REVOLT THREATENS PAN-AMERICAN TALKS

Wanganui Chronicle, 12 April 1948, Page 5

REVOLT THREATENS PAN-AMERICAN TALKS

Wild Mob Runs Riot In Bogota, Surges Through Capitol; Kills, Plunders

(N.Z.P. A.—Copyright.) Recd. I 1.40 p.m. New York, April 10 An attempt to overthrow the Government of Columbia was made on Friday. The revolt involved the Pan-American Conference sitting In Bogota.

Latest reports say that Government forces have the situation in hand.

The Government agreed to form a coalition to meet what some observers regard as an attempt by Communist-inspired revolutionaries to upset the Pan-American Conference and seize full control.

The new Government asserts that the Army, which, apparently is loyal, has regained control. It is admitted, however, that three radio stations are still in rebel hands. President Perez has called up reservists and made an appeal for peace. All the typewriters in the Pan-American Conference building have been destroyed. A revolutionary mob worked its way through the Pan-Ameri-can Conference headquarters in the capitol building, Bogota for 20 minutes, breaking furniture and smashing typewriters, says the “Herald-Tribune” correspondent. The unarmed Capitol Guard did not try to stop them. Soon 100 soldiers arrived and drove out the mob with rifles and bayonets. Delegates to the conference were still in the building and the conference personnel were herded up on to the third floor for protection. Troons guarded the stairway.

The Mexican delegation left the Capitol under protection of their

own flag, holding it in front of them as they walked.

Dr. Jorge Elicer Gaitan, leader of the Colombian Opposition Liberal Party, was shot and seriously wounded by an unidentified man, who was later lynched by a mob. Dr. Gaitan later died in hospital. Dr. Gaitan was the unsuccessful Liberal Party candidate for President in 1946. He was leaving his office when the assailant fired three shots at close range. He fell to the ground bleeding profusely. ASSAILANT LYNCHED. An infuriated mob of Dr. Gaitan’s followers seized the attacker as he was being dragged away by the police and kicked him to death. They ripped the clothes from the body and dumped it naked at the door of the Presidential palace seven blocks from the scene of the shooting. The mob, which by this time numbered 1000, swarmed over to the Capitol Building where the Pan-American Conference is being held, broke through the police cordons and raced along the halls shouting “Death to Laureano Gomez,” who is head of the PanAmerican delegation to the conference. OTHERS REPORTED DEAD.

The rebel radio in Colombia asserts that in addition to Dr. Gaitan, who died in hospital during the afternoon, and his assailant, who was killed by an infuriated mob in the street, the dead includes: Laureano Gomez, President of the Conservative Party, and Foreign Minister, Guillermo Leon Valencia, Cijiservative Senator, who it is reported, was caught and hanged in the Plaza Bolivar, facing the Capitol, and Josa Antonio Montalvo, Minister of Justice and Minister of the Interior, who was knifed in his countryhome.

Among the buildings burned was the Ministry of Justice, the ninestory communications building, and the century-old Metropolitan Cathedral, opposite the Capitol Building. Drunken rioters surged through the streets armed with machete, knife or club in one hand, and a bottle of liquor in the other. The United States Consul reported to the State department that the revolutionaries, backed by the army

and police, had seized control of Cali, Colombia’s third city. LONG STANDING DISPUTE. The dispute between the Liberal and Conservative parties is one of long standing, and has engendered much tension. Dr. Don Mariano Perez was the first Conservative President in 20 years. He was elected as the result of a split in the Liberal Party. The Liberals retained control of Congress. Perez established a Government of both Liberals and Conservatives. Both the Conservative and Liberal parties are strongly anti-Communist. Shortly before the Pan-American Conference opened Dr. Gaitan ordered the Liberals to withdraw from the Government. COALITION Agreement has been reached at Bogota to form a Coalition Government of Conservatives and Liberals as the “possible solution” of the political impasse. This was announced by the Colombian Vice-President (Dr. Eduardo Santos), who is himself a Liberal leader, and who is stopping in New York for a few days on his way home from Paris. Dr. Santos said he received a communication from the Liberal Party leadership in Bogota saying: “We are confident the formula for a new Cabinet will permit joint action by the Liberals and army to put an end to mutinies.” Dr. Santos added that President Mariano Ospina Perez remains in power in Colombia and that the army is in control of the situation, though disturbances still continue in some important sectors. A new Cabinet was sworn in, and immediately held its first meeting. The State Department in Washington has been informed that 500 troops of the Presidential Guard, Including one detachment of tanks, are apparently policing the city. The Libera s have given six to 13 Ministries, including War, Education and the interior, the Treasury, Communications and Labour. BOGOTA A SHAMBLES Bogota itself is a shambles. The main buildings have been gutted by fire, stores looted and streets littered with debris and scattered corpses. It is impossible to give an accurate 'number of the dead but it is estimated it must be at least 100.