The Venezuelan Independence was the juridical-political process that put an end to the ties between the Captaincy General of Venezuela and the Spanish Empire. It also implied the replacement of the absolute monarchy by the republic as the form of government in Venezuela.
The independence of Venezuela produced the armed conflict known as the Venezuelan War of Independence between the independence army or Patriotas ("patriots") and the royalist army or Realistas ("royalists").
On July 5, 1811, the independence declaration is signed. That day is celebrated in Venezuela as its national day. On that date formally, through the document "Acta de Declaración de Independencia", Venezuela separates from Spain. The Sociedad Patriótica composed by Simón Bolívar and Francisco de Miranda was the pioneer in the push for Venezuela's separation from the Spanish crown.
The historical period between 1810 and 1830 has been divided by Venezuelan historiography into four parts: First Republic (1810 -1812), Second Republic (1813 -1814), Third Republic (1817-1819), and Gran Colombia (1819 -1830).
Causes
Influential factors include the desire for power of the creole social groups that possessed social and economic status but not political, the discontent of the population due to mismanagement and the rise of taxes, the introduction of the ideas of Encyclopedism, the Enlightenment, the Declaration of Independence of the United States, the French Revolution, the Haitian Revolution, and the reign of Joseph I of Spain.
Background
The first independence attempts took place in Venezuela at the end of the 18th century. The first of them tries twice in 1806 to invade the Venezuelan territory through La Vela de Coro, led by General Francisco de Miranda, with an armed expedition coming from Haiti. Their incursions ended in failures due to the religious preaching against them and the indifference of the population.
The Conjuración de los Mantuanos was a movement that broke out in Caracas in 1808. The Mantuanos, who constituted the most powerful social group of the society, led an attempt to constitute a Governing Board to govern the destiny of the Captaincy General of Venezuela as a result of the invasion of Spain by Napoleon.
First Republic
Revolution of April 19, 1810
The first republic corresponds to the period between April 19, 1810, and July 30, 1812, when the Supreme Junta of Caracas peacefully replaces the Spanish authorities.
Captain General Vicente Emparan was forced to resign his post on April 19, 1810, by the cabildo of Caracas. That same afternoon the cabildo constituted itself as the Supreme Conservative Junta of the Rights of Fernando VII.
The Supreme Junta of Caracas sought the adhesion of the other provinces of the Captaincy General of Venezuela to the movement. Favorable pronouncements were given in Cumaná and Barcelona on April 27, Margarita on May 4, Barinas on May 5, Mérida on September 16, and Trujillo on October 9.
Guayana spoke out on May 11 in favor of the Supreme Junta, but upon learning on June 3 of the installation in Spain of the Supreme Central and Governing Junta of Spain and the Indies, it recognized the latter as the legitimate authority and distanced itself from the Caracas revolution. The Provinces of Coro and Maracaibo remained loyal to the Council of Regency.
Supreme Congress of Venezuela
The character of the Supreme Junta of Caracas as "Conservative of the rights of Ferdinand VII" did not allow it to go beyond the autonomy proclaimed on April 19. For that reason, the Junta called for elections to install a Constituent Congress before which it could decline its powers and decide the future fate of the states.
The call for the Congress was made in June. It was accepted by the provinces of Caracas, Barinas, Cumaná, Barcelona, Mérida, Margarita and Trujillo; but not by the provinces of Maracaibo, Coro and Guayana.
The elections were held between October and November 1810. The electoral regulations were census-based as they gave the vote to free men, over 25 years of age (or over 21 if married) and owners of 2000 pesos in real or personal property. There was no vote for women, slaves, and those lacking wealth. The regulations also provided that elections were to be held in two stages: first, the voters appointed the electors of the parish; and then, these electors, meeting in an electoral assembly in the capital of the province, appointed the representatives to Congress, at the rate of one deputy for every 20,000 inhabitants.
After the elections, 44 deputies were elected to Congress. The provinces were represented as follows: Caracas 24 deputies; Barinas 9; Cumaná 4; Barcelona 3; Mérida 2; Trujillo 1; Margarita 1.
The Supreme Congress of Venezuela was installed on March 2, 1811, in the house of the Count of San Javier (present "El Conde" corner in Caracas). On March 5, 1811, the Supreme Junta of Caracas ceased its functions.
Patriotic Society
With the founding of the Sociedad de Agricultura y Economía, it did not take long for this organization to become the main promoter of the break with Spain. Among its members were José Félix Ribas, Francisco José Ribas, Antonio Muñoz Tébar, Vicente Salias, and Miguel José Sanz. At its sessions they discussed economics, politics, civil, religious and military matters. It had up to 600 members in Caracas alone and branches in Barcelona, Barinas, Valencia and Puerto Cabello. The newspaper Patriota Revolucionario, directed by Salias and Muñoz Tébar, was its informative organ since June 1811.
The incorporation of the Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda and the young Simón Bolívar, gave the society a revolutionary character. Criticism of the colonial regime, dissemination of separatist ideas, and pressure on the Congress to declare independence were the most important actions of the Patriotic Society.
Declaration of Independence
In the Supreme Congress of Venezuela there were two warring factions: the separatists and the fidelists. The separatists were in favor of Venezuela's independence, while the fidelists were loyal to King Ferdinand VII.
As the sessions of the Congress went on, the idea of independence gained followers in the heart of the Congress. Many deputies supported it with passionate pleadings, others with historical arguments.
