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 them or Leoni will wear them."

Abrazos All Around. Before Betancourt, Venezuelan Presidents were lucky to leave with their lives, much less their slippers. At Betancourt's own grim inauguration in 1959, leftist agitators threatened mob violence, and army officers talked openly of pulling a coup. Few would have wagered that the new President would last five years and set the nation on its present course of economic development and broad social reform.

Last week in Caracas was officially a time of "national jubilation." Businesses shut down; cheering crowds lined the flag-decked streets. Top-hatted officials from 50 nations, including U.S. Interior Secretary Stewart Udall, were on hand. Remembering the Castroite terrorism that preceded the December elections, police cordoned off 48 downtown blocks surrounding the capitol. But there was not a flicker of trouble.

Before a hushed Congress, Betancourt handed Leoni the symbols of office--the presidential sash and the key to the repository of Liberator Simon Bolivar's remains. Leoni received warm abrazos all around, even from opposition party leaders. In the same spirit, he announced his Cabinet--"a government of understanding" that included only three of his own Action Democradtica Party members, 10 independents.

Never Again. In an hour-long inaugural address, Leoni pledged to continue Betancourt's program. He outlined plans for expanded housing and education, even greater emphasis on agrarian reform and diversification of industry, continued support for the Alliance for Progress and friendly relations with the U.S. Of the country's outlawed Communists and Castroites, Leoni said: "These parties themselves have the decision on their future. They must leave the road of violence and incorporate themselves into democratic life." Ahead still lay a struggle to hold together a coalition around his minority party. Whatever happens, vowed Leoni, "Venezuela will never tolerate another dictatorship."

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