Evening star., 1945-10-20
Rebels Tighten
Venezuela Hold;
SO Die in Revolt
Election Is Promised
By Junto, ProcIoimine
Democratic Policy
1s the Associated Press.

CARACAS, Venezuela, Oct. 90
"A revolutionary junta tight
ened it's grip. on oil-rich Vene-
zuela today after unseating
President Isaias Medina Anga-
rita in a bloody uprising which
cost so lives and left 100 wounded
The seven-man junta, which
promptly promised a general elec-
ton by direct, secret vote, an
nounced it would follow a pro-
democratic policy.
The junta came into power after
young army officers, ranging. from
the rank of major down, rebelled
against the Andinos, a western mill
tary clique which had dominated
national politics for a century.
(The Tachira radio station in
Western Venezuela, heard in
Panama, said Gen. David Lopez
Henriquez had assumed command
of loyal government forces and
was preparing to march on
Caracas to oust the rebels from
the capital. Tachira is 400 miles
west of Caracas.
(The announcer said the states
of Tachira, Trujillo, Merida,
Falcon, Varinas and Lara re-
mained loyal to the government)
(Whether these states pos
sessed sufficient armed strength
to threaten a counterrevolution
was conjectural. Persons with a
knowledge of Venezuelan poll
tics predicted the Andinos will
never voluntarily back DOWN.
Two Under Arrest.
President Medina and Gen. Flea
Ear Lopez Contreras, former Presi-
dent, who had announced his can
didacy for the 1946-51 presidency,
were reported under arrest and
scheduled to face swift trial.
CBogota advices, quoting Ca
racas radio, said the trial would
be on charges of graft and fraud.
They added that the former gov
ernment leaders would be given
an opportunity to explain pub
iicly the source of their fortuneS)
A state of seige existed in Caracas,
which had been isolated from the
rest of Venezuela. Newspapers were
censored, radio stations closed,
transport paralyzed and electric
current shut off.
Refnforcements from insurgent-
held Maracay, 80 miles east of the
capital, were reported en- route to
restore order. Thousands of armed
civilians had begun to loot Caracas
homes shortly after sthe Medina
government fell.
Members of the junta which con-
trolled the capital were said to be
DR.. Romula Betancourt, member of
the Democratic Action party; Maj
Carlos Delgado Chalbaud and Capt
Cardona, son and nephew. re-
spectively, of the late Delgado Chal-
baud, who spent many years in
prison during the dictatorship of
Gllt ldtG Judll Vl1lCCIllG oOIlltZ,
greatest of the Andinos; Luis Bel
tran Prieto, DR.. Gonzalo Barrios,
DR.. Raul Leoni and DR.. Edmundo
Fernandez.
Revolt Began Thursday.
The revolution began shortly after
2p.m. Thursday, when young officers
seized Mirafores Palace and the
military academy. Several high Of
f1cers and cabinet officials who had
been lured to sthe palace were seized
as hostages.
Shortly before noon yesterday
seven army planes from the Maracay
.Airbase dropped bombs on San Car
los barracks and flew over police
headquarters. The police surren-
dered, depriving President Medina Of
his last local support.
President Medina surrendered
along with several members of his
cabinet. Minister of Education
Rafael Vega took refuge in the
Mexican Embassy.