Misplaced Pages

#291708

125-537: It is believed that they were discovered by the Spanish explorer Alonso de Ojeda in 1499, who named the islands after the similarity of the rock formations to the hoods worn by monks. This archipelago and the unwillingness of the governments of Colombia and Venezuela to define their maritime boundaries has generated diplomatic friction between the two nations. With the Michelena-Pombo Treaty of 1833,

250-429: A recession , and in 2015, had the world's highest inflation, surpassing 100%. In 2017, Donald Trump 's administration imposed more economic sanctions against PDVSA and Venezuelan officials. Economic problems, as well as crime, were the causes of the 2014–present Venezuelan protests . Since 2014, roughly 5.6 million people have fled Venezuela . In January 2016, Maduro decreed an "economic emergency", revealing

375-561: A 1999 constituent assembly to write a new Constitution. The Revolution refers to a left-wing populism social movement and political process led by Chávez, who founded the Fifth Republic Movement in 1997 and the United Socialist Party of Venezuela in 2007. The "Bolivarian Revolution" is named after Simón Bolívar . According to Chávez and other supporters, the "Bolivarian Revolution" sought to build

500-482: A cent to bury him, I think, for all the pearls, the gold he had … stolen from the Indians, for all the slaves he had made of them the times he hit the mainland. He willed himself to be buried (beneath) the door of the … monastery of St. Francis..." This was so that all the visitors to the monastery would walk over his grave as a penance for all the errors that he had committed during his life. His remains were moved to

625-419: A clean slate and his political rights reinstated, allowing Chávez to win and maintain the presidency continuously from 1999 until his death in 2013. Chávez won the elections of 1998, 2000, 2006 and 2012 and the presidential referendum of 2004. A collapse in confidence in the existing parties led to Hugo Chávez being elected president in 1998 and the subsequent launch of a "Bolivarian Revolution", beginning with

750-547: A dozen men and the pirate Talavera still surviving, he arrived in the district of Cueybá where the chief Cacicaná provided food and shelter. Ojeda was true to his word and he built a small hermitage to the Virgin in the village, which was venerated by the local people. The party was rescued by Pánfilo de Narváez and taken to Jamaica , where Talavera was imprisoned for piracy. From Jamaica Ojeda returned to Hispaniola where he learned that Fernández de Enciso had been able to relieve

875-428: A fort, Santo Tomas (named as a rebuke to those who doubted the presence of gold), to serve as a trading post and as a base for further prospecting. Pedro Margarite, a nobleman from Aragon and a confidant of the king, was put in command of the fort when Columbus returned to Isabela. In April 1494, Columbus sent Ojeda with a force of about 350 soldiers to relieve Margarite at Santo Tomas. Columbus wanted Margarite to take

1000-677: A heavy dependence on agricultural exports. It prompted a boom that lasted into the 1980s; by 1935, Venezuela's per capita gross domestic product was Latin America's highest. Gómez benefited handsomely from this, as corruption thrived, but at the same time, the new source of income helped him centralize the state and develop its authority. Gómez remained the most powerful man in Venezuela until his death in 1935. The gomecista dictatorship (1935–1945) system largely continued under Eleazar López Contreras , but from 1941, under Isaías Medina Angarita ,

1125-603: A large expeditionary force to come under general Pablo Morillo , with the goal to regain the lost territory in Venezuela and New Granada. As the war reached a stalemate on 1817, Bolívar reestablished the Third Republic of Venezuela on the territory still controlled by the patriots, mainly in the Guayana and Llanos regions. This republic was short-lived as only two years later, during the Congress of Angostura of 1819,

1250-462: A large quantity of fresh water being inside and in such close proximity to salt water; the very mild temperateness also corroborates this; and if the water of which I speak does not proceed from Paradise then it is an even greater marvel, because I do not believe such a large and deep river has ever been known to exist in this world. Spain's colonization of mainland Venezuela started in 1522, establishing its first permanent South American settlement in

