The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1944-03-16
Head of Venezuela Brinas
Democracy to His Country
Popular President, Gen. isoios Anserito,
Recently on Official Guest Of the U. S.


that the next Congress, opening
in April, will adopt some IL not
all of these measures.
That prospect is not sensa-
tional now, but il would have
been revolutionary 10 years ago,
before President Lopez Con-
treras and then President Me-
dina set about reviving popular
g.vernment following the CO.
mez dictatorship.
ledina has strengthened his
countrys relations with the
neighboring republics as a re-
suit of his tour of the Bolivarian
countries last year, while Ven
ezuela during and after the Rio
de Janeiro Conference of Amer
lean Foreign Ministers, has been
IN the forefront among the La
tin American ions which
adopted and have supplemented
the Rio pacts.
The large German minority
living IN Venezuela has been
completely neutralized and dan
serous aliens have either been
d-ported or informed in concen-
thatlon camps. deep in the in
terror of Venezuela.
Venezuelan armed forces are
actively engaged in cooperating
with United States forces sta
toned in Venezuelan territory
for the protection of the vital
petroleum industry against pos
slole AXIS attacks.
The effectiveness OF these de-
Tense measures is shown by the
fact that only two ships flying
the Venezuelan flag - both for
owned-have been attack
ed during the war to which
Venezuela is now contributing
larger share of oil than any 9TH
er nation in the world except
the United States.
Medina has handled the ques-
ton of foreign exploitation of
oil properties with fitness
rarely achieved in other Latin
American oil-producing states.
He has succeeded in keeping
satisfied all but the most ex-
treme Venezuelan nationalist
at home as we'll as the foreign
oil companies.
Through the new oil legisla-
ton passed last year the royal
ties paid to the government
were increased by about six per
cent and the nation was assured
of the quickest exploitation Of
its oil resources.
While Medina's trip to the
United States Is expected to re-
suit in increased shipments of
certain materials needed by
Venezuela TO speedup the devel-
opment of her industries, Me-
dina stressed the real signifi-
canoe and purpose of his trip
when he stated: Il am going to
the United States to represent
a nation of free-men in COM
plete and spiritual unity with
her brothers of the North"
General Medina is As. Or
phaned early by the death Of
his father, a general who died
fighting bandits in the Andes.
he also lost his mother at the
age of nine. Then he became a
newspaper boy. and was
admitted at Is to Venezuela 5
military academy. No politician,
he publicly criticized dictatorial
governments at a time when his
country was burdened by the
notorious tyranny Of Gen. Juan
Vicente Gomez. Minister Of War
after Gomez's death. he resign
cd that post TO campaign for the
Presidency in 1941.
AS President, Medina exercis-
es an hour in the morning.
works II hours, consults his
cabinet ministers every day. His
salary is $500 a month, and he
gets an equal amount for ex-
penses. He plays golf on Satur-
days. shoots in the COS, fire.
quently sees Y. S. movies,
adores his two-year-old daugh-
ter and has as his best friend
the famed Venezuelan painter,
Tito Salas.