this way, Castro becomes the first president to inhabit the Palace. Also, the Office of the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit is moved there.
On January 1, 1901, the Miraflores Palace offered the first official reception on the occasion of the New Year. Subsequently, in March, the National Constituent Assembly approves a project through which the Federal Executive Branch is authorized to acquire the property of the Palace with the aim of converting it into a Presidential Mansion. Meanwhile, the building is put under auction and, finally, the government acquires it on June 19, 1911, to convert it into a presidential house. Shortly after, General Juan Vicente Gómez became the first president to occupy the Palace as an official residence. There the general offers a great reception on the occasion of the Centennial of Independence, on July 5, 1911.
In 1936, General Eleazar López Contreras settled in Miraflores and changed the personal character that Castro and Gómez had attributed to it to the Palace, giving it the profile of a National Government Palace and official residence of the presidents of Venezuela. In 1941, President Isaías Medina Angarita ordered the repair of the Presidential Office and improved the surroundings of the Palace.
In 1945, Rómulo Betancourt became the first president to identify Miraflores as the headquarters where Presidential Decrees were endorsed, replacing the Federal Palace, as was done prior to this date. In 1948, the first president elected by popular vote, the novelist Rómulo Gallegos, arrived at the Miraflores Palace.
Between 1948 and 1958, during the dictatorship of the Military Junta and General Marcos Pérez Jiménez, the Miraflores Palace suffered serious neglect; it was even proposed to destroy its facilities and replace it with another building that would serve as the official headquarters of the government. In 1959, Rómulo Betancourt, the first constitutional president of the new democratic stage, dispatched from Miraflores and began a new expansion of some rooms and rooms of the palace.
Years later, in the first constitutional period of Rafael Caldera (1969-1974), the construction of the Administrative Building began. And in February 1979, the Palace was declared a National Historic Monument. During the period of President Luis Herrera Campíns (1979-1984), the Administrative Building and the Plaza Bicentenario were completed and during the administration of Jaime Lusinchi (1984-1989), the area corresponding to the Council of Ministers was expanded. In 1992 the structure of the palace was affected by the coup attempts of February 4 and November 27.
Between 1994 and 1999, a practice was undertaken aimed at rescuing the dignity of the Miraflores Palace as the official seat of the government. For some years it was open to guided tours.
During the events of April 2002, a massive march took place towards this palace demanding the resignation of President Hugo Chávez. The march against the government was diverted from its route towards the Miraflores presidential palace. Faced with these events, President Chávez ordered the military to activate Plan Ávila, and the official television station Venezolana de Televisión began calling on all government supporters to go out and "defend the revolution." By the time the opposition march approached Miraflores, they encountered a concentration of support for the government and several military personnel. Armed clashes then occurred between the Metropolitan Police, the Army and groups, which caused several deaths and injuries, highlighting the Puente Llaguno Events. The presence of snipers and clashes with the Metropolitan Police left 19 dead and hundreds injured, both opponents and supporters of the ruling party.
In February 2007, a new press room named Simón Bolívar was inaugurated, larger and more comfortable for holding conferences or important announcements by different government representatives. For years it was called Jesus Lossada Rondón Press Room, in homage to the journalist of the same name, who for years was the main spokesman for the palace's events, through his column "Miraflores a la Vista."
In November 2012, the National Assembly approved an additional credit for the rehabilitation of the palace façade.[2].
Spaces
Néstor Kirchner Room
The area of the Néstor Kirchner Room (formerly called the Council of Ministers Room) is made up of the hallway, the anteroom and the meeting room.
The hallway connects the entrance corridor with the anteroom. Valuable pieces of the palace's artistic heritage stand out on both sides. Entering in front of the Pantano de Vargas Hall, you will find the “Bolívar” by the painter Cirilo Almeida.
Halfway, on the opposite side, on a wooden piece of furniture, a bust of General Carlos Soublette is placed. In front of the Anteroom, on the left wall there is a charcoal work by the Precursor Francisco de Miranda and to the right the portrait of José María Vargas, by Alirio Palacios.
The Anteroom is made up of a personalized screen print of The Liberator, made by Alirio Palacios; a painting titled "The Fishermen", by Luisa Palacios (1958); and another painting called "The Tempest", by César Rengifo (1958). In addition, there is a piece of furniture decorated with chamfered panels with four drawers or drawers, with ring-shaped bronze handles, typical of the first half of the century.
