VENEZUELA: Strongman’s Troubles

VENEZUELA Strongman’s Troubles

Venezuelan Dictator-President Marcos Pérez Jiménez scrambled desperately to snatch back some of his waning authority and prestige. Last week he broke up a new plot masterminded by his longtime chief of staff. General Rómulo Fernández. 45, and hustled the general off to exile. At the same time, he partially reversed the humiliating Cabinet shuffle forced on him when his fortunes were at low ebb a fortnight ago (TIME. Jan. 20).

The dictator had little time to savor this success. Day after day, knotsof rioting students raced through downtown Caracas, burning cars and chanting “Down with Pérez Jiménez !” Petitions circulated, signed by nearly 1,000 top-rank businessmen, professional men and artists, demanding an end to the police state. Against the demonstrators, the cops used the strongman’s best brand of brutal force. But despite hundreds of arrests, school closings and screams of pain echoing through Security Police headquarters, Pérez Jiménez could not still the civilian unrest. At week’s end reports filtered from Miratlores Palace that the officers who helped dump Fernández were pressing the dictator to slack off the oppression. Clearly, Pérez Jiménez’ troubles were far from over.