in the 1930s there was a small italian community in venezuela with some links to fascist italy: founded in 1923, the "partito nazionale fascista" -with over two hundred members- had organizations in four cities: caracas, valencia, puerto cabello and barquisimeto (duaca). president eleazar lópez contreras (and later, president isaías medina angarita) showed sympathy toward mussolini and in 1938, the venezuelan navy purchased two "azio"-class minesweepers from fascist italy. then in september 1939, contreras declared the country's neutrality: venezuela continued to trade with japan and italy for another year.