Aristóbulo Istúriz

Who is Aristóbulo Istúriz?

Aristóbulo Istúriz is a Venezuelan politician and academic. He was a professor at the Centro de Estudios del Desarrollo of the Universidad Central de Venezuela. He was elected to Parliament several times for Acción Democrática, representing the Federal District, before joining the Radical Cause in 1986. He was elected mayor of the Libertador Municipality of Caracas on December 6, 1992, a position he would remain in until January 2, 1996. After finishing his term as mayor, he became co-presenter of the Globovisión TV show Blanco y Negro.

In 1997, together with some other ex-Radical Cause-members, he co-founded the Homeland for All, which in the 1998 presidential election decided to support Hugo Chávez. Between 2001 and 2007 he served as Minister of Education in Chávez' government. In 2008 Istúriz was the pro-Chávez Patriotic Alliance's candidate for mayor of Caracas; he was narrowly defeated.

He is a former leader of the Venezuelan teachers' association SUMA.

In the Venezuelan regional elections, 2012, he was elected Governor of Anzoátegui.