There is also a miniature replica of the monument erected in the Campo de Carabobo on the occasion of the sesquicentennial of the battle of the same name: the work "La Patria al Soldado", by Hugo Daini; and a bust of the Liberator on a gray veined marble column, which is located at the entrance to the Meeting Hall.
The Meeting Room constitutes the area available to the president, ministers and other senior officials for their weekly meetings to attend to State affairs and related to the development of the Public Administration.
The room has the necessary furniture for the development of the activities that take place there; For many years he owned a painting of Bolívar, painted by the Colombian José María Espinosa, which was moved in 2015 to the Simón Bolívar Hall. In 2011, this room was named in honor of former Argentine president Néstor Kirchner and his portrait, the work of painter Édgar Álvarez, was inaugurated.[3].
Hall of Ambassadors
Upon entering the Palace through the main entrance, intended for visitors, you will find this small room, whose name is due to the fact that it is the place where the Ambassadors await the arrival of the President of the Republic, before entering the Sol del Perú Room. Likewise, it is used as a reception room for other distinguished personalities.
Since the end of 1996, the room has been dominated by portraits of the first owners of the Palace, General Joaquín Crespo Torres and his wife, Jacinta Parejo de Crespo, two works by the painter Martín Tovar y Tovar.
Likewise, on the opposite wall are two paintings by the painter Julián Oñate, called “Paje con Flores” and “Paje con Frutas”. In addition, you can see two busts with a marble base, one of Simón Bolívar and another of Napoleon Bonaparte. Also, there are two evocative pieces by the musicians Ludwig van Beethoven and Richard Wagner.
On the back wall of the room there are two Venuses, one of white marble with a semi-naked torso and chest partially covered by garlands that her hands hold; The other has a completely naked torso, but with her head tilted slightly to the left and her arms stretched forward.
The Empire style prevails in the living room furniture, Pompeian decorations, and the entire floor is made of parquet. The ceiling of the living room is a coffered ceiling, the work of Catalan and Italian artists hired by Crespo.
Boyacá Hall
It is one of the largest rooms in the Palace, and its name comes from the battle fought by the Liberator Simón Bolívar against Colonel José María Barreiro, on August 7, 1819, after which most of the New Granada territory was free. It was built in the early sixties and since then it has been a space that has been used for meetings and work meetings, especially when many people attend them. On certain occasions, sectoral cabinet sessions have been held in this room, as well as lunches and entertainment of all kinds to honor various national and foreign personalities. The decoration of the living room is dominated by parquet flooring and ceilings and baseboards adorned with pieces, moldings and wooden motifs. On the back wall there is a painting by the painter and muralist Gabriel Bracho, who represents the heroic deed on the Boyacá bridge with his characteristic style. The faces of Bolívar, Santander and José Antonio Anzoátegui reveal the leading action of these characters in said battle. The painting was inaugurated by President Rafael Caldera during his first government, on August 1, 1973.
At the other end, on the sides of the door adjacent to the hallway that leads to the Council of Ministers room, there are two busts: one represents General José Antonio Anzoátegui, hero of Boyacá, and the other the humanist Andrés Bello.
Pantano de Vargas Hall
It is a rectangular environment and its name is due to the victory obtained by Bolívar on July 25, 1819 at the site of the same name, during the development of the Liberating Campaign of New Granada. The area is used as a waiting room for people who are going to participate in a ceremony in the Simón Bolívar Hall and for visitors in general.
In the room, the presentation of some books published by the Presidency and other government institutions takes place. Likewise, events are held to honor various personalities of national life.
Since 1995, thanks to an agreement between the Ministry of the Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic and the National Art Gallery, the room has become a place where some collections of works owned by the gallery are periodically exhibited.
Additionally, in this room you can see some of the presidential chairs used by: José Antonio Páez, Antonio Guzmán Blanco, Joaquín Crespo and Juan Vicente Gómez. The furniture is completed by ten pieces including armchairs and chairs, two consoles and a dark wood wall piano. The floor is mosaic and the ceiling is crossed by dark wooden beams.
Simón Bolívar Room
The Simón Bolívar Room is used for meetings of the president with his cabinet and diplomatic delegations, it is also a place for the appointment of new ministers and ambassadors. This room is characterized by a long table guarded in the main part by two large paintings that are behind the presidential backrest.
The traditional name, Hall of Mirrors, was replaced by order of President Hugo Chávez with the Joaquín Crespo Hall and later, during the government of Nicolás Maduro, it began to be called the Simón Bolívar Hall. On its walls hang works by Julián Oñate y Juárez and Arturo Michelena. The portrait of Bolívar by the painter José María Espinoza, traditionally located in the Hall of the Council of Ministers, was moved to this venue in 2015.