1375-447: A little more than 300 men, two brigs and two smaller ships. Among those who embarked on these four vessels was Francisco Pizarro , the future conqueror of Peru . Hernán Cortés , who was later to dominate Mexico , would have been among the soldiers of fortune engaged in this adventure, had a sudden illness not prevented him from sailing. Due to the disputes regarding the extent of each of the two governorates, Juan de la Cosa decided that

SECTION 10

#1732769360292

1500-706: A longstanding dispute with Great Britain about the Essequibo territory, which Britain claimed as part of British Guiana and Venezuela saw as Venezuelan territory, erupted into the Venezuela Crisis of 1895 . The dispute became a diplomatic crisis when Venezuela's lobbyist, William L. Scruggs , sought to argue that British behavior over the issue violated the United States ' Monroe Doctrine of 1823, and used his influence in Washington, D.C., to pursue

1625-566: A mass movement to implement Bolivarianism — popular democracy , economic independence, equitable distribution of revenues, and an end to political corruption. They interpret Bolívar's ideas from a populist perspective, using socialist rhetoric. This led to formation of the Fifth Republic of Venezuela , commonly known as the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , that continues to the present day. Venezuela has been considered

1750-486: A mechanism of political innovation. Venezuela decentralized its political system and diversified its economy, reducing the size of the state. COPRE operated as an innovation mechanism, also by incorporating issues into the political agenda, that were excluded from public deliberation by the main actors of the democratic system. The most discussed topics were incorporated into the public agenda: decentralization, political participation, municipalization, judicial order reforms and

1875-431: A mountainous region of the island known as Cibao. Ojeda returned two weeks later bringing a few substantial gold nuggets and reporting there was much gold to be found in the area. The discovery of gold focused attention on Cibao. In March 1494 Columbus led a group of nearly 500 men to explore the region. The hunt for gold was unsuccessful but natives from the surrounding area brought in gold for trade. Columbus established

2000-464: A report documented enforced disappearances that occurred in 2018–19. 724 enforced disappearances of political detainees were reported. The report stated that security forces subjected victims to torture . The report stated the government used enforced disappearances to silence opponents and other critical voices. Maduro ran for a third consecutive term in the 2024 presidential election , while former diplomat Edmundo González Urrutia represented

2125-467: A result of demonstrations by poor Chávez supporters and actions by the military. Chávez remained in power after an all-out national strike that lasted from December 2002 to February 2003 , including a strike/lockout in the state oil company PDVSA . Capital flight before and during the strike led to the reimposition of currency controls . In the subsequent decade, the government was forced into currency devaluations. These devaluations did not improve

2250-482: A series of what have become known as the "minor journeys" or "Andalusian journeys" that were made to the New World. On leaving Spain the flotilla sailed along the west coast of Africa to Cape Verde before taking the same route that Columbus had used a year before on his third voyage. After making landfall Vespucci decided to separate from the flotilla and he sailed south towards Brazil . The main flotilla arrived at

2375-399: A swordsman and his bravery. Alonso was slight of stature, clever, and handsome. It was reputed that he was always the first to draw blood in any fight. According to Bartolomé de las Casas , he combined "in his person all the bodily perfections that man could have, despite his small size." Following Columbus's successful first voyage of discovery, a second voyage with a much larger fleet

2500-667: Is bordered on the north by the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean , on the west by Colombia , Brazil on the south, Trinidad and Tobago to the north-east and on the east by Guyana . Venezuela is a presidential republic consisting of 23 states , the Capital District and federal dependencies covering Venezuela's offshore islands. Venezuela is among the most urbanized countries in Latin America;

2625-547: Is disputed: it is usually stated that Ojeda returned in June 1500 but the historian Demetrio Ramos has suggested the earlier date of November 1499. Ojeda decided to make another journey and he received a new commission from the Catholic Monarchs on 8 June 1501. He was appointed Governor of Coquivacoa behind the back of Christopher Columbus. This appointment gave him the right to found a colony in this area, although he

SECTION 20

#1732769360292

2750-498: Is entirely located in the tropics over the Equator to around 12° N. Its climate varies from humid low-elevation plains, where average annual temperatures range as high as 35 °C (95.0 °F), to glaciers and highlands (the páramos ) with an average yearly temperature of 8 °C (46.4 °F). Annual rainfall varies from 430 mm (16.9 in) in the semiarid portions of the northwest to over 1,000 mm (39.4 in) in

