Mr. Loomis to Mr. Hay.
Caracas, October 22, 1899.
Sir: The political situation in Venezuela is less complicated than when I discussed this subject in my dispatch of October 9.
The abrupt departure of President Andrade from the capital and country on the 20th of October made certain and easy the triumph of the revolution and the advent of General Castro in Caracas.
I have informed you of the important events as they happened by cable.
Negotiations looking toward some peaceable settlement between President Andrade and General Castro were carried on in a desultory fashion up to the morning of the President’s departure, or flight, as it is called here. President Andrade thought of armed resistance to the approach of Castro till about a week ago, when General Mendoza, who commanded the Government forces, opened negotiations with General Castro on his own account. It was generally believed here all along that Mendoza would betray Andrade, as the former’s reputation is not of the best, but the President continued to send him money and men until about ten days ago.
At one time it was thought a meeting would be arranged between President Andrade and General Castro, and I was asked, in case such a meeting were arranged, if it could take place on the Detroit, hence my cable of October 9.
In the negotiations with General Castro during the past fortnight Andrade professed to be willing to retire from the Presidency in favor of Castro, but wanted to wait till Congress convened, when he could present his resignation in a regular and legal manner. General Castro, of course, desired to take charge of the Government at once. Then it was arranged to call a convention which should adopt a new [Page 801] constitution and elect General Castro President. General Andrade finally seemed to agree to this plan, and there was only left open the question concerning the manner of choosing the members of the convention, and General Castro yielded this point, his dispatch on the subject arriving just as Andrade left the city.
Andrade’s departure was concealed from most of the members of his cabinet and is thought to have been hastened by the explosion of a bomb shortly after midnight on the 20th at the door of Señor Matos’s city residence. The feeling in the city has been very bitter against General Andrade for several weeks, as it was held that he was uselessly prolonging the revolution. There is much hardship here occasioned by the interruption of business and the failure of the Government to pay salaries and other obligations. So Andrade incurred the hatred of all the unprosperous and hungry people, and his life was oftened threatened. When it became evident that his Government was not likely to prevail, he was deserted by most of his former friends. Not a single man of prominence accompanied the late President when he marched out of Caracas at sunrise on the morning of the 20th. He took with him about 1,000 men, and they made a picturesque spectacle as they wound in a sinuous line of red from the base to the crest of the mountain, with the morning sun sparkling on their bayonets. There was a short period of confusion when it became generally known that Andrade had left Caracas. He took all of the troops in the town with him, but after a few hours the Vice-President formally announced that he had assumed authority and troops from the neighborhood were brought in and good order assured. All the places at which intoxicating liquors were sold were closed and most of the business houses were not opened that day.
Efforts were made to have troops between here and La Guaira stop General Andrade, but without success. He reached the port in safety and was saluted with 21 guns by the La Guaira fort, though it is said that the commander of the fortress had been instructed to fire upon him by the new Government at Caracas. General Andrade embarked his troops without disorder and left late that night, taking a course north of east, which would carry him either to Trinidad or Martinique. He sent back a letter to Caracas indicating that he would not continue the struggle at present, so he may be considered for the time as eliminated from the problem.
The Vice-President, Gen. Victor Rodriguez, as president of the government council, became acting President the moment Andrade left the federal district. He is, by the expressed mandate of the constitution, the head of the Government. Andrade’s cabinet resigned and the acting President has formed a new cabinet. Andrade’s illegal departure from the capital and the country is held to vacate the office of President, but, as I have said, the constitution makes it very clear in respect to the competency and legality of the now existing Government. This view is taken formally by the supreme court of Venezuela, and I have heard of no one who has dissented from it. It is also the unanimous opinion of the diplomatic corps, which met informally this morning at this legation.
General Castro is expected to-day or to-morrow in Caracas. I am informed that the acting President will turn the Government over to General Castro within a few days. There is no legal warrant for such a course, but there is precedent for it. A convention will then be called, consisting of one or two delegates from each State. This convention [Page 802] may adopt a new constitution and it will arrange for a general election, the object of which will be to elect General Castro President. There may be some changes in this proposed procedure, but they are not likely to be important.
It is feared that General Castro may have trouble with the Hernandez faction unless he is able to satisfy them in the early days of his rule. I consider the present revolution at an end, but it is too early to say that the country has entered upon a long era of peace.
I am of the opinion that the Detroit should remain in or near Venezuelan waters until the Castro Government is fairly well established. The presence of war vessels here has had a great restraining influence, and has no doubt been of much moment in the preservation of order in La Guaira and Puerto Cabello.
I have, etc.