Salon Sol del Perú
It is one of the most representative rooms of the palace. It is mainly used for diplomatic accreditation and special events. In its decoration, a golden sun donated by the Peruvian government stands out, as well as the paintings "El Día" and "La Noche" by Arturo Michelena; an equestrian portrait of Simón Bolívar (1936) and a portrait of the first president of Venezuela, Cristóbal Mendoza, both by Tito Salas. The Bolívar de Salas served as the main painting of the room, but was replaced in the most recent restoration by a portrait of Antonio José de Sucre.
Ayacucho Hall
This room is located in the administrative building and is used for most presidential messages on radio and television. The room is characterized by having mahogany-colored wooden walls, it has space for approximately 200 or 250 people who are located in front of the podium where the president introduces himself to the country. It is also the setting for the reception of heads of State and Government, as well as for the granting of the Order of the Liberator to different personalities from the political, cultural and institutional world who receive this award. The Ayacucho Room is characterized by having a painting of the Liberator Simón Bolívar in front, this is located behind the desk where the head of state of the nation is presented to the country.
Presidential Office
In this office you can see a decoration where the Empire style predominates, which contrasts perfectly with the furniture and ornaments. There is a bust of Andrés Bello and a bronze bust of Simón Bolívar, who wears a medal with the face of George Washington around his neck.
Space distributed according to the following areas:.
• - Office anteroom: it is a large space that is adjacent to the door of the Presidential Office. It constitutes one of the areas where remains of the original floor of the Palace are still preserved. It highlights a painting by General José Antonio Páez, by an anonymous author, and a sculpture by Pedro Básalo titled "The Republic of Venezuela." The decoration is completed by a desk, an Empire style chair and a large mirror with a gold frame.
• - Office of the president: it is presided over by the national coat of arms and four paintings by Tito Salas stand out on the walls: "El Libertador Simón Bolívar", "El Mariscal Antonio José de Sucre", "El General Rafael Urdaneta" and "El General José Antonio Páez", main heroes of the Independence of Venezuela.
• - Private Secretary's Office: it is an environment configured according to the tasks that are undertaken there. It has a painting by Jacobo Borges titled "The Bride" (1975), "A Landscape of Caracas" (1996) by Gabriel Bracho and "A Landscape of Avila", by Pedro Ángel González.
Chapel
It is a Catholic oratory, with very small space, adjacent to the Hall of Ambassadors. It preserves the original floor of the palace (hand-painted mosaic). The back wall has an image of the Heart of Jesus at the top, decorated and magnified with rays placed behind it. Images of Saint John the Baptist and the Immaculate Conception are also found here. At the bottom, there are two images arranged on the sides of the altar, Saint Jude Thaddeus, on the left side and Saint Simon the Canaanite, on the right.
There is an Altar that has a Crucifix, some amphorae and some bronze candelabra. In front of the altar, there are four kneelers and a polished wooden table with carvings on the edge. The upper space of the altar has a stained glass window with the Heart of Jesus and next to it a motif and a plaque, reminders of the first visit of Pope John Paul II to Venezuela and a white marble baptismal font.
On the left wall there are four paintings, where the images of Saint Anthony of Padua, Saint Catherine of Siena, Saint Rita of Casia and the Blessed Sacrament Exposed in the Monstrance appear.
Adjacent buildings
White Palace and Honor Guard Barracks
Both the White Palace and the Honor Guard Barracks are the work of the architect Luís Malaussena Andueza. Both projects respond to a neoclassical, academic and rhetorical style. They were inaugurated on December 2, 1956, during the Pérez Jiménez dictatorship. At the top of this building you can see four statues that symbolize: justice, laws, labor and science, made by the Italian sculptor Hugo Daini.
• - Hall of Governors:.
It is a large quadrilateral that is located on the ground floor of the White Palace. Various work meetings are held in this room. Some massive recognition events for staff are carried out. Likewise, operations are carried out for the benefit of employees and workers, such as updating documents.
The living room is dominated by a painting by Simón Bolívar (1956) painted by Luis C. Gyory, and an original by Paulín Guerín from 1843; On the other side is the national coat of arms.
Among the elements that decorate the walls of the room are 24 stained glass windows: 22 represent the states of the country (with the sketch corresponding to each entity and the national coat of arms), another corresponds to the Capital District and the last shows the face of the Liberator. Its walls are completely covered with finished wood, as are the two columns. The floor is covered with a blue carpet.
