After dictator Juan Vicente Gómez's death on December 17th, 1935, in a ministerial meeting, General Eleazar López Contreras, the minister of War and Navy, was appointed as head of the Executive branch of government. López Contreras took over on January 1st, 1936. Gómez was finally toppled by death. Some say that they waited until December 17th to make Gómez's demise coincide with the death of Liberator Simón Bolívar.

Others say that only a package of candies was found in his safe. It was also said that those close to him, very busy in their fight for succession, left him alone during the wake and his medals were taken out from his chest.

The day after, he was carried on their shoulders to the Cathedral, where he remained in the funeral chapel until December 19th, the anniversary of the National Rehabilitation. After being accorded the honors, he was buried in Maracay, besides his son Alí. The country quietly wondered what would happen next.

López Contreras acted as the head of the Executive Office until April 19th, 1936. Six days later, he was elected constitutional President of the Republic for seven years. In his first days of government, López Contreras succeeded in thwarting a rebellion prompted by Gómez's relatives. He ordered to release political prisoners and restored freedom of the press.

The incoming president's inauguration and welcome by a huge people demonstration covered the front page at El Universal. "The transcendental move of releasing political prisoners anticipated his arrival; this event has rejoiced all Venezuelan families," the story read.

That same year, on September 15th, the Nazis enacted the Reich Citizenship Law and the Law for the Protection of German Blood and Honor, which thoroughly defined who were considered Jewish; deprived them of their civil rights of professional practice and public office, and forbade them from marrying or holding any other relation with Arians. Any offense was to be punished with prison.

In the meantime, Scotch physician Alexander Watson invented the radar, a device able to measure the waves reflected on the planes path.

Interested in measuring the impact of advertising on users, mathematician George Horace Gallup organized at Princeton a public opinion institute, the methods of which would be successfully implemented in politics.

That year, tango star Carlos Gardel was warmly welcome by a crowd at the Caño Amarillo railroad station. He gave a private recital in Maracay for General Juan Vicente Gómez. From there, he headed for Puerto Cabello, Cabimas and Maracaibo.