On July 2, 1811, a motion on independence was presented in Congress. On July 3, the debate began in Congress. On July 5, the vote was taken. Independence was approved with 40 votes in favor. Immediately, the president of the Congress, Congressman Juan Antonio Rodriguez, announced that "The absolute Independence of Venezuela [was] solemnly declared."
Francisco de Miranda and other members of the Patriotic Society led a mass of people through the streets and squares of Caracas, acclaiming independence and freedom. Juan Escalona, who presided over the first independence triumvirate, issued a proclamation to the inhabitants of Caracas letting them know that the Congress had voted for absolute independence.
The deputies agreed to call the new republic as Confederación Americana de Venezuela and appointed a commission to decide on the flag and the drafting of a constitution. The deputy Juan Germán Roscio and the secretary of the Congress, Francisco Isnardi, drafted the Act of Declaration of Independence. It was approved by the deputies on July 7.
On July 13, 1811, the flag of Venezuela was approved, which was based on the design made by Francisco de Miranda in 1806. On July 14, in a public and solemn act, this flag was hoisted for the first time.
On December 21, 1811, the Congress approved the Federal Constitution of the States of Venezuela of 1811. On February 15, 1812, the Congress suspended its sessions and agreed to move to Valencia, designating it Federal City on March 1 that same year, when it resumed its sessions.
Takeover of Valencia
On July 11, 1811, six days after the Declaration of Independence, two insurrections broke out, the asonada de la Sabana del Teque of the Canary Islanders in Caracas —which was quickly brought under control—and the insurrection of Nuestra Señora de la Anunciación de la Nueva Valencia del Rey. The Mantuanos, who did not tolerate the patriots, appointed the Marquis del Toro as commander to confront the Valencian uprising, but on July 15 he was defeated. Then, Francisco de Miranda, at the age of 61, was named Commander in Chief of the Army and left with his troops for Valencia on the 19th. The actions in the streets and squares were hard-fought. Francisco de Miranda ordered to attack the strongest positions of the rebels and on July 23, the republicans took the city.
Fall of the First Republic
On March 26, 1812, at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, an earthquake destroyed Caracas causing great damage and the death of about 20,000 people. That same year, Bolívar lost control of Puerto Cabello and Francisco de Miranda capitulated in San Mateo before the royalist chief Domingo Monteverde, signing an agreement that consisted in the surrender of weapons by the patriots. In exchange, the royalists would respect people and goods.
When Miranda went to embark in La Guaira, he was arrested—along with 8 other chiefs—by his former comrades, among whom was the young Simón Bolívar. The prisoners were accused of squandering public funds and then handed over to the royalists. Miranda was imprisoned in Puerto Cabello, then transferred to Puerto Rico and finally to the Arsenal de la Carraca, in Cádiz, where he died in 1816.
Second Republic
The second republic corresponds to the period between August 1813 and December 1814 and is known as the "War to the Death" period.
Once the first Republic was over, the main political and military leaders of the Independence went into exile. Bolívar writes the Cartagena Manifesto where he analyzes the reasons for the failure of the republic and the future of the countries participating in this process, which would later form Gran Colombia. It was written in Cartagena de Indias (Colombia), on December 15, 1812. Among the political, economic, social and natural causes mentioned by Bolívar are:
- The use of the federal system, which Bolívar considers weak for the time.
- Poor administration of public revenues.
- The earthquake of Caracas of 1812.
- The impossibility of establishing a permanent army.
- The contrary influence of the Catholic Church.
On the royalist side, Monteverde, conceited by his success, refuses to hand over power to General Fernando Mijares, who arrived in Puerto Cabello from Puerto Rico and was appointed Captain General by the Regency. In breach of the agreement with Miranda, he began a repression against the patriots in order to prepare the ground for the execution of his plans to invade the Republic of New Granada, which had been declared independent from Spanish power. Knowing of his intentions, Bolívar requested his incorporation to the New Granada army and logistical support to later initiate the military operations of what is known in history as the Admirable Campaign.
On January 8, 1813, he occupied the city of Ocaña—the second in importance in Norte de Santander, after Cúcuta—after having left the free passage in the Magdalena Medio, thus obtaining the navigation between Bogotá and Cartagena. On February 16, he set sail for Cúcuta as there was danger due to the presence of Ramón Correa and his royalist forces. On his way, he defeated an enemy force that was blocking his way at La Aguada. On the 28th of the same month took place what today is known as the Battle of Cúcuta, which gave independence to this city. The Libertador requested help from the neo-Granadian government through the Cartagena Manifesto, which was conceived for the actions he had already carried out in that country.
In the first six months of 1813, the resistance of the royalists collapses. Monteverde is defeated and wounded. He withdraws to Puerto Cabello, where his soldiers depose him from command. The war continues with two parallel campaigns, unconnected but effective, one from the East, commanded by general Santiago Mariño, known as the Eastern Campaign, and another from the West, commanded by Bolívar, known as Admirable Campaign. Cumaná is liberated on August 3, 1813, by Mariño; Bolívar enters Caracas on August 6.
The reconquest of Caracas by the republicans is for historians the milestone that marks the beginning of what has been called the Second Republic. From Caracas, Bolivar proclaims "War to the Death with the extermination of the Spanish race." The Municipality of Caracas confers Bolivar the title of "El Libertador" ("The Liberator") and "General in Chief of the Republican Army". The following year he is named Supreme Chief. The military situation is complicated by the appearance of José Tomás Boves, Asturian, who organizes an army that fights on the side of the royalists and revolts the black or mestizo population against the Venezuelan whites, that is to say, those who lead the independence process. In the opinion of some historians, Boves took advantage of the social resentment existing in this group.