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President Isaias Medina Angarita (1897-1953) of Venezuela relaxed government
control sufficiently to allow the establishment of opposition political parties,
including the Accion Democratica (Democratic Action), a socialist and leftist
party that appealed to the middle class, workers, students, and young army
officers. As the election of 1945 approached, the Accion Democratica became
frustrated because under the constitution the next president would be chosen by
the Venezuelan Congress rather than by popular election. The likely government
choices were unacceptable to the party, and on October 18, 1945, some of the
party's young officers led a revolt, ousted and jailed Median, and placed a
seven-man junta in control with Romulo Betancourt (1908-81) as provisional
president. The new government put forth the constitution of 1947, providing for
new social legislation, and held the first free presidential election in
Venezuelan history later that year.
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