Antonio Guzmán, unlike his former boss, understands…

Antonio Guzmán, unlike his former boss, understands the politics of federalism.

After removing disloyal Conservative regional caudillos by force, he installs a loyal group of Liberal caudillos in their place.

Thanks to a rapid expansion of both coffee production and foreign loans, Guzmán has access to considerable resources to maintain his supporters with generous subventions, backed up, if necessary, by federal troops.

This formula brings nearly two decades of much-welcomed peace to the Venezuelan countryside.