With a Velvet Glove

Unlike Romulo Betancourt, his friend and fiery predecessor, Venezuela's President Raul Leoni avoids table-pounding talk and precipitate action. "What I do," he says, "I do after lengthy consultation. A chief of state cannot ignore other voices." Last week, in his first annual message to Congress, Leoni stood for almost three hours in Caracas' capitol building and demonstrated the effects of his velvet glove.

In the past year, Venezuela's gross national product, which rose 5.8% in 1963, increased by more than 7%. Oil production, the economy's overwhelming factor, climbed almost 5%, farm production 7%, manufacturing 11%, mining 25%, and construction a spectacular 75%. As the focus of the boom, Caracas is beginning to look like a Monopoly board near the end of a hot game. On Avenida Francisco Miranda, the Caracas branches of Balmain and Cartier, once exclusive hangouts for Venezuela's big rich, now thrive on a growing middle-class trade.

Playing It Cool. The shift in Venezuela's political climate has been just as profound. Under the mercurial Betancourt, Venezuela erupted with fierce political loyalties and hatreds. It was a country where the governing A.D. party split into feuding factions, where Castroites at one time were killing a policeman a day. In his cool, quiet way, Leoni has put on a damper.

Lacking a majority in Congress, Leoni patched up a three-cornered coalition with middle-reading opposition parties. The Christian Democrats, who helped Belancourt govern, have not joined, but they often vote for Leoni legislation. Leoni was in office only nine weeks when he eased through his ambitious four-year "Leoni Plan," an $850 million program to develop the interior, relieve unemployment and stimulate private investment.

Put Those Pistols Down. Leoni's velvet glove even extends to the war on Castroite terrorists. Last December he pushed through a new law that gives convicted terrorists the option of going to jail, being confined to their home areas, or leaving Venezuela altogether. Thus encouraged to give up, a number of tired, hungry revolutionaries have turned themselves in.

Last week Leoni promised Congress more of the same. Between 1965 and 1968, he plans to build 180,000 more homes, expand school enrollment 30%, triple the amount of farmland in production, boost the country's electrical-generating capacity 50%, and encourage such new industries as petrochemicals, metalworking and synthetic fibers. Says Leoni: "Up until now, I am satisfied with having obtained a government of understanding. Now we can achieve our goals."

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