• - Salon de la Patria:.
It is located in the “General of Division Fernando Rodríguez del Toro” Honor Guard Regiment Building. In 1980 it was inaugurated under the name "Altar to the Gods of Liberty" and, later, it adopted its current name. This room represents the History of Venezuela from its beginnings to the era of progress and technological advances. Upon entering the room you can see a tribute to the Bolivarian countries.
Bicentennial Building
Built during the presidency of Luis Herrera Campíns, it contains several meeting rooms, the presidential press room, as well as different administrative units of the Ministry of the Secretariat of the Presidency and offices of some ministers.
• - Red Room:.
It is called this way because of the color of the floor of the enclosure. It is a multipurpose room suitable for business meetings. Next to it is a large room where conferences, workshops and some cultural, religious and staff recognition events are organized.
• - South Gallery:.
For many years the facilities of the Miraflores Historical Archive were located there. All the historical documents of the Presidency of the Republic are kept in this facility. From here the Historical Archive Bulletin is published and distributed. In the late 1990s, the publication of the Minutes of the Council of Ministers also began.
• - Bicentennial Plaza:.
Designed by the architect Oscar Tenreiro,[4] it was inaugurated on April 29, 1983, on the occasion of the bicentennial of the birth of Bolívar. It is located in the southern part of the Miraflores Palace and has an area of eight thousand square meters, covered with adobones.
This large space allows for a series of special activities carried out by the staff of the Ministry of the Secretariat. It also serves as a stage for weekly public recreation and entertainment shows. The plaza contains a Mural ("Roots of Freedom" by Braulio Salazar), a fountain that slides down the south wall like a curtain of water, and a general plaza ceramic work by the artist Ricardo Ceruzzi.
Miraflores Historical Archive
Its main function is to preserve the documents of the presidents of Venezuela from the government of Cipriano Castro (1899-1908) to the present. Composed of a record of more than fifteen million pages, the Miraflores Historical Archive was conceived by the historian and politician Ramón José Velásquez, during his years as Secretary of the Presidency in the second government of Rómulo Betancourt (1959-1964). After a series of papers corresponding to the governments of Castro and Juan Vicente Gómez (1908-1935) were discovered in the basement of the Presidential Guard Barracks, it was decided to recover and organize an archive that included all the documentation generated by the Presidency of the Republic. This entire record, organized chronologically and by administration, has been systematically published in the Bulletin of the Miraflores Historical Archive.[5]
For many years it was located in the administrative building in the southern part of the palace. In 2016 it was moved to the old headquarters of the General Archive of the Nation, between the corners of Santa Capilla and Carmelitas.[6].
• - La Casona Presidential Residence "La Casona (Presidential Residence)").
• - Federal Legislative Palace.
• - Politics of Venezuela.
• - Pineda, Rafael. The Miraflores Palace. Armitano Editores.: 1999. ISBN 980-216-170-5.
• - Rivas Rivas, José"). It happened in Miraflores. Playco Editores: 1999. ISBN 980-6437-04-7.
• - Yánes, Óscar. This is how things are. Planeta: 2004. ISBN 980-271-331-7.
• - Guide to the Historical Archive of Miraflores. Editions of the Presidency of the Republic: 1987. ISBN 980-03-0032-5.
• - Rodríguez Cárdenas, Manuel"). Words for a visit to Miraflores..
• - Portal:Venezuela. Content related to Venezuela.
• - The Palace of Misia Jacinta - Chamber of Commerce of Caracas.
• - Welcome brochure to the Miraflores Palace (1978).
• - Site of the Ministry of the Office of the Presidency and Monitoring of Government Management.
[4] ↑ Caracas: del valle al mar. Guía de arquitectura y paisaje. «Plaza Bicentenario». Guía CCS. Consultado el 20 de noviembre de 2019.: http://guiaccs.com/obras/plaza-bicentenario/
By the year 1889, when Crespo returned from exile, the most favorable stage in the construction of the palace was completed, because Crespo would dedicate more time to the continuation and completion of this project. Even in 1892 there are graphic testimonies of the external structure of the Palace, completely finished, identified with the name of La Trilla. In 1893, Crespo was elected president again, after the triumph of his Legalist Revolution, a favorable event for the construction of Miraflores, since the construction could be completed in its internal part and also attend to the final details of the project.
