ThiswasCiprianoCastro，thegreatestinternationalnuisanceoftheearlytwentiethcentury。Arude，arrogant，fearless，energetic，capriciousmountaineerandcattleman，heregardedforeignersnolessthanhisowncountryfolk，itwouldseem，asobjectsforhisparticularscorn，displeasure，exploitation，oramusement，asthecasemightbe。HewasgreatlyangeredbythewayinwhichforeignersindisputewithlocalofficialsavoidedaresorttoVenezuelancourtsand——stillworse——rejectedtheirdecisionsandappealedinsteadtotheirdiplomaticrepresentativesforprotection。Hedeclaredsuchaproceduretobeanaffronttothenationaldignity。YetforeignerswereusuallycorrectinarmingthatjudgesappointedbyanarbitraryPresidentwerelittlemorethanfigureheads，incapableofdispensingjustice，evenweretheysoinclined。
Jealousnotonlyofhispersonalprestigebutofwhatheimagined，orpretendedtoimagine，weretherightsofasmallnation，CastrotriedthroughouttoportraythesituationinsuchalightastoinducetheotherHispanicrepublicsalsotoviewforeigninterferenceasadireperiltotheirownindependenceandsovereignty;andhefurtherendeavoredtoinvolvetheUnitedStatesinastrugglewithEuropeanpowersasameanspossiblyoftestingtheefficacyoftheMonroeDoctrineoroflayingbarebeforetheworldtheevilnatureofAmericanimperialisticdesigns。
Bytheyear1901，inwhichVenezuelaadoptedanotherconstitution，therevolutionarydisturbanceshadmateriallydiminishedtherevenuesfromthecustoms。FurthermoreCastro’sregulationsexactingmilitaryserviceofallmalesbetweenfourteenandsixtyyearsofagehadfilledtheprisonstooverflowing。Manyforeignerswhohadsufferedinconsequenceresortedtomeasuresofself—defense——amongthemrepresentativesofcertainAmericanandBritishasphaltcompanieswhichwereworkingconcessionsgrantedbyCastro’spredecessors。Thoughfamiliarwithwhatcommonlyhappenstothosewhohandlepitch，theyhadnotscrupledtoaidsomeofCastro’senemies。Castroforthwithimposedonthemenormousfineswhichamountedpracticallytoaconfiscationoftheirrights。
WhiletheUnitedStatesandGreatBritainwereexpostulatingoverthisbehaviorofthedespot，FrancebrokeoffdiplomaticrelationswithVenezuelabecauseofCastro’srefusaleithertopayortosubmittoarbitrationcertainclaimswhichhadoriginatedinpreviousrevolutions。Germany，aggrievedinsimilarfashion，contemplatedaseizureofthecustomsuntilitsdemandsforredressweresatisfied。AndthencameItalywithlikecausesofcomplaint。Asifthesecomplicationswerenotsufficient，VenezuelacametoblowswithColombia。
AstheforeignpressureonCastrosteadilyincreased，LuisMariaDrago，theArgentineMinisterofForeignAffairs，formulatedin1902thedoctrinewithwhichhisnamehasbeenassociated。Itstatedinsubstancethatforceshouldneverbeemployedbetweennationsforthecollectionofcontractualdebts。Encouragedbythisapparenttokenofsupportfromasisterrepublic，Castrodefiedhisarrayofforeignadversariesmorevigorouslythanever，declaringthathemightfinditneedfultoinvadetheUnitedStates，bywayofNewOrleans，toteachitthelessonitdeserved！Butwhenheattempted，inthefollowingyear，toclosetheportsofVenezuelaasameansofbringinghisnativeantagoniststoterms，GreatBritain，Germany，andItalyseizedhiswarships，blockadedthecoast，andbombardedsomeofhisforts。ThereupontheUnitedStatesinterposedwithasuggestionthatthedisputebelaidbeforetheHagueTribunal。AlthoughCastroyielded，hedidnotfailtohaveaclauseinsertedinanew\"constitution\"requiringforeignerswhomightwishtoentertherepublictoshowcertificatesofgoodcharacterfromtheGovernmentsoftheirrespectivecountries。