2875-461: The 1947 Venezuelan presidential election (the first free and fair elections in Venezuela). Gallegos governed until overthrown by a military junta led by the triumvirate Luis Felipe Llovera Páez  [ es ] , Marcos Pérez Jiménez , and Gallegos' Defense Minister, Carlos Delgado Chalbaud , in the 1948 Venezuelan coup d'état . The most powerful man in the military junta (1948–58)

3000-589: The 1968 election for COPEI, the first time a party other than Democratic Action took the presidency through a democratic election. The new democratic order had its antagonists. Betancourt suffered an attack planned by the Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo in 1960, and the leftists excluded from the Pact initiated an insurgency by organizing themselves into the Armed Forces of National Liberation, sponsored by

3125-702: The 2018 election with 68% of the vote. The result was challenged by Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, France and the US who deemed it fraudulent and recognized Juan Guaidó as president. Other countries continued to recognize Maduro, although China, facing financial pressure over its position, began hedging by decreasing loans, cancelling joint ventures, and signaling willingness to work with all parties. In August 2019, Trump imposed an economic embargo against Venezuela. In March 2020, Trump indicted Maduro and Venezuelan officials, on charges of drug trafficking, narcoterrorism , and corruption. In June 2020,

3250-409: The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a country on the northern coast of South America , consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea . It comprises an area of 916,445 km (353,841 sq mi), and its population was estimated at 29 million in 2022. The capital and largest urban agglomeration is the city of Caracas . The continental territory

3375-594: The Essequibo area and with Colombia concerning the Gulf of Venezuela . In 1895, after years of diplomatic attempts to solve the border dispute, the dispute over the Essequibo River border flared up. It was submitted to a "neutral" commission (composed of British, American, and Russian representatives and without a direct Venezuelan representative), which in 1899 decided mostly against Venezuela's claim. Venezuela

3500-742: The Guajira Peninsula was divided longitudinally between Venezuela and Colombia. However, the Venezuelan Congress refused to ratify that document because it was considered unfavorable to the nation in several of its parts. In 1856, Venezuela protested Colombia's attempt to grant a guano concession, which finally did not materialize. On August 22, 1871, the Venezuelan government included the islands as part of "Territorio Colón" (along with other archipelagos such as Los Roques, or islands such as La Tortuga), an entity that organized

3625-717: The Indigenous inhabitants . Native caciques (leaders) such as Guaicaipuro ( c.  1530–1568 ) and Tamanaco (died 1573) attempted to resist Spanish incursions, but the newcomers ultimately subdued them. In the 16th century, during the Spanish colonization, indigenous peoples such as the Mariches , themselves descendants of the Kalina, were converted to Roman Catholicism . Some resisting tribes or leaders are commemorated in place names, including Caracas, Chacao and Los Teques . The early colonial settlements focused on

3750-631: The Maracaibo lowlands in the northwest, the northern mountains extending in a broad east–west arc from the Colombian border along the northern Caribbean coast, the wide plains in central Venezuela, and the Guiana Highlands in the southeast. The northern mountains are the extreme northeastern extensions of South America's Andes mountain range. Pico Bolívar , the nation's highest point at 4,979 m (16,335 ft), lies in this region. To

3875-632: The River Atrato would form the boundary between the two regions. Ojeda promised to make the wealthy lawyer Martín Fernández de Enciso mayor of the new colony that Ojeda planned to establish in New Andalusia. Encisco was ordered to follow on after the main flotilla with a chartered boat and more provisions. The main flotilla finally set sail from Santo Domingo on 10 November 1509, a few days ahead of Nicuesa. The flotilla arrived at Bahia de Calamar in present-day Cartagena ( Colombia ). This

Los Monjes Archipelago - Misplaced Pages Continue

4000-506: The Unitary Platform ( Spanish : Plataforma Unitaria Democrática ; PUD), the main opposition political alliance. Polls conducted before the election indicated that González would win by a wide margin. After the government-controlled National Electoral Council (CNE) announced partial results showing a narrow Maduro victory on 29 July, world leaders predominantly expressed skepticism of the claimed results and did not recognize

