Jesse Chacón

Who is Jesse Chacón?

Jesse Alonso Chacón Escamillo was Venezuelan Minister of Interior and Justice from September 2004 to January 2007, under the presidency of Hugo Chávez. He had been a close ally of Chávez since 1990 or earlier. He also held several other ministerial positions, until his December 2009 resignation due to the arrest of his brother in relation to a banking corruption scandal.

Chacón was born on 9 November 1965 and studied Military Art and Sciences at the Military Academy of Venezuela. As a lieutenant in the military, he participated in the November 1992 attempted coup, for which he spent time in jail.

Chacón later became the General Director of the Venezuelan Telecommunication body "Conatel" under the 1999 presidency of Hugo Chávez. He held a number of roles besides Interior Minister, including appointment as Minister of the Office of the President, Minister of Communications and Information and Minister for Science and Technology. His tenure as Interior Minister saw the launch of the National Commission on Police Reform, which surveyed the state of law enforcement in Venezuela and proposed reforms. The proposals led to the later creation of the Bolivarian National Police and Experimental Security University.