- February 1999: Hugo Chavez took office
- April 1999: Chavez proposes to draft new constitution
- July 2000: Chavez elected to 6 year term
- April 11 2002: Citizens marched for Chavez’s resignation. Chavez is arrested.
- April 12 2002: Pedro Carmona takes presidential oath
- April 13 2002: Chavez supporters march for his return
- April 14 2002: Chavez is restored to power
- December 2002: Strike by big oil companies against Chavez begins
- April 2003: Chavez fires 7 oil executives are fired for the strike
- August 2004: Venezuelans vote “note” in referendum asking if Chavez should leave office immediately
- December 2004: Chavez and Castro sign an agreement deepening relationship between Cuba and Venezuela
- September 2005: Chavez creates an agreement to sell oil on preferential terms to over 12 countries
- October 2005: Telesur (a TV network launched by Chavez) starts to broadcast alternatives to corporate media.
- December 3 2006: Chavez wins re-election
- December 5 2006: Chavez announces his aim to transform Venezuela into a socialist state
· May 28, 2007 - Radio Caracas Television, country's oldest private network, goes off air after Chavez refuses to renew its broadcasting license.
· Dec. 2, 2007 - Voters reject amendments proposed by Chavez to make more sweeping changes to constitution, a setback for his drive to transform Venezuela into socialist state.
· Sept. 12, 2008 - Orders US ambassador to leave Venezuela, accusing him of conspiring against government.
- Feb. 15, 2009 - Chavez wins voter approval to eliminate term limits, allowing him to run for re-election indefinitely; he vows to remain in power for at least another decade.
- June 10, 2011 - Chavez undergoes surgery in Cuba for pelvic abscess.
- J une 30, 2011 - Chavez appears on television to confirm he had a cancerous tumour removed. He later says tumour extracted was the size of baseball.
- December 10, 2012: Chavez flies back to Cuba for more treatment. It is the last time he is seen in public.
- March 5, 2013: Chavez dies at 4.25pm local time.
- April 2013: Nicolas Maduro, Hugo Chavez's chosen successor, is elected president by a narrow margin. The opposition contests the result
- September 2013: A massive power cut leaves 70% of Venezuela, including parts of Caracas, without electricity. President Maduro blames "right-wing saboteurs".
- September 2014: Venezuela's annual inflation rate rises to 63.4%, the highest in the Americas.
- February 2015: Government devalues currency and raises public transport prices.
- January 2016: Government declares 60-day economic emergency.
- April 2016: Government imposes two-day week for public sector workers in bid to overcome serious energy crisis after severe drought dramatically reduces water levels in the country's main hydroelectric dam.
- September 2016: Hundreds of thousands of people take part in a protest in Caracas calling for the removal of President Maduro, blaming him for the economic crisis and accusing the electoral commission of delaying a referendum which could shorten his term in office.