We have enumerated the legal requirements and personal duties of commercial travelers and have also mentioned the market. It will be helpful to point out the means of transportation and communication in Venezuela. Companies that have never sent commercial travelers to Venezuela have a wrong impression as to the means of communication and transportation. The roads are excellent and in some cases surpass those in the United States and other countries. The railroads, although not as modern as the roads in the United States or Europe, are well capable of carrying passengers and freight up and down the high mountains. In some cases in Venezuela, a train will ascend from sea level to an altitude of 12,000 feet. There is herewith submitted a complete list of the railroads, showing destinations and number of stations. There is also attached a complete list of the roads showing distances between principal cities en route, the outline further showing the altitude of each city.
[Railroad facilities may be found enumerated on pp. [69]-70.]
The following list of the roads and highways in Venezuela show the distances between cities and the altitudes of the respective highways:
| Highway from Caracas to Valencia |
|---|
| Distance (Kilometers) | Altitude (Meters) |
|---|
| Caracas (Plaza Bolívar) | 0 | 920.00 |
| Antimano | 9.30 | 937.00 |
| Los Adjuntas | 14.10 | 970.00 |
| Les Teques | 24.30 | 1,168.00 |
| Los Teques (Llano de Miquilen) | 25.30 | 1,172.00 |
| Guayas | 44.30 | 470.00 |
| Las Tejerias | 46.80 | 500.00 |
| El Consejo | 57.50 | 576.00 |
| La Victoria | 65.60 | 576.00 |
| San Mateo | 75.20 | 479.00 |
| Turmero | 83.70 | 564.00 |
| Maracay | 97.90 | 450.00 |
| San Joaquin | 113.70 | 440.00 |
| Guacara | 122.80 | 430.00 |
| Los Guayos | 141.30 | 440.00 |
| Valencia | 148.80 | 470.00 |
| Highway from Caracas to La Guaira |
|---|
| Caracas (Plaza Bolívar) | 0 | 920.00 |
| Agua Salud | 2.50 | 935.00 |
| Catia | 4.00 | 960.00 |
| Blanden | 7.15 | 839.00 |
| Cantinas | 9.23 | 871.00 |
| Pauji | 15.20 | 1,004.00 |
| Las Trincheras | 16.26 | 941.00 |
| El Copey | 19.70 | 770.00 |
| Civucutti | 26.38 | 475.00 |
| Manonga | 29.38 | 215.00 |
| Marquetia | 32.38 | 40.00 |
| La Guaira | 34.78 | 8.00 |
| Highway from Caracas to Guatiro |
|---|
| Caracas (Plaza Bolívar) | 0 | 920.00 |
| Quebrada Honda | 3.15 | 880.00 |
| Sabana Grande | 4.15 | 870.00 |
| Chacaito | 4.90 | 860.00 |
| Los Ravelos | 5.90 | 870.00 |
| Chacao | 6.90 | 880.00 |
| Los Dos Caminos | 9.25 | 860.00 |
| Petare (Plaza) | 12.50 | 840.00 |
| La Cortada del Respiro | 18.00 | 960.00 |
| Quintana | 23.00 | 761.00 |
| Caucaquita | 25.00 | 690.00 |
| El Agaucate | 26.50 | 641.00 |
| Ochoa | 29.80 | 563.00 |
| Mampete | 35.00 | 489.00 |
| El Cercado | 38.50 | 443.00 |
| El Tamarindo | 39.70 | 425.00 |
| Guarenas | 45.35 | 396.00 |
| Guatire | 52.35 | 335.00 |
| Highway from Caracas to Ocumare del Tuy |
|---|
| Caracas (Plaza Bolívar) | 0 | 920.00 |
| Puento de Hierro sobre el Guairel | 1.75 | 879.00 |
| El Valle (Plaza) | 5.35 | 889.00 |
| Coche | 8.55 | 901.00 |
| Bermúdez | 10.25 | 920.00 |
| Gato Amarillo | 11.65 | 908.00 |
| Bejarno | 14.15 |
| Prim | 16.75 | 1,005.00 |
| Cortado del Guayabo | 18.15 | 1,150.00 |
| Maitana | 24.65 | 1,229.00 |
| Maturin | 36.50 | 669.0 |
| Buena Vista | 38.20 | 736.00 |
| Charallave | 41.50 | 692.00 |
| Cantarrana | 52.00 | 307.00 |
| Vallecito | 61.50 | 210.00 |
| Ocumare del Tuy | 70.20 | 210.00 |
