KENNEDY IN VENEZUELA

Press, Volume C, Issue 29699, 18 December 1961, Page 15

KENNEDY IN VENEZUELA

(N-Z. Press Asm.—Copyright)

CARACAS, Venezuela, Dec. 17. President Kennedy flies to Bogota, Colombia, today after a triumphant start yesterday in Caracas to his South American visit. He will return to the United States tonight. Mr Kennedy received a festive, flag-waving welcome Ab the Venezuelan capital, where he was protected from any potential Communist trouble-makers by the tightest security measures undertaken tor a visiting American President. Not at any -ime did President Kennedy, accompanied by his wife, encounter the violence which marred the visit to Caracas three years ago of the for,mer Vice-President, Mr Richard Nixon.

Green-uniformed soldiers lined the 27-mile route to the city from the airport, where the Kennedy party arrived yesterday morning from Puerto Rico. In some sections they stood six feet apart with bayonets fixed and gas masks in place. Police reported no incidents and no arrests, in contrast with earlier in the week, when bombs were set off and scores of agitators taken into custody Later in the day the President’s helicopter had to land twice—once on a highway on a flight to Caracas because of bad weather. The landings took place on his return flight from the mountainous interior, where he visited a government land reform project. Mr Kennedy gave a warn-

ing to the Prime Minister of Cuba (Dr. Fidel Castro) within hours after his arrival and explained his 20.000 million dollar "Alliance for Progress” programme for South America. in the major speech of his visit at the dedication of a Government-sponsored agrarian reform project, Mr Kennedy declared that the aim of the new alliance must be to wipe out "tyranny of whatever source or breed" from Cape Horn to the Arctic circle. Dr. Castro was not mentioned by name by President Kennedy, but he obviously had him in mind when he called for "freedom from dictatorship" throughout the northern hemisphere, U.P.I. said.