The Shrewd Apothecary

In Managua's sun-baked plaza, cadets from the military academy paraded one day last week in spotless white uniforms. Bands tooted the national anthem and the drums beat out a salute as President Victor Roman y Reyes and his boss and nephew, General Anastasio Somoza, drove down from their hilltop palaces in bulletproof sedans.

At the National Palace, Nicaragua's Constituent Assembly awaited them with the product of five months' labor--a new constitution. President Roman solemnly accepted it, then watched nephew Anastasio sworn in as a lifetime Senator, under a tailor-made constitutional provision that awards such honor to all ex-Presidents.

Preparedness. The new constitution was hopefully designed to soothe the opposition by guaranteeing it congressional representation. It had no such effect. That night bombs went off all over the city, and Guardia patrols raced through the streets. No one was hurt; no property damaged. In a downtown doorway, an oldtime U.S. marine, who had stayed on with his Nicaraguan wife after the U.S. occupation in the 'sos, picked his teeth and said knowingly: "The Guardia's setting them off to see if it can push the opposition into playing its hand." In a nearby bar, another ex-marine had it differently. "Naw," he countered, "it's the opposition; they're just tossing bombs to study the Guardia's operations."

Qui Vive. At week's end, Somoza was still on the alert. Night & day his airplanes patrolled the sky over Managua, and the tough Guardia had been withdrawn to positions on the hill. Whispered Managuans: "They're coming, they're coming soon." Who? Why, old General Emiliano Chamorro, of course', who at 76 was about to embark on his 17th revolution.

From his balcony, General Somoza looked out over the city he had ruled for 16 years. "Yes," he said, "they are certainly coming here--coming into my drugstore. On my shelves are many medicines. Some are easy to take; others are very bitter. Which I shall administer depends on the situation."

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