| Highway from Maracay to Ocumare de la Costa |
|---|
| Maracay (Alcabala) | 0 | 425.00 |
| El Diamente | 22.30 | 431.00 |
| El Limon | 5.30 | 453.00 |
| La Quesera | 6.00 | 460.00 |
| Guamitas | 14.00 | 720.00 |
| Guacamauyas | 17.40 | 871.00 |
| Piedra de Tranca | 22.00 | 1,045.00 |
| Rancho Grande | 23.00 | 1,085.00 |
| El Portachuelo | 24.00 | 1,120.00 |
| Periquito | 30.00 | 845.00 |
| El Salto | 34.00 | 660.00 |
| Tio Julian | 39.00 | 405.00 |
| La Tulla | 44.30 | 143.00 |
| Cansa Macho | 45.00 | 123.00 |
| Aponto | 47.00 | 88.00 |
| Pueblo Nuevo | 52.60 | 40.00 |
| Ocumare de la Costa | 53.30 | 30.00 |
| Caserio de la Boca | 57.90 | 3.00 |
| Puerto de Ocumare de la Costa | 58.70 | 2.00 |
| Highway from Llano Cagua to San Fernando de Apure |
|---|
| Cagua | 0 | 472.00 |
| Ciudad de Cura | 20.00 | 556.00 |
| San Juan de los Morros | 45.00 |
| Uverito | 76.00 |
| Parpara | 83.00 | 556.00 |
| Ortiz | 94.00 |
| Los Dos Caminos | 100.00 |
| Morrocoyes | 120.00 |
| El Rastro | 153.00 |
| Calabozo | 175.00 |
| San Fernando Apure | 334.00 | 73.00 |
| Highway from Valencia to Puerto Cabello |
|---|
| Valencia (Plaza Bolívar) | 0 | 470.00 |
| Camoruco | 1.00 | 478.00 |
| Mayuanagua | 7.80 | 490.00 |
| El Retobo | 9.80 |
| Barbula | 12.30 |
| La Entrado | 15.30 | 595.00 |
| Las Trincheras | 20.80 | 360.00 |
| El Cambur | 30.80 | 70.00 |
| Taborda | 40.30 |
| El Palito | 42.30 | 3.00 |
| Puerto Cabello (Plaza) | 53.60 | 1.00 |
| Highway from Valencia to Nirgua |
|---|
| Valencia (Plaza Bolívar) | 0 | 470.00 |
| Bejuma | 52.25 | 662.00 |
| Miranda | 69.50 | 625.00 |
| Salorn | 85.25 | 768.00 |
| Nirgua | 100.50 | 793.00 |
| Highway from Valencia to San Carlos |
|---|
| Valencia (Plaza Bolívar) | 0 | 470.00 |
| Tocuyito | 17.00 | 450.00 |
| Tinaquello | 50.00 | 423.00 |
| El Tinaco | 78.75 | 143.00 |
| San Carlos | 98.75 | 150.00 |
| Highway Central from the Táchira to San Cristobal |
|---|
| Estacion Táchira del Gran | 0 | 370.60 |
| Colón | 18.00 | 800.00 |
| Angostura del Lobaterita | 27.30 | 815.00 |
| Galtineros | 34.56 | 1,150.00 |
| Putachulo de la Paja | 38.58 | 1,257.00 |
| Palo Grande | 55.20 | 1,525.00 |
| San Cristobal | 76.20 | 825.00 |
| Highway from Cumaná to Cumanacoa (In Construction) |
|---|
| Cumaná | 0 | 16.00 |
| Puerto de la Madera | 7.00 | 45.00 |
| Los Ipures | 12.00 | 105.00 |
| Mochima | 20.00 | 121.00 |
| Cedeno | 36.00 | 166.00 |
| San Fernando | 48.00 | 212.00 |
| Rio Arenas | 52.00 | 215.00 |
| Cumanacoa | 56.00 | 230.00 |
| Highway from Barquisimeto to El Tocuiyo |
|---|
| Barquisimeto | 0 | 556.00 |
| Quibor | 39.00 | 720.00 |
| El Tocuiyo | 69.00 | 617.00 |
| Highway from El Pao to Barinas |
|---|
| El Pao | 0 | 160.00 |
| San Carlos | 57.12 | 150.00 |
| Acarigua | 133.12 | 186.00 |
| Ospino | 179.74 | 184.00 |
| Guarne | 230.75 | 183.00 |
| Barinas | 318.15 | 180.00 |
| Highway from Charallave to San Casimiro |
|---|
| Charallave | 0 | 307.00 |
| Cua | 13.00 | 240.00 |
| San Casimiro | 39.50 |
| Highway from San Fernando de Apure to San Juan |
|---|
| San Fernando | 0 | 730.00 |
| Achaguas | 78.12 | 83.00 |
| San Juan | 141.25 |
| Highway from San Felix to Turmero |
|---|
| San Felix | 0 | 20.00 |
| Apata | 57.50 | 293.00 |
| Guasipato | 160.00 |
| Turmero | 220.00 |
| Highway from Coro to Cumarebo |
|---|
| Coro | 0 | 1,798.00 |
| La Vela | 5.00 | 120.00 |
| Cumarebo | 43.00 | 13.00 |
| Highway from Barquisimeto to Carora |
|---|
| Barquisimeto | 0 | 566.00 |
| Banco de Baragua | 45.00 |
