-Similar to the US, it was not the culture of the Venezuelan natives that influenced the dominant culture in the country, but rather the European culture of the immigrants. Of course there are several differences between the US and Venezuela: 1. Europeans who came to Venezuela from Spain did not feel superior to immigrants who came from other European countries, and new immigrants felt no obligation to adopt any new cultural practices other than language. It is possible to attribute this to the fact that the Spanish culture of the immigrants was not elitist, and the immigrants who arrived in the 1940's and later were perceived as skilled professionals of high social stature. 2. There are no racial groups in Venezuela that are considered innately lower class (Indians, Blacks). 3. As a result of the Spanish culture's lack of domination, and the economic boom that resulted from the discovery of oil, it was quite natural for the Venezuelans to adopt aspects of non-European cultures, and thus an 'international' culture rapidly began to infiltrate Venezuela, a culture that seemed consistent with the modernization that had so captivated Venezuelans. The first conclusion that follows is that an overwhelmingly natural process is taking place by which Venezuela adopts aspects that are a blend of cultural influences. This is a process that is unique though it its substance lacks uniqueness - since it adopts practices from varying sources, while mixing and blurring their roots. Considering Venezuela's connection to and solidarity with other Latin American countries, the question arises whether this diversity doesn't define the Pan-Latin American nation, a nation that is in the process of being formed. This is a topic that has far more questions than answers.