Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-28
HARD ON FOREIGNERS
Recent Decree Promulgated
by Venezuela.
AROUSES INDIGNATION
WILL PROBABLY PROVE CHECK
TO IMMIGRATION.
Also Have a Tendency to Keep
Foreign Capital Out Of the
Country.
AROUSES INDIGNATION

Correspondence Of the Associated Press.
CARACAS, April 17.-Followng is the text
OF the decree just issued by the govern
ment defining the duties and rights of for
eigners in Venezuela. 1t is most drastic in
its character and excites great eXaspera-
ton among all foreign residents 1t is be-
lieved that it will effectuany end all tmmi-
grafton or the Introduction Of any foreign
capital. The decree Is as follows:
Article 1. Foreigners shall enjoy in the
territory of Venezuela the same rights as
Venezuelans, as is determined by the con-
stitution of the republic.
Article 2 Foreigners found within the
territory of the United States Of Venezuela
shall be considered either as resident or I'm
transit.
Article 3. Domiciled foreigners are:
1. Those who have acquired residence in
conformity with the provisions of the civil
code.
2. Those who have voluntarily, and with
out interruption resided within the terri
tory for more than two years, without dip
lomatic character
B. Those who own real estate within the
territory of the republic, and who have es-
tabl1shed permanent residence herein
4. Those who have been residing in the
territory or the republic for more than two
years, and who are engaged in commercial
Vlded they have house established in a
permanent way, even though invested with
the character of consul.
Foreigners in Transit.
Article 4. Foreigners in transit are such
as are found within the territory of the re-
public and are not comprised within the
definitions of the preceding article
Article D. Resident foreigners are SUBJ
ject to the same obligations as the Vene-
zuelans-both as to their persons as well as
thelr properties. but they are not subject
to military service nor to the payment of
forced and extraordinary war contribu-
tons in case of revolution or of internal
armed warfare.
Article g. Foreigners domiciled or in
transit must not mix in the political
affairs of the republic nor anything relating
to said political affairs. To this end they
cannot:
l. Form a part of political societies.
2. Edit political newspapers or write
about the interior or exterior politics of the
country in any newspaper.
3. Fill public office or employment.
4. Take arms in the domestic contentious
of the republic.
8. Deliver speeches which in any way
relate to the politics of the country.
Article Z. Domiciled foreigners who vio-
late any of the provisions established in ar
ticle 6 lose their character of foreigners.
and become ipso facto subjected to the
sponsibiities, burdens and obligations
which might be occasioned to natives
through intestine political contingency.
Article g. If in contravention of the ex-
press prohibition of this law any foreigner
exercises any public charge, without being
empowered thereto in conformity with
ton %, article "a, of the constitution, his
acts are null, and the person elected and
the functionary who names him are jointly
responsible for the same
Article 8. Foreigners in transit who vio-
late the provisions of article shall be i'm
mediately expelled from the territory Of
the republic.
To Proceed Against Violations of the
Decree.
Article 10. The presidents Of the states
the governor of the federal district and the
governors of the federal territories, upon
becoming aware that any one or more of
the domiciled foreigners residing in their
respective jurisdictions intermeddle In the
political affairs of the republic they shall
bring proper legal action through the Or
dinary tribunals. transmitting the proceed
1ngs in the cases to the federal executive
in compliance with the decree to be passed
in conformity with the dispositions con-
tained in article Z.
Article II. Neither domiciled foreigners
nor those in transit have any right to re-
sort to the diplomatic road, except when
having exhausted all legal means, before
the competent authorities, 1t clearly ap-
pears that there has been denial of justice
or notorious injury or evident violation of
the principles of international law.
Article r. Foreigners already or to be
hereafter domiciled, and those in transit,
who are not invested with diplomatic
character. shall be Obliged to make a dec
laration before the civil authority of the
place in which they may be that they SUBJ
NIT to the provisions of the present law in
their entirety. and to those of the decree
of the 18th of February, 1873, which estab-
lished the rules for the determination of
foreigners.
All foreigners who omit to make this dec
laration shall be expelled from the country
within term to be appointed by the ma
tfonal executive.
Article 13. The civil authorities before
whom the declaration should be made shall
make any charge whatsoever. The orig
inals of these documents shall be transmit
ted to the minister Of the interior.
Consuls Cannot Engage in Trade.
Article A. The national executive shall
not issue exeuuaturs for the consular or
vice consular service to persons who are
engaged in trade.
Article Is. The esta bltshment within the
country of any societies of any kind what
soever who do not fix their headquarters or
domicile therein is definitely prohibited
Article ]6. Foreigners like Venezuelans.
have the right to bring claims against the
nation for determination for loss or dam
age occasiened them in time of war by
the legally constituted civil or military
authorities. provided always that the lat
ter We're acting in their political charac-
ter but they shall be able. to make these
claims only by proceedings established in
the interior legislation In purpose of prov
Ing the loss of damage suffered. and also
their just value,
Article II. Neither foreigners nor yene-
zuelans can bring any claim against the
government of Venezuela for loss or dam
f{0y