1908 Venezuelan coup d'état

In this event known as La Conjura (the plot), circles close to Castro threatened the life of Gómez, who had to change residence on multiple occasions.

[4] Castro's restored health put an end to "La Conjura", when he realized that his ministers had already chosen his successor, Francisco Linares Alcántara.

[5] José Rafael Pocaterra wrote in his Memoirs that since 13 December, the day of the demonstration apparently motivated by the Dutch aggression against their sovereignty, the people of Caracas and the speakers who harangued the protesters in Plaza Bolívar witnessed the attitude of Gómez, leaning out, full of fear, on the balcony of the Casa Amarilla, while the people were already shouting “die” to Castro.

This inflamed the crowd even more, which was already resolved to launch the looting and street protest, which had as a corollary a first death, shot, the young José de Jesús Marcano Rojas.

Juan Vicente Gómez imposed his authority in the military barracks of the city, to later appear in the Yellow House (then the Executive headquarters) where he imprisoned the Minister of the Interior, Rafael López Baralt, and Governor Pedro María Cárdenas.

[7] Relying on allied merchants and ranchers, Juan Vicente Gómez assumed command as dictator, counting on the support of multiple opponents of the Castro regime and foreign governments with interests in Venezuela.

[2] Juan Vicente Gómez was initially liberal and respectful of the laws, but eventually, his government became a dictatorship, taking measures to contain and exile the opposition based on supposed revolt against him.