| Rio Tocuyo | 86.00 |
| Carora | 116.00 | 409.90 |
| Highway from Turjillo to Motatan |
|---|
| Turjillo | 0 | 800.00 |
| La Plazuela | 4.00 | 592.00 |
| Pampanito | 14.00 | 385.00 |
| Motatan | 36.00 | 324.00 |
| Highway from Barcelona to Soledad |
|---|
| Barcelona | 0 | 13.00 |
| Cuataquiche | 29.60 |
| San Mates | 57.60 | 153.00 |
| Aragua de Barcelona | 102.40 | 110.00 |
| La Canoa | 285.00 |
| Mouchal | 308.60 |
| Campo a Legra | 332.00 |
| Soledad | 359.30 |
| Highway from Las Adjuntas to Colonia Tovar |
|---|
| Las Adjuntas | 0 | 970.00 |
| Macarao | 3.00 | 1,000.00 |
| Palo Negro | 6.30 |
| Alto de No Leon | 19.30 | 2,100.00 |
| Alto de Lagrenazo | 25.30 | 2,330.00 |
| Colonia Tovar | 32.30 | 1,802.00 |
| Highway from Lolonia to El Consejo |
|---|
| Colonia Tovar | 0 | 1,802.00 |
| Portero Perdido | 3.00 | 1,680.00 |
| Topo Carrizalito | 9.00 | 1,910.00 |
| Caserio Quebrada | 19.00 | 1,590.00 |
| El Consejo | 25.00 | 576.00 |
| Highway from La Colonia to La Victoria |
|---|
| Colonia Tovar | 0 | 1,802.00 |
| Alto de Launita | 5.50 | 1,680.00 |
| Alto Gabante | 10.00 | 1,910.00 |
| El Pinto | 20.00 | 1,756.00 |
| Hacienda | 22.00 |
| Hacienda Sabaneta | 23.40 | 600.00 |
| La Victoria | 27.90 | 576.00 |
The charge for freight on the railroads is rather high, $.58 per hundred pounds, and the passenger rate averages 10c. per mile. Hotel accommodations are not scarce nor are they excessive in prices. Statistics show that European commercial travelers can live on $3.50 to $4.00 per day while it costs the average American $7.00 per day. The hotels are not as modern as in the States but are very clean and suitable. The food is exceptionally good and wholesome.
The means of transportation by automobiles are as modern as those of some of the largest cities of the world. The majority of the cars are high priced and high powered as they are designed to climb to high altitudes in the surrounding mountains.
It may be stated that the financial condition of Venezuela is superior to that of any other country in Latin-America with the exception of Argentina. Her public debt has been decreased and her financial standing, although established comparatively few years ago, is very high.
Germany, France and England prior to the war practically had a monopoly on the Venezuelan trade, due largely to the long credits offered by them to the Venezuelan merchants. Before the war the above mentioned countries extended credit from four to nine months. The policy has changed now and the merchants are satisfied with from three to four months' credit. The reduction of the long term credit is also due to improved banking methods, and it is expected that trade will soon reflect the change when conditions are settled.
At the present time many of the exporting houses in the United States are dealing on either a 90 day sight draft or a 120 day draft dated New York. This system has been approved by the Credit Association of America.
Since practically every exporting or importing country is represented in Venezuela at the present time by bank affiliation, the average commercial traveler encounters very little difficulty in having his drafts or letters of credit honored. The difference in rate of exchange is an important item and should be carefully considered by all commercial travelers upon arriving in Venezuela. The exchange fluctuates slightly, the rate now being $5.35. The standard of value is the bolivar, valued at $.193, American gold.