OPPOSITION & EXILE Profile updated May 2026

Henrique Capriles

Opposition leader and two-time presidential candidate

Born: 1972-07-11, Caracas, Venezuela Nationality: Venezuelan Affiliations: Primero Justicia, Plataforma Unitaria Cohorts: Opposition & exile

At a glance

Henrique Capriles is a longtime Venezuelan opposition leader, former governor of Miranda state, and two-time presidential candidate against Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro.

Who is Henrique Capriles?

Henrique Capriles Radonski is a Venezuelan lawyer who served as governor of Miranda state (2008–2017) and as the unified opposition candidate against Hugo Chávez in 2012 and against Nicolás Maduro in the April 2013 post-Chávez special election. He lost both elections by narrow margins amid disputed conditions.

Capriles was barred from holding public office by the Comptroller of Venezuela for 15 years in 2017, a disqualification that has since been lifted. He remains active in opposition politics and has been an alternative voice within the broader Plataforma Unitaria coalition during the María Corina Machado / Edmundo González cycle.

Also known as: Henrique Capriles Radonski.

Network & connections

The following figures are part of Henrique Capriles's direct political, cabinet, or institutional network — useful for compliance teams mapping the wider Venezuelan power structure:

Frequently asked questions

Who is Henrique Capriles?
Henrique Capriles is a Venezuelan lawyer and opposition leader who served as governor of Miranda state (2008–2017) and was the unified opposition candidate against Hugo Chávez in 2012 and against Nicolás Maduro in 2013. He remains a senior figure in the opposition coalition.

Sources & further reading

Useful tools and explainers

Other opposition & exile

4 more in this cohort

Opposition leaders, exile figures, and pro-democracy organisers.