Word: betancourts
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Dates: during 1960-1969
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...Venezuela's powerful President Rómulo Betancourt, one of the U.S.'s finest friends, steps out of power this year. He will be replaced by Raúl Leoni, who was elected last fall despite vicious terrorist tactics of Castro Communists. Venezuela is one of Latin America's most progressive democratic countries, but the U.S. is worried that Leoni may prove to be not so strong as Betancourt...
Golden Exile. For safety's sake, Betancourt cleaned out the worst of the golpistas. But he was discreet about it. Many a coup-minded officer was quietly "retired" with pay, or shipped off to "golden exile" in a diplomatic post. To other officers, Betancourt preached the sermon: "Your only party is Venezuela." The armed forces had a "patriotic duty" to help make democracy work...
Furthermore, Betancourt took his military chiefs into his political confidence. They were consulted on opposition to Castro, petroleum policy and other executive decisions. When his regime was subjected to terrorist attacks and a rightist assassination plot, the armed forces backed him all the way. The military's finest hour came in the 1962 uprising of a small group of marines and Red-led civilians at the Puerto Cabello naval base. The air force mounted blazing air attacks, and loyal troops crushed the rebels in vicious street fighting that cost 300 casualties...
Will of the Majority. Last February, 400 officers stood on the Maiquetia airport tarmac to see Betancourt off on a trip to visit President Kennedy in Washington. Ignoring protocol, Betancourt shook hands with one and all. On his return, he told 1,200 officers all about the trip. Last month, when Castroite terrorists tried to wreck the presidential election, Defense Minister General Antonio Briceño Linares went on radio and TV with an election-eve speech: "There will be no disorder, there will be no civil war. Only the will of the majority of Venezuelans will exist...
President-elect Leoni lacks Betancourt's fiery personal appeal, but he is an old and shrewd politician who should know a successful campaign when he sees one. He starts out with promises of loyalty from a younger, better educated, more politically sophisticated and more professional army. Whether he keeps the loyalty depends on his success as President. In the old golpista tradition, many officers still consider it their duty, as ultimate guardians of their country, to remove a President who fails...