Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-25
WILL LEAVE new YORK
Hope to Restore the Country to the
People.
OLD OPPONENTS OF CASTRO
Expatriates Now in Harmony,
Will Work in Sympathy
With Gomez.

come. in almost SO many words to sever
al Venezuelan exies in New York
They look on ii as their Christmas gift,
the finest they have known since Presi-
dent Castro forced his reelection and
Matos failed and Venezuela became a
prison or grave for those who braved
the dictator
They are going. the most notable Of
them, tomorrow by the Maracaibo line
Ramon Ayala, who thrice cast aside high
place as protest against plans for self
perpetuation of Venezuelan presidents I'm
whose cabinets he served: Limo Duarte
Level, the iron hand they call him, who
served two dictators without taint
upon his honesty even in his enemies
opinion. and Nicolas Rolando, who made
the last stand for Matos in Ciudad Boil
var and spent three years in the unspeak-
able life OF a prisoner in MaracaiboS
fortress. Juan Ortega Martinez and Fe
Tx Ambard are going with them Gen p.
r. Rojas. whose adult life In his native
country was about equally divided be-
tween holding portfolios in cabinets and
occupying a cell political prisoner
Will follow next week.
Hernandez to Return.
From Europe. Gen. J. NJ. Hernandez.
Ell Mocho,'' is going back to Venezuela.
He has received a similar summons. The
Veuezuelans in New York are jubilant
Castro, they say. will be soon denounced
by the supreme court of Venezuela as a
violator Of the constitution and an enemy
of the state, and his arrest for treason
will be ordered.
In Gomez they have great confidence.
AS vice president he succeeds lawfully
under their constitution to the presidency
and his present term has until October.
1911 to run. They hope for great things
before then.
Gen. Gregorio Riera, who has spent
the several years of his exile I'm Curacao,
has sent word to the New York Vene-
zuelans of prominence that he will leave
the Dutch Caribbean island tomorrow
and cross to La Guayra, where he has
not dared appe ar since Matos failed to
win to power in 1903. Castro sent once
stad and asked Riera to come back. But
Riera thought Of his life first and OF his
great goat covered estates In Coro Sec
ond and stayed in Curacao.
Secret Messages to Gomez.
In the home Of Gen. Ayala. in West
64th street. last night, the Venezuelans
said that when Castro was very i'll two
years ago the prominent exiles here sent
secret communications to Gomez. These
were unanswered then for Castro did not
ule as was expected IoHleZ mas not ior-
gotten, however. and his present invita-
ton the New York exiles attribute I'm
part to their former letters.
Serenal Ayala was vice president in
Castro'S first term. He saw Castro erect
ing personal power to insure his re-elec
ton. Ayala protested and resigned his
post. He later urged Gomez TO declare
Castro traitor and assume the presi-
dency, but Gomez, though he was Ayala's
intimate friend. judged the time not ripe.
10 ~ hot q In T.
cal prisoner Of bad reputation obtained his
release with the understanding that his
first act Of liberty should be TO make
quarrel with Ayala in the street and dis
patch him to the land where there are no
dictators. The man was released. but
Senior Ayala is large. powerful and of de-
termined countenance. They met after
Ayala had been warned He sec wled at
the other who Immediately departed for
the coast and took refuge in foreign parts.
Was Castro's Loyal Aid.
Gen. Ayala was Castro's loyal aid
against Nntos. He was captured by Gen.
Riera, who in the whirligig of South
American political fates ism ow his fellow
exile returning to their common land.
Matos, whose wealth made him the leader
of that revolution as the only Venezuelan
able and willing to finance it, is still very
wealthy and lives in Paris. In President
Alcantara's cabinet Gen. Ayala was min
lister Of war, and during President An
duZa's term was a senator, resigning both
places in protest against the plans of the
presidents to compel their own re-elec-
tons.
Gen. Nicolas Rolando was a wealthy
planter and merchant of the state of Ber
mudez, and had been elected its governor
when the MatoS rebellion occurred. He
1n1 tlx-i nta tad ia hn
telephone company operating In Carupano.
Captured after his heroic stand at CiudAd
Bolivar, he was thrown in prison and re-
leased at the end OF three years. Taking
up his neglected affairs he found his tele-
phone company grown to be consider
able enterprise. Money began to come in
fast. Castro learned OF this and. accord
ing to local Venezuelans. annulled the
concessions held by Rolando and some
Frenchmen and substituted telephone
company OF his own Rolando fled to the
United States last year.
One of Crespo's Ministers.
Gen. n. f. Rojas was minister of for
eign relations in the Crespo administra-
ton and held several offices in the diplo
matte and treasury service. He has been
out Of Venezuela since before the revolt
Of Matos, whose adviser he was. Gen.
Rojas has seen the inside of Venezuelan
fortreSSeS as a political prisoner ana dlu
not go to Venezuela during the rebellion.
J. NJ Ortega Matinee is civil ensi-
neer and owner OF real estate in Caracas
and member of an old family whose
traditions were represented by the Ma
tos cause He Joined the revolution and
epent three years in Maracaibo fortress
when 1t wa scrushed.
Gen. Limo Duarte Level is one OF
the most picturesque of the returning
pat riots. When only twenty-five years
old he was made governor of the federal
district by Guzman Blanco. That posi-
ton carried a place in the cabinet and
to mayor Of Caracas and
the surrounding district. Level gained
reputation for ruthless administration.
which made him unpopular after Blanco
was overthrown by coup d'etat very like
to the present fate of Castro.
Senior Mercado is a Porto Rican and
intimate friend of the former president.
Crespo. under whom he held profitible
contracts. Castro declined TO
pay Mercado the money due on these
contracts and Mercado Joined the Matos
He was put in prison
and when released was banished.
Senior Ambard became a fugitive from
Venezuela when Matos. with whom he
had cast his lot. failed, and has lived
in New York since then.