Evening star., 1948-04-11
Colombian Coalition Government
Reported Formed to End Revolt;
100 Americans Evacuated Safely
Red Plot Blamed;
Paraguay, Chile
Jail Communists
By the Associoted Pres,

A compromise government was
reported formed in Colombia
last night to seek an end to a
24-hour revolt which left many
buildings in the capital city of
Bogota gutted by fire and looters
and forced a recess in the Pan
American Conference.
Snipers still were operating from
many buildings in Bogota yesterday
and were being sought out by troops
armed with rifles and machineguns.
Reports also were received Of up
risings and rioting in the interior
of the country.
Martial law was declared, but
the State Department said~it had
received dispatches indicating that
only about 500 troops and one de-
tachment of tanks were seen on
police duty in Bogota.
The revolt apparently had roper
cussionS in Paraguay and Chile,
leading to arrests.
The formation of the new govern
ment was reported in New York by
DR.. Eduard Santos, Vice President
of Colombia. Mr.. Santos said the
new cabinet would be composed
equally of Liberals and Conserva-
tives, and that both parties had
pledged themselves to seek an end
to the fighting.
DR.. Santos, en- route from Europe
to Colombia, said Mariana Ospina
Perez, Conservative, would remain
as President and Liberal Leader
Dario Echandia would head the
cabinet.
Communists Blamed.
Rafael Azula Barrera, secretary
general of the presidentcy, said in
Bogota that the government is
firmly convinced this was a pre-
meditated plot by the Communists. "
He also blamed Communists for
sabotaging the Pan American Con-
ference by starting the revolution.
El Liberal, an opposition news
paper, was the only one to publish
yesterday. 1t said 130 persons were
dead in Bogota and 400 in the en-
tire country from the revolt. The
newspaper said uprisings in the
cities of Tunja, Cali, and Medellin
followed the Bogota revolution. 1t
added that the coastal area was
quiet.
The Venezuelan minister of de-
velopment returned to Caracas, Ven-
ezuela, and said he had seen loot
ing yesterday in Barranqhilla, Co.
lombia, following the Bogota revolt.
Official Word Received.
Vice President Santos, who said
he had received official word of
the agreement from Bogota, added
that Mr.. Echandia had been rec
ognized as new head of the Liberal
Party. He succeeds Jorge Gaitan,
fiery lawyer and leader of the pro-
gressive wing Of the party who was
assaSSinated Friday.
Mr.. Gaitan's death touched off
the revolt, which caused millions
Of dollars damage.
Formation of the new cabinet,
Mr.. Santos said, offers great hope
that the violent, confused situation
in Bogota and other cities will soon
be settled.
Following organization of the new
cabinet Mr.. Santos said, Mr..
Echandia broadcast an appeal to
the Colombian people asking their
support in restoring peace to the
nation.
Mr.. Santos said he heard Mr.
Echandia's S plea by short wave radio
from the Colombian capital. The
vice president said he hoped that
everything will work out peace
fully now"
Members of Cabinet.
A pooled news dispatch from
Bogota provided the following list
of new cabinet members:
Minister of government (secretary
Zee ROGOTA Page A-5)