In 1897, the corner that bears the name of Miraflores appears for the first time identified on the map of Caracas, in addition to the area of the building. At the beginning of 1898, before leaving for the interior, Crespo made his last visit to the Palace, and shortly afterwards he was assassinated in La Mata Carmelera. His death would generate a difficult stage in the construction of Miraflores. He had left numerous debts, which is why his assets are affected. In this way, Crespo's widow had to face some demands, from which Miraflores does not escape.
Following the earthquake that occurred in Caracas on October 29, 1900, General Cipriano Castro, already in power, decided to rent Miraflores as a presidential residence. He made such a decision under pressure from the fear that the earthquake inspired in him, since the earthquake surprised him in the Casa Amarilla "Casa Amarilla (Venezuela)") and he had to jump into the street from one of its balconies. Miraflores, on the other hand, had an anti-seismic construction. In this way, Castro becomes the first president to inhabit the Palace. Also, the Office of the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit is moved there.
On January 1, 1901, the Miraflores Palace offered the first official reception on the occasion of the New Year. Subsequently, in March, the National Constituent Assembly approves a project through which the Federal Executive Branch is authorized to acquire the property of the Palace with the aim of converting it into a Presidential Mansion. Meanwhile, the building is put under auction and, finally, the government acquires it on June 19, 1911, to convert it into a presidential house. Shortly after, General Juan Vicente Gómez became the first president to occupy the Palace as an official residence. There the general offers a great reception on the occasion of the Centennial of Independence, on July 5, 1911.
In 1936, General Eleazar López Contreras settled in Miraflores and changed the personal character that Castro and Gómez had attributed to it to the Palace, giving it the profile of a National Government Palace and official residence of the presidents of Venezuela. In 1941, President Isaías Medina Angarita ordered the repair of the Presidential Office and improved the surroundings of the Palace.
In 1945, Rómulo Betancourt became the first president to identify Miraflores as the headquarters where Presidential Decrees were endorsed, replacing the Federal Palace, as was done prior to this date. In 1948, the first president elected by popular vote, the novelist Rómulo Gallegos, arrived at the Miraflores Palace.
Between 1948 and 1958, during the dictatorship of the Military Junta and General Marcos Pérez Jiménez, the Miraflores Palace suffered serious neglect; it was even proposed to destroy its facilities and replace it with another building that would serve as the official headquarters of the government. In 1959, Rómulo Betancourt, the first constitutional president of the new democratic stage, dispatched from Miraflores and began a new expansion of some rooms and rooms of the palace.
Years later, in the first constitutional period of Rafael Caldera (1969-1974), the construction of the Administrative Building began. And in February 1979, the Palace was declared a National Historic Monument. During the period of President Luis Herrera Campíns (1979-1984), the Administrative Building and the Plaza Bicentenario were completed and during the administration of Jaime Lusinchi (1984-1989), the area corresponding to the Council of Ministers was expanded. In 1992 the structure of the palace was affected by the coup attempts of February 4 and November 27.
Between 1994 and 1999, a practice was undertaken aimed at rescuing the dignity of the Miraflores Palace as the official seat of the government. For some years it was open to guided tours.
During the events of April 2002, a massive march took place towards this palace demanding the resignation of President Hugo Chávez. The march against the government was diverted from its route towards the Miraflores presidential palace. Faced with these events, President Chávez ordered the military to activate Plan Ávila, and the official television station Venezolana de Televisión began calling on all government supporters to go out and "defend the revolution." By the time the opposition march approached Miraflores, they encountered a concentration of support for the government and several military personnel. Armed clashes then occurred between the Metropolitan Police, the Army and groups, which caused several deaths and injuries, highlighting the Puente Llaguno Events. The presence of snipers and clashes with the Metropolitan Police left 19 dead and hundreds injured, both opponents and supporters of the ruling party.
In February 2007, a new press room named Simón Bolívar was inaugurated, larger and more comfortable for holding conferences or important announcements by different government representatives. For years it was called Jesus Lossada Rondón Press Room, in homage to the journalist of the same name, who for years was the main spokesman for the palace's events, through his column "Miraflores a la Vista."
In November 2012, the National Assembly approved an additional credit for the rehabilitation of the palace façade.[2].
Spaces
Néstor Kirchner Room
The area of the Néstor Kirchner Room (formerly called the Council of Ministers Room) is made up of the hallway, the anteroom and the meeting room.
The hallway connects the entrance corridor with the anteroom. Valuable pieces of the palace's artistic heritage stand out on both sides. Entering in front of the Pantano de Vargas Hall, you will find the “Bolívar” by the painter Cirilo Almeida.
