The Venezuelan coup d’état attempt of 2002 was a failed coup d’état on 11 April 2002 that saw President Hugo Chávez ousted from office for 47 hours before being restored to power. Chávez, who had been elected in 2000, was aided in his return to power by overwhelming popular support and mobilization against the coup and assistance of loyalists in the military.[8][unreliable source?]

The situation began on 9 April, when a general strike was called by the trade union organization „National Federation of Trade Unions“, Confederación de Trabajadores de Venezuela (CTV). The proposed strike was in response to Chávez’s appointments to prominent posts in Venezuela’s national oil company, PDVSA.[9] Two days later in Caracas, up to one million Venezuelans marched in opposition to Chávez.[10][11] At one point during the march, opposition leaders redirected the protestors to the presidential palace, Miraflores, where government supporters and Bolivarian Circles were holding their own rally. Upon the opposition’s arrival, the two sides confronted each other. Gunshots rang out, and by that evening 19 people were dead, including both supporters and opponents of the government.[6] Then, the military high command started the coup at Miraflores and demanded that Chávez resign. President Chávez refused to resign, and he subsequently was arrested by the military.[12][13][14] Chávez’s request for asylum in Cuba was denied, and he was ordered to be tried in a Venezuelan court.[9]