4125-698: The Venezuela Crisis of 1902–1903 , in which Britain, Germany and Italy imposed a naval blockade before international arbitration at the new Permanent Court of Arbitration was agreed. In 1908, another dispute broke out with the Netherlands, which was resolved when Castro left for medical treatment in Germany and was promptly overthrown by Juan Vicente Gómez (1908–35). The discovery of massive oil deposits in Lake Maracaibo during World War I proved pivotal for Venezuela and transformed its economy from

4250-480: The aftermath of the announcement of results by the election authorities, protests broke out across the country . Venezuela is located in the north of South America; geologically, its mainland rests on the South American Plate . It has a total area of 916,445 km (353,841 sq mi) and a land area of 882,050 km (340,560 sq mi), making Venezuela the 33rd largest country in

4375-513: The arepa , a staple in Venezuelan cuisine . After the conquest, the population dropped markedly, mainly through the spread of infectious diseases from Europe. Two main north–south axes of pre-Columbian population were present, who cultivated maize in the west and manioc in the east. Large parts of the llanos were cultivated through a combination of slash and burn and permanent settled agriculture. In 1498, during his third voyage to

4500-478: The capes of Cabo Gracias a Dios (on the border between present-day Honduras and Nicaragua ) and Cabo de la Vela in present-day Colombia. Juan de la Cosa went to Spain to represent Ojeda at court. One of Ojeda's rivals was Diego de Nicuesa . Both candidates had good reputations and sympathizers at court, so the King decided to divide the region into two governorates: Veragua to the west and New Andalusia to

4625-461: The 19th century, Venezuela suffered political turmoil and autocracy, remaining dominated by regional military dictators until the mid-20th century. From 1958, the country had a series of democratic governments, as an exception where most of the region was ruled by military dictatorships, and the period was characterized by economic prosperity. Economic shocks in the 1980s and 1990s led to major political crises and widespread social unrest, including

4750-400: The 70 colonists. A little later Fernández de Enciso, along with Vasco Núñez de Balboa , arrived to assist the survivors. The indigenous people who lived in the area later burnt down the fort. Ojeda eventually returned to Santo Domingo in the brig of a Spanish pirate called Bernardino de Talavera who was fleeing from Hispaniola and passed by the port. When Ojeda returned to Santo Domingo he

4875-599: The Americas, Christopher Columbus sailed near the Orinoco Delta and landed in the Gulf of Paria . Amazed by the great offshore current of freshwater which deflected his course eastward, Columbus expressed in a letter to Isabella and Ferdinand that he must have reached Heaven on Earth (terrestrial paradise): Great signs are these of the Terrestrial Paradise... for I have never read or heard of such

5000-476: The Bolivarian Republic following the adoption of the new Constitution of 1999 . Following Chávez's election, Venezuela developed into a dominant-party system , dominated by the United Socialist Party of Venezuela . In April 2002, Chávez was briefly ousted from power in the 2002 Venezuelan coup d'état attempt following popular demonstrations by his opponents, but Chavez returned after two days as

5125-558: The CNE claims with only some exceptions. Both González and Maduro proclaimed themselves winners of the election. The results of the election were not recognized by the Carter Center and Organization of American States due to the lack of granular results, and disputed by the opposition, which claimed a landslide victory and released access to vote tallies collected by poll watchers from a majority of polling centers as proof. In

Los Monjes Archipelago - Misplaced Pages Continue

5250-626: The Caribbean in November. One of their first stops was the island of Guadalupe where a landing party went missing. Fearing for their safety (the islanders were suspected of being cannibals), Columbus sent Ojeda ashore with an armed contingent to search for the lost group. The missing party eventually showed up on their own but Ojeda's search turned up additional evidence that the Caribs on the island did practice cannibalism. They reached Hispaniola at