Halfway, on the opposite side, on a wooden piece of furniture, a bust of General Carlos Soublette is placed. In front of the Anteroom, on the left wall there is a charcoal work by the Precursor Francisco de Miranda and to the right the portrait of José María Vargas, by Alirio Palacios.
The Anteroom is made up of a personalized screen print of The Liberator, made by Alirio Palacios; a painting titled "The Fishermen", by Luisa Palacios (1958); and another painting called "The Tempest", by César Rengifo (1958). In addition, there is a piece of furniture decorated with chamfered panels with four drawers or drawers, with ring-shaped bronze handles, typical of the first half of the century.
There is also a miniature replica of the monument erected in the Campo de Carabobo on the occasion of the sesquicentennial of the battle of the same name: the work "La Patria al Soldado", by Hugo Daini; and a bust of the Liberator on a gray veined marble column, which is located at the entrance to the Meeting Hall.
The Meeting Room constitutes the area available to the president, ministers and other senior officials for their weekly meetings to attend to State affairs and related to the development of the Public Administration.
The room has the necessary furniture for the development of the activities that take place there; For many years he owned a painting of Bolívar, painted by the Colombian José María Espinosa, which was moved in 2015 to the Simón Bolívar Hall. In 2011, this room was named in honor of former Argentine president Néstor Kirchner and his portrait, the work of painter Édgar Álvarez, was inaugurated.[3].
Hall of Ambassadors
Upon entering the Palace through the main entrance, intended for visitors, you will find this small room, whose name is due to the fact that it is the place where the Ambassadors await the arrival of the President of the Republic, before entering the Sol del Perú Room. Likewise, it is used as a reception room for other distinguished personalities.
Since the end of 1996, the room has been dominated by portraits of the first owners of the Palace, General Joaquín Crespo Torres and his wife, Jacinta Parejo de Crespo, two works by the painter Martín Tovar y Tovar.
Likewise, on the opposite wall are two paintings by the painter Julián Oñate, called “Paje con Flores” and “Paje con Frutas”. In addition, you can see two busts with a marble base, one of Simón Bolívar and another of Napoleon Bonaparte. Also, there are two evocative pieces by the musicians Ludwig van Beethoven and Richard Wagner.
On the back wall of the room there are two Venuses, one of white marble with a semi-naked torso and chest partially covered by garlands that her hands hold; The other has a completely naked torso, but with her head tilted slightly to the left and her arms stretched forward.
The Empire style prevails in the living room furniture, Pompeian decorations, and the entire floor is made of parquet. The ceiling of the living room is a coffered ceiling, the work of Catalan and Italian artists hired by Crespo.
Boyacá Hall
It is one of the largest rooms in the Palace, and its name comes from the battle fought by the Liberator Simón Bolívar against Colonel José María Barreiro, on August 7, 1819, after which most of the New Granada territory was free. It was built in the early sixties and since then it has been a space that has been used for meetings and work meetings, especially when many people attend them. On certain occasions, sectoral cabinet sessions have been held in this room, as well as lunches and entertainment of all kinds to honor various national and foreign personalities. The decoration of the living room is dominated by parquet flooring and ceilings and baseboards adorned with pieces, moldings and wooden motifs. On the back wall there is a painting by the painter and muralist Gabriel Bracho, who represents the heroic deed on the Boyacá bridge with his characteristic style. The faces of Bolívar, Santander and José Antonio Anzoátegui reveal the leading action of these characters in said battle. The painting was inaugurated by President Rafael Caldera during his first government, on August 1, 1973.
At the other end, on the sides of the door adjacent to the hallway that leads to the Council of Ministers room, there are two busts: one represents General José Antonio Anzoátegui, hero of Boyacá, and the other the humanist Andrés Bello.
Pantano de Vargas Hall
It is a rectangular environment and its name is due to the victory obtained by Bolívar on July 25, 1819 at the site of the same name, during the development of the Liberating Campaign of New Granada. The area is used as a waiting room for people who are going to participate in a ceremony in the Simón Bolívar Hall and for visitors in general.
In the room, the presentation of some books published by the Presidency and other government institutions takes place. Likewise, events are held to honor various personalities of national life.
Since 1995, thanks to an agreement between the Ministry of the Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic and the National Art Gallery, the room has become a place where some collections of works owned by the gallery are periodically exhibited.
Additionally, in this room you can see some of the presidential chairs used by: José Antonio Páez, Antonio Guzmán Blanco, Joaquín Crespo and Juan Vicente Gómez. The furniture is completed by ten pieces including armchairs and chairs, two consoles and a dark wood wall piano. The floor is mosaic and the ceiling is crossed by dark wooden beams.
