Venezuela By Nick Holm Oct 10, 1492 Discovery of America 1522 Colonization of Venezuala Jul 5, 1811 Venezuelan independence Jul 28, 1954 Hugh Chavez was born 1971 Chavez joins the Venezuelan military academy 1982 Bolivarian movement founded Feb 4, 1992 Chavez's coup fails. Chavez is imprisoned 1994 Chavez released from prison Feb 2, 1999 Chavez wins election 2013 Hugo Chavez Dies 2013 Maduro wins election 2014 Opposition leader, Leopoldo Lopez arrested 2015 Democratic Unity Coalition takes power in the assembly 2017 Supreme court takes over duties of the assembly. Massive protests, hundreds die 2017 Referendum 2017 Mediation between opposition and maduro collapses