5375-680: The Communist Party and Fidel Castro . In 1962 they tried to destabilize the military corps, with failed revolts. Betancourt promoted a foreign policy, the Betancourt Doctrine , in which he only recognized elected governments by popular vote. The 1973 Venezuelan presidential election of Carlos Andrés Pérez coincided with an oil crisis , in which Venezuela's income exploded as oil prices soared; oil industries were nationalized in 1976. This led to massive increases in public spending, but also increases in external debts, until

5500-525: The Granadian army; leading it, he liberated several countries and founded the Republic of Colombia ( Gran Colombia ). Sucre went on to liberate Ecuador and become the second president of Bolivia . Venezuela remained part of Gran Colombia until 1830, when a rebellion led by José Antonio Páez allowed the proclamation of a newly independent Venezuela, on 22 September; Páez became the first president of

5625-645: The Gulf of Paria and made landfall on Margarita Island where, according to some sources, he tried to obtain gold and pearls from the indigenous people using several different methods. He sailed along the coast of Venezuela from Curiana to the Paraguaná Peninsula. On 3 May 1502, he founded a colony on the Guajira Peninsula, at Bahia Honda . The colony was called Santa Cruz and it was the first Spanish settlement on Colombian territory and therefore

5750-550: The Orinoco Delta of the far east and the Amazonian Jungle in the south. The precipitation level is lower in the period from August through April. These periods are referred to as hot-humid and cold-dry seasons. Another characteristic of the climate is this variation throughout the country by the existence of a mountain range called "Cordillera de la Costa" which crosses the country from east to west. The majority of

5875-647: The Santa Cruz colony was abandoned and the Governorship of Coquivacoa was abolished. On regaining his freedom Ojeda remained in Hispaniola for four years with little to do. (Some authors think that, on his release from prison, Ojeda returned to Spain. ) Then in 1508 he learned that King Ferdinand the Catholic was interviewing people interested in colonizing and governing the section of mainland between

6000-869: The Spanish conquest; it has been estimated at one million. In addition to Indigenous peoples known today, the population included groups such as the Kalina (Caribs), Auaké , Caquetio , Mariche , and Timoto–Cuicas . The Timoto–Cuica culture was the most complex society in Pre-Columbian Venezuela, with pre-planned permanent villages, surrounded by irrigated, terraced fields. Their houses were made of stone and wood with thatched roofs. They were peaceful and depended on growing crops. Regional crops included potatoes and ullucos . They left behind art, particularly anthropomorphic ceramics, but no major monuments. They spun vegetable fibers to weave into textiles and mats for housing. They are credited with having invented

6125-402: The Spanish were also raiding villages to capture Indians for slaves. An eyewitness account recorded by historian Bartolomé de las Casas notes, "The Spaniards worked an incredible slaughter on that village, they spared no one, women, children, babies or not. Then they robbed." These actions so provoked the indigenous people that they started to fight against the Spanish settlers. Ojeda defeated

6250-522: The Venezuelan case: the F-16 fighters, later the Colombian frigate withdrew from the area without fighting. On January 22, 1999, the then President of Venezuela, Rafael Caldera , almost at the end of his second term of office (1994-1999), inaugurated the works that allowed the union of the two main islands located to the south of the Monks' archipelago, by creating an artificial rock bridge with land gained from

6375-677: The Vespucci and Ojeda crew, gave a different account. In his work Summa de geografía , he states that the crew found Indigenous peoples who called themselves the Veneciuela. Thus, the name "Venezuela" may have evolved from the native word. Previously, the official name was Estado de Venezuela (1830–1856), República de Venezuela (1856–1864), Estados Unidos de Venezuela (1864–1953), and again República de Venezuela (1953–1999). Evidence exists of human habitation in

SECTION 50

#1732769360292

6500-462: The Welsers the right to explore, rule and colonize the territory, as well as to seek the mythical golden town of El Dorado . The first expedition was led by Ambrosius Ehinger , who established Maracaibo in 1529. After the deaths of first Ehinger (1533), then Nikolaus Federmann , and Georg von Speyer (1540), Philipp von Hutten persisted in exploring the interior. In absence of von Hutten from

