Carlos Santana Tovar

Carlos Santana Tovar was a Venezuelan businessman, government official and politician. In the mid-20th century he was a prominent rubber trader and local official in San Carlos de Río Negro, and represented the Federal Territory of Amazonas in the Constituent Assembly during the rule of Marcos Pérez Jiménez.

Childhood and the Funes era He was born in San Fernando de Atabapo, son of Carlos Tovar from Barinas and Petra Mirabal from Amazonas. His youth in San Fernando de Atabapo coincided with the rule of in the Federal Territory of Amazonas (1913–1921). Funes would provide schooling for Carlos along with his friends Pedro López Pérez and Pedro Nolasco Chacín, and the trio became seen as protégés of the de facto ruler of the Territory.

Revolution and exile When the revolution of 1921 led by overthrew Funes, the three boys (Santana Tovar, Nolasco and López) were brought to Periquera (Apure) by the revolutionaries and held as hostages there. In Apure they had to work in cattle herding and farming duties. After three years of servitude the trio managed to escape.

In the 1952 Venezuelan Constituent Assembly election, Carlos Santana Tovar was elected as the sole delegate from the Federal Territory of Amazonas.