Roads, railways, and telegraph lines were constructed.

The ministers of the Church were rendered submissive to the civil power.

Primary education became alike free and compulsory.
As the phrase went, Guzman Blanco "taught Venezuela to read." At the end of his term of office he went into voluntary retirement.
In 1879 Guzman Blanco put himself at the head of a movement which he called a "revolution of replevin"-- which meant, presumably, that he was opposed to presidential "continuism," and in favor of republican institutions! Although a constitution promulgated in 1881 fixed the chief magistrate's term of office at two years, the success which Guzman Blanco had attained enabled him to control affairs for five years--the Quinquennium, as it was called.

Thereupon he procured his appointment to a diplomatic post in Europe; but the popular demand for his presence was too strong for him to remain away.

In 1886 he was elected by acclamation.