6625-481: The area now known as Venezuela from about 15,000 years ago. Tools have been found on the high riverine terraces of the Rio Pedregal in western Venezuela. Late Pleistocene hunting artifacts, including spear tips, have been found at a similar series of sites in northwestern Venezuela; according to radiocarbon dating , these date from 13,000 to 7,000 BC. It is unknown how many people lived in Venezuela before

6750-485: The area now known as Venezuela, as well as being possibly the first journey that Vespucci made to the New World. However, when the expedition arrived in Hispaniola on 5 September the followers of Christopher Columbus were angry because they considered that Ojeda was infringing upon Columbus's exploring privileges. This resulted in brawls and fights between both groups, which left many dead and wounded. Ojeda took many captives back to Spain whom he sold as slaves . Even so,

6875-483: The battle of Jáquimo), in which, under his command, the Spanish were victorious. An account of the battle written by Las Casas states that the native army comprised ten thousand warriors, while there were only some four hundred Spanish soldiers. Of course, these figures may have been exaggerated. Ojeda returned to Spain in 1496. On returning to Spain, Ojeda was commissioned by the Catholic Monarchs , without

7000-580: The bipartisanship governments, used the growing anger at economic austerity measures to justify a coup attempt in February 1992 ; a second coup d'état attempt occurred in November . President Carlos Andrés Pérez (re-elected in 1988) was impeached under embezzlement charges in 1993, leading to the interim presidency of Ramón José Velásquez (1993–1994). Coup leader Chávez was pardoned in March 1994 by president Rafael Caldera (1994–1999, his second term), with

7125-420: The bulk of the soldiers and search the island for gold, seize food from the natives, and capture Caonabo. At an important river crossing controlled by a friendly tribe, Ojeda arrested the local cacique and other officials with the allegation that some clothes had been stolen during a previous expedition. Ojeda cut the ears off one captive and sent the rest back to Isabela in chains. Ojeda's brutal punishment shocked

7250-530: The capital of the province, the crown of Spain claimed the right to appoint a governor. On Hutten's return to the capital, Santa Ana de Coro , in 1546, the Spanish governor Juan de Carvajal had Hutten and Bartholomeus VI. Welser executed. Subsequently, Charles V revoked Welser's concession. The Welsers transported German miners to the colony, in addition to 4,000 African slaves to plant sugar cane plantations. Many German colonists died from tropical diseases, to which they had no immunity , or through wars with

7375-414: The city of Venice , ( Italian : Venezia ), and so the area was given the name Venezuela meaning Little Venice . (However, according to Martín Fernández de Enciso , who supported Ojeda's 1509 expedition, they found a local population calling themselves the Veneciuela , so "Venezuela" may derive from the local term. ) The flotilla arrived at the entrance to Lake Maracaibo on 24 August 1499. The lake

7500-409: The coast where they were rescued by the ships anchored in the bay. Nicuesa arrived with his flotilla soon after and, worried by Ojeda's losses, he gave him arms and men. The two men then forgot their differences and joined forces to seek revenge on the people of Turbaco, who were massacred to a man. Nicuesa then left for Veragua while Ojeda continued traveling along the coast of Nueva Andalucía toward

7625-518: The collapse of oil prices during the 1980s crippled the economy. As the government started to devalue the currency in 1983 to face its financial obligations, standards of living fell dramatically. Failed economic policies and increasing corruption in government led to rising poverty and crime, worsening social indicators, and increased political instability. In the 1980s, the Presidential Commission for State Reform (COPRE) emerged as

SECTION 60

#1732769360292

7750-590: The colonists who had stayed in San Sebastián. After the failure of his journey to Nueva Andalucía, Ojeda did not mount any further expeditions and he renounced his position as governor. He lived out the last five years of his life in Santo Domingo. He later withdrew to the Monasterio de San Francisco where he died in 1515. Las Casas records of his death, that "He died sick and poor, he didn't have

