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Venezuela's Christian Democrats (COPEI) have a strong hope of duplicating the victory of the Chilean party in 1964 and appear to have narrowed the gap between their 22 percent of the electorate in 1963 and the governing Democratic Action's 32 percent. COPEI Secretary General Rafael Caldera, one of the few Latin American CO leaders of international stature, is expected to be his party's standard-bearer in his fourth try for the presidency. He has recently come out in favor of a politically expedient move to the right, thus filling the vacuum of the center-right of the Venezuelan political spectrum and opening new sources of support.

In El Salvador, the PDC garnered 11.2 percent of the votes in the March 1966 legislative election and one of its leaders, Jose Napoleon Duarte, retained the mayorship of San Salvador. In less than six years the PDC has become the leading opposition party. It has little chance of capturing the presidency in 1967, but should be a strong contender by 1972, with Notre Dame-educated Mayor Duarte the likely candidate.

Applying even the most generous criterion to the judgment of potential, there are not more than four other CO parties—the Dominican Republic, Panama, Brazil, and Guatemala—that might develop as moderately important forces over the next five years.

The Dominican Revolutionary Social Christian Party (PRSC), led by Coanabo Javier, has abandoned, at least for the time being, the irrepressible policies it adopted after the April 1965 revolt and has moved toward the political center. The party has provided its opposition to the Balaguer government clear, but has also indicated that it intends to operate within bounds acceptable to the President. The PRSC hopes that this moderate line will increase its following and enable it to improve on the poor showing it made in the 1966 elections. The party has developed a small but talented cadre, primarily from the university ranks.

The Panamanian PDC was registered some five years ago and polled only 1.1 percent of the votes in 1964. Although it continues a minuscule party, it has made significant organizational strides and its philosophy of social justice gains it roots, backed by most financial parties, which are largely organizations tied to financial interests. The PDC is currently negotiating with the mass-based Panamanian Party of Arnulfo Arias for a "largest-in-hopes-of-forming-a coalition for the May 1968 elections. The Pan have offered to provide the administrative machinery needed and assist with its assembly seats in the next election. In return for a share of the assembly seats in the next election. A long-range goal would be to acquire support within Arnulfo's party and inherit his mass following when he passes from the scene.

The Brazilian PDC polled only four percent of the vote in

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Page 3 SPECIAL REPORT 3 Mar 67