Simón Bolívar Room
The Simón Bolívar Room is used for meetings of the president with his cabinet and diplomatic delegations, it is also a place for the appointment of new ministers and ambassadors. This room is characterized by a long table guarded in the main part by two large paintings that are behind the presidential backrest.
The traditional name, Hall of Mirrors, was replaced by order of President Hugo Chávez with the Joaquín Crespo Hall and later, during the government of Nicolás Maduro, it began to be called the Simón Bolívar Hall. On its walls hang works by Julián Oñate y Juárez and Arturo Michelena. The portrait of Bolívar by the painter José María Espinoza, traditionally located in the Hall of the Council of Ministers, was moved to this venue in 2015.
Salon Sol del Perú
It is one of the most representative rooms of the palace. It is mainly used for diplomatic accreditation and special events. In its decoration, a golden sun donated by the Peruvian government stands out, as well as the paintings "El Día" and "La Noche" by Arturo Michelena; an equestrian portrait of Simón Bolívar (1936) and a portrait of the first president of Venezuela, Cristóbal Mendoza, both by Tito Salas. The Bolívar de Salas served as the main painting of the room, but was replaced in the most recent restoration by a portrait of Antonio José de Sucre.
Ayacucho Hall
This room is located in the administrative building and is used for most presidential messages on radio and television. The room is characterized by having mahogany-colored wooden walls, it has space for approximately 200 or 250 people who are located in front of the podium where the president introduces himself to the country. It is also the setting for the reception of heads of State and Government, as well as for the granting of the Order of the Liberator to different personalities from the political, cultural and institutional world who receive this award. The Ayacucho Room is characterized by having a painting of the Liberator Simón Bolívar in front, this is located behind the desk where the head of state of the nation is presented to the country.
Presidential Office
In this office you can see a decoration where the Empire style predominates, which contrasts perfectly with the furniture and ornaments. There is a bust of Andrés Bello and a bronze bust of Simón Bolívar, who wears a medal with the face of George Washington around his neck.
Space distributed according to the following areas:.
• - Office anteroom: it is a large space that is adjacent to the door of the Presidential Office. It constitutes one of the areas where remains of the original floor of the Palace are still preserved. It highlights a painting by General José Antonio Páez, by an anonymous author, and a sculpture by Pedro Básalo titled "The Republic of Venezuela." The decoration is completed by a desk, an Empire style chair and a large mirror with a gold frame.
• - Office of the president: it is presided over by the national coat of arms and four paintings by Tito Salas stand out on the walls: "El Libertador Simón Bolívar", "El Mariscal Antonio José de Sucre", "El General Rafael Urdaneta" and "El General José Antonio Páez", main heroes of the Independence of Venezuela.
• - Private Secretary's Office: it is an environment configured according to the tasks that are undertaken there. It has a painting by Jacobo Borges titled "The Bride" (1975), "A Landscape of Caracas" (1996) by Gabriel Bracho and "A Landscape of Avila", by Pedro Ángel González.
Chapel
It is a Catholic oratory, with very small space, adjacent to the Hall of Ambassadors. It preserves the original floor of the palace (hand-painted mosaic). The back wall has an image of the Heart of Jesus at the top, decorated and magnified with rays placed behind it. Images of Saint John the Baptist and the Immaculate Conception are also found here. At the bottom, there are two images arranged on the sides of the altar, Saint Jude Thaddeus, on the left side and Saint Simon the Canaanite, on the right.
There is an Altar that has a Crucifix, some amphorae and some bronze candelabra. In front of the altar, there are four kneelers and a polished wooden table with carvings on the edge. The upper space of the altar has a stained glass window with the Heart of Jesus and next to it a motif and a plaque, reminders of the first visit of Pope John Paul II to Venezuela and a white marble baptismal font.
On the left wall there are four paintings, where the images of Saint Anthony of Padua, Saint Catherine of Siena, Saint Rita of Casia and the Blessed Sacrament Exposed in the Monstrance appear.
Adjacent buildings
White Palace and Honor Guard Barracks
Both the White Palace and the Honor Guard Barracks are the work of the architect Luís Malaussena Andueza. Both projects respond to a neoclassical, academic and rhetorical style. They were inaugurated on December 2, 1956, during the Pérez Jiménez dictatorship. At the top of this building you can see four statues that symbolize: justice, laws, labor and science, made by the Italian sculptor Hugo Daini.
• - Hall of Governors:.
