The Cipriano Castro administration, which ruled Venezuela from 1899 to 1908, was characterized by a series of internal and external political crises which seemed capable of toppling it at any moment. In 1901, a number of foreign countries provided financial backing to Castro's former allies, united under the leadership of Manuel Antonio Matos, who almost brought the government down. In the midst of this civil war, Germany, the United Kingdom and later Italy instituted what came to be known as the peaceful blockade of Venezuela to force the government to honor its foreign debts. The claims...

"Dictatorship and Politics" presents the first major study of General Juan Vicente Gomez s regime in Venezuela from 1908 to 1935 and the efforts of Gomez s enemies to overthrow him during his twenty-seven years in power. In this reappraisal of the Gomez regime, Brian S. McBeth demonstrates that Gomez s success in withstanding opponents attacks was not only the result of his political acumen and ruthless methods of oppression. The political disagreements, personal rivalries, financial difficulties, occasional harassment by foreign powers, and at times plain bad luck of his opponents,...