One morning last week Venezuela's Communist Party boss. Gustavo Machado, walked into the Caracas house of Rear Admiral Wolfgang Larrazabal, leading presidential candidate and (until he started campaigning) head of the ruling junta. Half an hour later, smiling from ear to ear. Machado came out with a document. On it was Larrazábal's signature, officially accepting the support of the Communist Party in the Dec. 7 election.
The Reds could have voted for Larrazábal on the yellow ballot of the leftist U.R.D. (Democratic Republican Union) Party, which also nominated him. But the Communists, who believe they will make an impressive showing in Venezuela's first free election since 1947, wanted their followers to vote on the party's own red-colored ballots so that Communist strength could be plainly exhibited. By granting his consent. Larrazaáal stands to gain an estimated 150,000 Red votes, which could be decisive if the three-way election is a close contest. Others in the race: Rómulo Betancourt. of the leftist Democratic Action Party: Rafael Caldera, of the Catholic COPEI Party.
In welcoming the Communists, the handsome naval officer, hero of the revolt that toppled Dictator Marcos Pérez Jiménez, has entered into a formal alliance no Latin politico has tried since the days of Guatemala's hapless Jacobo Arbenz. In taking Red help, Larrazábal insisted that he is not one of them. "I am not a Communist," he wrote in his acceptance letter. "On the contrary, I am a Catholic of unbreakable faith and a liberal democrat. My acceptance of Communist support does not signify any commitment, present or future." But by running up a big vote, the Reds hope that 1) lesser Communist candidates will ride into office on the red ballot, 2) Larrazábal will take Communists into his government. 3) he will be forever in their debt.
At the hustings popular Candidate Larrazábal was drawing bigger, more enthusiastic crowds than either of his rivals. At a Caracas rally, 100,000 citizens turned out —the most in Venezuelan history. At Los Teques, near the capital, supporters cheered so wildly Larrazábal could not make a scheduled speech.