It is a large quadrilateral that is located on the ground floor of the White Palace. Various work meetings are held in this room. Some massive recognition events for staff are carried out. Likewise, operations are carried out for the benefit of employees and workers, such as updating documents.
The living room is dominated by a painting by Simón Bolívar (1956) painted by Luis C. Gyory, and an original by Paulín Guerín from 1843; On the other side is the national coat of arms.
Among the elements that decorate the walls of the room are 24 stained glass windows: 22 represent the states of the country (with the sketch corresponding to each entity and the national coat of arms), another corresponds to the Capital District and the last shows the face of the Liberator. Its walls are completely covered with finished wood, as are the two columns. The floor is covered with a blue carpet.
• - Salon de la Patria:.
It is located in the “General of Division Fernando Rodríguez del Toro” Honor Guard Regiment Building. In 1980 it was inaugurated under the name "Altar to the Gods of Liberty" and, later, it adopted its current name. This room represents the History of Venezuela from its beginnings to the era of progress and technological advances. Upon entering the room you can see a tribute to the Bolivarian countries.
Bicentennial Building
Built during the presidency of Luis Herrera Campíns, it contains several meeting rooms, the presidential press room, as well as different administrative units of the Ministry of the Secretariat of the Presidency and offices of some ministers.
• - Red Room:.
It is called this way because of the color of the floor of the enclosure. It is a multipurpose room suitable for business meetings. Next to it is a large room where conferences, workshops and some cultural, religious and staff recognition events are organized.
• - South Gallery:.
For many years the facilities of the Miraflores Historical Archive were located there. All the historical documents of the Presidency of the Republic are kept in this facility. From here the Historical Archive Bulletin is published and distributed. In the late 1990s, the publication of the Minutes of the Council of Ministers also began.
• - Bicentennial Plaza:.
Designed by the architect Oscar Tenreiro,[4] it was inaugurated on April 29, 1983, on the occasion of the bicentennial of the birth of Bolívar. It is located in the southern part of the Miraflores Palace and has an area of eight thousand square meters, covered with adobones.
This large space allows for a series of special activities carried out by the staff of the Ministry of the Secretariat. It also serves as a stage for weekly public recreation and entertainment shows. The plaza contains a Mural ("Roots of Freedom" by Braulio Salazar), a fountain that slides down the south wall like a curtain of water, and a general plaza ceramic work by the artist Ricardo Ceruzzi.
Miraflores Historical Archive
Its main function is to preserve the documents of the presidents of Venezuela from the government of Cipriano Castro (1899-1908) to the present. Composed of a record of more than fifteen million pages, the Miraflores Historical Archive was conceived by the historian and politician Ramón José Velásquez, during his years as Secretary of the Presidency in the second government of Rómulo Betancourt (1959-1964). After a series of papers corresponding to the governments of Castro and Juan Vicente Gómez (1908-1935) were discovered in the basement of the Presidential Guard Barracks, it was decided to recover and organize an archive that included all the documentation generated by the Presidency of the Republic. This entire record, organized chronologically and by administration, has been systematically published in the Bulletin of the Miraflores Historical Archive.[5]
For many years it was located in the administrative building in the southern part of the palace. In 2016 it was moved to the old headquarters of the General Archive of the Nation, between the corners of Santa Capilla and Carmelitas.[6].
• - La Casona Presidential Residence "La Casona (Presidential Residence)").
• - Federal Legislative Palace.
• - Politics of Venezuela.
• - Pineda, Rafael. The Miraflores Palace. Armitano Editores.: 1999. ISBN 980-216-170-5.
• - Rivas Rivas, José"). It happened in Miraflores. Playco Editores: 1999. ISBN 980-6437-04-7.
• - Yánes, Óscar. This is how things are. Planeta: 2004. ISBN 980-271-331-7.
• - Guide to the Historical Archive of Miraflores. Editions of the Presidency of the Republic: 1987. ISBN 980-03-0032-5.
• - Rodríguez Cárdenas, Manuel"). Words for a visit to Miraflores..
• - Portal:Venezuela. Content related to Venezuela.
• - The Palace of Misia Jacinta - Chamber of Commerce of Caracas.
• - Welcome brochure to the Miraflores Palace (1978).
• - Site of the Ministry of the Office of the Presidency and Monitoring of Government Management.
[4] ↑ Caracas: del valle al mar. Guía de arquitectura y paisaje. «Plaza Bicentenario». Guía CCS. Consultado el 20 de noviembre de 2019.: http://guiaccs.com/obras/plaza-bicentenario/