Venezuela President. He was President of Venezuela from 1908 to 1935. Born on a farm in western Venezuela close to the Colombian frontier, when his father died in 1883 he became head of the family and lived by running the farm and raising cattle. An armed revolution against the country's president, Ignacio Andrade, forced Gómez to abandon his lands in 1899. He supported the new president, Cipriano Castro, leading his guerilla henchmen against Castro's enemies and was rewarded by being made vice president. When Castro travelled to Europe in 1908 for reasons of health he left the presidency in the hands of Gómez not suspecting that he would never be permitted to return to Venezuela. For the next 27 years Gómez ruled as a dictator and tyrant whose secret police ferreted out anybody attempting to overthrow the government. Opponents were imprisoned and tortured, and many had to flee the country, among them Rómulo Gallegos, Rómulo Betancourt and Raúl Leoni, each of whom was later to become president of Venezuela. During his reign oil was found in the country which helped to stabilize the economy and permitted him to build railroads, highways and many other public works, but most of all it permitted him and his family to become immensely wealthy and virtually the owners of the country. A biography, "Gómez - Tyrant of the Andes", was written by the American writer Thomas Rourke.
Venezuela President. He was President of Venezuela from 1908 to 1935. Born on a farm in western Venezuela close to the Colombian frontier, when his father died in 1883 he became head of the family and lived by running the farm and raising cattle. An armed revolution against the country's president, Ignacio Andrade, forced Gómez to abandon his lands in 1899. He supported the new president, Cipriano Castro, leading his guerilla henchmen against Castro's enemies and was rewarded by being made vice president. When Castro travelled to Europe in 1908 for reasons of health he left the presidency in the hands of Gómez not suspecting that he would never be permitted to return to Venezuela. For the next 27 years Gómez ruled as a dictator and tyrant whose secret police ferreted out anybody attempting to overthrow the government. Opponents were imprisoned and tortured, and many had to flee the country, among them Rómulo Gallegos, Rómulo Betancourt and Raúl Leoni, each of whom was later to become president of Venezuela. During his reign oil was found in the country which helped to stabilize the economy and permitted him to build railroads, highways and many other public works, but most of all it permitted him and his family to become immensely wealthy and virtually the owners of the country. A biography, "Gómez - Tyrant of the Andes", was written by the American writer Thomas Rourke.
Bio by: Erik Skytte
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