During its first three decades, the Venezuelan electoral system was characterized by stability, since the few modifications made to it focused on consolidating and deepening the proportional representation system designed in 1958, as well as adapting it to new times and new demands from society. Nevertheless, since 1989, major changes have been incorporated in the electoral system, ushering in an era of uncertainty in which each electoral event is preceded by a change in the rules and by modifying the system designed at the outset of Venezuelan democracy. Only since 1999 has the electoral system transitioned without major concerns to a system with different characteristics. After approval of the Organic Law for Electoral Processes (Ley Organica de Procesos Electorales) in August, 2009, and its implementation in the September, 2010, parliamentary elections, the electoral system evidenced a change of direction that runs counter to the values enshrined in Article 186 of the 1999 Constitution, which establishes the principle of proportional representation and personalization of the vote. The tools used to achieve this reversal of principles was not circuital manipulation (Gerrymandering), but an arbitrary distribution of list and nominal parliamentary seats and as well as the independence of one system from the other.
