NICARAGUA: I'm the Champ

(7 of 7)

Night Flight. When World War II's democratic wave washed out dictators in El Salvador, Guatemala and Cuba, Tacho had some anxious moments. The U.S. was talking about Latin American dictatorial regimes, and Tacho, who once said he intended to rule for 40 years, decided that it was time to put on a democratic show. He would let the country choose his successor.

Somoza may wonder now why he ever got involved in such a silly business. Over in the Dominican Republic, Dictator Trujillo brazened it out, elected himself a fourth time. Somoza, on the other hand, found that Leonardo Argüello, the stooge he had got elected, did not intend to be a stooge. Argüello began calling on Guardia officers to declare their loyalty to him. Almost half of them did. Then Argüello overreached himself: he gave Tachito Somoza a dressing down, banished him from the capital. Papa Tacho moved in. Argüello fled to the Mexican embassy, then to Mexico, where he died. Growled Tacho, who finally decided that Uncle Victor Román y Reyes was a safe man for the presidential palace: "Some day I may meet Argüello in hell, and then I'll give him an uppercut."

Though a bit shocked at the casual way Tacho switched Presidents, the U.S. State Department recognized the regime (TIME, May 17). Thus Somoza was in a position to buy U.S. warplanes and to start closing the lead gained by Guatemala's air force during his stay in the doghouse. He was also busily spreading the word that the Guatemalans, the Caribbean Legion and everybody else conspiring against him were Communists.

Tacho, his wide-brimmed campaign hat jammed on his balding head, was characteristically cheerful. "I like a fight," he roared. "I'm not afraid of anything ahead. If I didn't have the strength to stay here, then I'd get the hell out!"