CASTRO THE DICTATOR.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 184, 4 August 1913, Page 5

CASTRO THE DICTATOR.

BACK IW VEITEZTXEIA. HIS DEFEAT REPOBTKD. (By Cable—Press Aisnclntlon.—Copyrlgilt.) WASHINGTON, August 2. Ex-Pre-sident Castro, who was supposedly living quietly in the Canary Islands, has caused a. sensation by reappearing at the head of an armed force of Venezuelans. According to advice* the President haa licen granted dictatorial powers in order to cope with the rebellion. It is reported that the rebels have been defeated, but the. news is unreliable. OFFICIALS KILLED. (Keceircd !U5 a.ra.) CARACAS, August 3. Castro landed lit Coro aud declared war on President Gomez. The latter personally Ich(l.i a stron™ force against Castro. It is rumoured that the Government officials.' at Coro were surprised and killed. Cipriano Castro has been trying liard to tjot back to Venezuela ever since Gomez tool; advantage of his absence in Europe, whither be went for Bpeeialint treatment, to oust him from tho Presidential chair nnd assume it himself. Castro attempted to got back by way of Hayti last year, but was promptly returned. Then he tried the United States, but was refused a landing as an undesirable immigrant, and wa» supposed to ha.vo gone back to the Canaries. ■ He must have found a means of outwitting the Venezuelan fipic.3, however, und now that he is back in his own country Gomez , bead will rest uneasily on his fihoulderH till he is captured. Ca.it ro was originally a muleteer nnrl a cattle smuggler in the State of Los A<hdcs, but he had political aspirations, and he started a revolution with an "army" of i'l muleteers and Btnilgglers. Tlile force grew nnd grew until it swept up to Caracas, the broken-legged leader .meanwhile winning battles from a- horse litter, and Cftelro immediately on taking the capita.- Bet up an nutocraey whose power was only broken behind his hack. He was tremendously popular during his reign, -while ho was the despair of European and 'American diplomacy. ■Mis country WB« blockaded at various times for dcnanCG of international law. but Cnstro believed that fiueh little things would right tlicmeelvee if let alone, and he took nil the threats that were offered him with the utmost composure, secure in the belief that if an army "were landed In his country he would settle with them in v way that would admit of no argument. Since his compulsory retirement his followers have made two attempts to secure lu3 return to power, but with disastrous results to themielvea. With Castro himself in tho country, however, the position is different, and it is possible that President (iomez will find it a difficult matter to capture his former chief.