Venezuela: A Time of Jubilation

In the courtyard of Miraflores Palace, Romulo Betancourt took an afternoon stroll, puffing great clouds of smoke from his ever-present pipe. For once, he seemed wholly relaxed, with only the day's vivas echoing in his mind. The first elected President to complete his term in Venezuela's 134 years as a republic, Betancourt had just returned from the inauguration of Raul Leoni, 58, his freely elected successor. Betancourt will leave soon for a long trip to the U.S. and Europe, then plans to write his memoirs. "Did you gather up my slippers?" he asked a palace chambermaid. "You'd better get...

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