Word: democr
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1940-1949
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...choice of Venezuela's men & women for president of the republic was Novelist Rómulo Gallegos, a founder in 1941 of Acción Democrática, which has controlled the government since the swift revolution of 1945. His victory over his nearest rival, 31-year-old Rafael Caldera, candidate of the conservative COPEI (Committee for Independent Political Organization), had been forecast from the start...
...many, the victory of 63-year-old Novelist Gallegos was not as significant as the orderly manner of his election. The government of Provisional President Romulo Betancourt, confident of Acción Democrática,'s strength, had taken pains to make the voting fair, and even the opposition was hard put to find grounds for charging fraud. Previous presidents had been chosen by Congress. Gallegos was elected by direct popular ballot, and every Venezuelan over 18 had the right to vote...
...chanted "Caldera si, Gallegos no!" Venezuela's chief opposition party, the right-wing COPEI (Committee for Independent Electoral Political Organization), had at last found a candidate for the presidential election on Dec. 14. Against famed 63-year-old Novelist Romulo Gallegos, candidate of the ruling Acción Democrática, would be pitched young (31), burly (6 ft., 200 lbs.) Rafael Caldera, one of COPEI's founders...
...campaign. After the cheers had rolled away, he outlined his party's "Social Christianity" program. "The rich should be less rich, the poor less poor," he said. He asked more rights for labor. Pumping away with his right arm, he attacked the Marxism of Acción Democrática, called for "social peace" to replace the class struggle. Caldera, whose party has church support (it accuses Acción of being anti-Catholic), plumped for a concordat that would abolish the state's present right to approve church appointments...
...then as director of Caracas' School of Music, he plugged for a place for the arts in the national life. The revolution of 1945 gave him his big break. Elected to the Constituent Assembly as a supporter of President Rómulo Betancourt's Acción Democrática, he sold the Government on the idea that a good symphony orchestra would be good for the country...