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Oil is the secret of Venezuela's prosperity. The secret of Dictator Gomez' success is that he did not attempt to interfere with the foreign development of Venezuelan oil fields, so long as his personal "cut" was promptly paid. And he had the patriotism to reinvest all his loot in his own country. Gomez oil royalties went to build Gomez hotels, cotton mills, rubber plantations, model farms. When they failed he sold them to the Government. When they succeeded he kept the change. For years the legend persisted that Dictator Gomez kept a yacht with steam up night & day in case it should ever be necessary to flee the country. Most authorities doubt such a yarn.
Ever since the assassination of his brother in 1923, Dictator Gomez has avoided the capital. Seventy-seven miles away at his enormous ranch Las Delicias he sat under a giant rubber tree, feeding peanuts to his pet elephant, beaming fondly at his squalling, illegitimate offspring, governing the country as The Meritorious One, a title officially conferred on him by Venezuela's Congress. For fun he brought famed Juan Belmont from Spain to fight bulls, played much with his favorite toy: a barber chair specially imported from the U. S. So many citizens hurried out to Maracay to reaffirm their loyalty by his coffin last week that the road was blocked for hours.
While the funeral guns were still booming, youthful Vice President Lopez Contreras was appointed acting President to succeed him. His first manifesto ended with a pointed warning:
"I know full well the duties which the fatherland demands of me in this hour. Countrymen, I insist on recommending order and peace, which as a definite orientation of policy, the Government knows how to maintain energetically."
Wiseacres paid little attention to him. The most important man in Venezuela last week was General Vincencio Perez Soto, Governer of the State of Zulia. From Zulia comes all Venezuela's oil, most of her revenues. General Soto was smart enough never to oppose Dictator Gomez. He lived simply, kept his books straight, and waited. Exiles in Panama insisted last week that General Soto had sent what was virtually a secret ultimatum to Caracas. Either he must be President of Venezuela, or .he would proclaim Zulia an independent republic.
* Largest: Bolivian "Tin-King" Simon Palino.