GOVERNMENT. The Constitution of Venezuela, adopted in 1830 and amended in 1864 and 1881, was changed 'Alarch 29, 1901. This recent change has been further complicated by the foreign and domestic difficulties that, situp its inception, have beset the present Administration. In gen eral, Venezuela may be said to be a federal re public, organized somewhat on the model of the United States, hut allowing greater au tonomy to the separate States. Time executive power is vested in a President, elected for six years. Under the previous Constitution the Con gress elected for two years a federal council of members, and this council from its own number chose a president, who was also President of the Republic. The council and President were ineligible for a succeeding term. The legislative powers are vested in a Congress, composed of a Senate of forty members (two from each State) and a Chamber of Deputies. each Deputy repre senting 10,000 inhabitants (o• a majority frac tion). Under the former Constitution the Sen ate was composed of three members from each of the eight States and the Chamber of Deputip of one member for each 35,000 inhabitants, al though the largest number of Deputies ever re ported was 52. Senators and Deputies are elected
by popular vote for six years. and qualified electors must lie 21 years of age. The federal judicial power is vested in a Federal High Court and a Supreme Court of Appeal. By the Consti tntion of MD the States numbered 20; in 1881 by combination these were reduced to eight States, eight Territories, two national settle ments, and a Federal District. By the new Consti tution the I wenty States of the Constitution of 1861 are restored. The States are autonomous in all local affairs, each with its own exeentive, legislature. and judieiary, and with local exeentive and judicial officers for the separate municipalities. In general the course of justice in civil and criminal matters is dila tory and ineffective. Caracas is the capital.