VENEZUELA: Victory from Underground

A grass-roots political movement, so fervently supported that it survived ten years under a dictator's jack boot, last week smoothly propelled its leader into Venezuela's presidency. The party is the left-leaning Acción Democrática (A.D.). Its leader: scholarly, owlish Rómulo Betancourt, 50. In his dust, Betancourt left Rear Admiral Wolfgang Larrazábal, head of the revolutionary junta that ousted Dictator Marcos Pérez Jiménez last January, and Rafael Caldera, candidate of the Social Christian COPEI party.

Betancourt's victory was a stunning setback for Venezuela's Communists, who backed non-Communist Admiral Larrazábal. With a wild barrage...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!