VENEZUELA

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 July 1936, Page 9

VENEZUELA

FACES RULE BY PEOPLE

CARACAS,, June 19

Venezuela faces a new era, the President, Gen. Eleabar Lopez Contreras, predicted to-day, because the successor to the late Juan Vicente Gomez is “unalterably opposed to dictatorship.” “I am whole-heartedly for democracy,” the new President declared, “and my entire effort will be toward thnt end.”

Briefly, but with vigor, the man credited with holding the crack Venezuelan army “in the palm of his hand,” outlined his governmental theories which differed with those of the late dictator who ruled with an iron hand for a quarter of a century. “If, democracy exceeds the bounds of law and order, I shall meet force with force,” he said. “1 shall maintain my position. I depend upon the army and I know the army.” Tho people of Venezuela have learned from the recent general strike “they cannot use such a weapon successfully against, society and the Government.”

lie predicted “things will work out all right” under tho present government, despite its problems. “Our people as a whole have had no training in self-government,” ho said. “Many Venezuelans who have lived abroad a long time and who have seen the methods employed in other countries are anxious to try them here. They forget the people are not ready. “These advanced schemes cannot succeed here now. 1 propose to work this thing out methodically. I will not be stampeded.” The Venezuelan President asserted the Government would not return to the iron-clad censorship practiced by Gomez.

“There will be no censorship,” he said simply.