Background
Benjamín Rausseo was born into poverty in the rural community of Musipán in the state of Monagas.
Benjamín Rausseo was born into poverty in the rural community of Musipán in the state of Monagas.
He pursued university studies as an actor and, in 1981, presented as his graduation thesis a comedic monologue "el Conde del Guácharo." The "Conde" or Count became a television personality and made Rausseo one of Venezuela"s most successful stand-up comedians. Beyond comedy he was also a dare-devil and stunt performer in the television variety show Sabado Sensacional. In 2006 Rausseo was studying law and was one semester from graduating with a Juris Doctor from the Universidad Santa María de Caracas.
Rausseo owns a theme park in Isla Margarita called Musipán.
In July 2006, he announced that he was running for president under his newly formed "Piedra Party," as a protest against the state of politics in Venezuela, and to challenge the presidency of Hugo Chavez. Three weeks before the election, in accordance with a campaign pledge he had made earlier (to stand down if not placed first or second in the opinion polls), he withdrew his candidacy without endorsing either Chávez or Rosales, telling his supporters to vote for either.
