Following the death of President Juan Vicente Gómez, who was dictator of Venezuela from 1908 to 1935, General and Minister of Army and Navy Eleazar López Contreras assumed the presidency. Eleazar López Contreras attempted to mediate between the authoritarian processes of his predecessor, promoting democratic processes and political freedom for Venezuelans.
In July 1936 shortly after becoming President of Venezuela, President Eleazar López Contreras created a constitutional amendment limiting the presidential term from seven years down to five, applying this law upon himself as well. This constitutional decision led to the 1941 elections, where the Congress of Venezuela would determine the new President of Venezuela.