7875-657: The deadly Caracazo riots of 1989, two attempted coups in 1992 , and the impeachment of a President for embezzlement of public funds charges in 1993. The collapse in confidence in the existing parties saw the 1998 Venezuelan presidential election , the catalyst for the Bolivarian Revolution , which began with a 1999 Constituent Assembly , where a new Constitution of Venezuela was imposed. The government's populist social welfare policies were bolstered by soaring oil prices, temporarily increasing social spending, and reducing economic inequality and poverty in

8000-419: The early 18th century, and was then reorganized as an autonomous Captaincy General starting in 1777. Caracas, founded in the central coastal region in 1567, was well-placed to become a key location, being near the coastal port of La Guaira and in a valley, in a mountain range, providing defensive strength against pirates and a more fertile and healthy climate. After unsuccessful uprisings, Venezuela, under

8125-413: The early years of the regime. However, poverty began to rapidly increase in the 2010s. The 2013 Venezuelan presidential election was widely disputed leading to widespread protest , which triggered another nationwide crisis that continues to this day. Venezuela has experienced democratic backsliding , shifting into an authoritarian state . It ranks low in international measurements of freedom of

8250-466: The east as far as the Gulf of Urabá . The former was awarded to Nicuesa and the latter to Ojeda in a commission signed in 1508. The new governors repaired to Santo Domingo to prepare the expeditionary flotillas. There was a great disparity between the two flotillas. As Nicuesa was wealthier and had better credit with the colonial authorities he was able to attract 800 men, many horses, five caravels and two brigs . While Ojeda's flotilla only consisted of

8375-459: The end of November and discovered the fort, Navidad, constructed during the first voyage was in ruins and all the Spaniards left behind were dead. The local natives blamed the trouble on a cacique from the interior named Caonabo. They began to explore the island and build a permanent settlement named Isabela . In January 1494, Columbus sent a small armed party led by Ojeda to search for gold in

8500-581: The exportation of oil, with crude accounting for 86% of exports, and a high price per barrel to support social programs. Beginning in 2014 the price of oil plummeted from over $ 100 to $ 40. This placed pressure on the economy, which was no longer able to afford vast social programs. The Government began taking more money from PDVSA , the state oil company, resulting in a lack of reinvestment in fields and employees. Production decreased from its height of nearly 3 to 1 million barrels (480 to 160 thousand cubic metres ) per day. In 2014, Venezuela entered

8625-455: The extent of the crisis and expanding his powers. In July 2016, Colombian border crossings were temporarily opened to allow Venezuelans to purchase food and basic health items. In September 2016, a study indicated 15% of Venezuelans were eating " food waste discarded by commercial establishments". 200 prison riots had occurred by October 2016. The Maduro-aligned Supreme Tribunal , which had been overturning National Assembly decisions since

8750-400: The first Indian rebellion took place at this spot; the fort was destroyed and ten Spaniards killed by the local tribes. Columbus retaliated with a force of 500 led by Ojeda. The rebels were badly beaten and some 1500 were taken as slaves—600 were shipped to Spain and the remaining were parceled out to those on the island. Alonso de Ojeda also took part in the battle of Vega Real (also called

8875-495: The first on the American mainland. However, the colony did not last for more than three months, as the new arrivals started attacking the indigenous villages in the area, causing constant conflict with them. In addition to this, there were personal difficulties between Ojeda and his men. At this point, Vergara and Campos took Ojeda prisoner and abandoned the settlement with the small amount of plunder that had been captured. Ojeda

9000-409: The flotilla left Santo Domingo the assistance promised by Fernández de Enciso still had not arrived. Francisco Pizarro was placed in charge of the fort and ordered to stay there for the fifty days that it would take for Ojeda to travel to and return from Santo Domingo. However, Ojeda never returned to San Sebastian and after the fifty days, Pizarro decided to leave the colony in the two brigs along with

9125-494: The former Convento Dominico. The excavations also found the remains of Bartholomew Columbus . Ciudad Ojeda , a city on the eastern shore of Lake Maracaibo, is named in his honor. The Spanish writer Vicente Blasco Ibáñez tells the story of the life of the conquistador in his novel El Caballero de la Virgen (1929). Also the Spanish writer Alberto Vázquez-Figueroa tells the story of Ojeda's life in his novel Centauros (2007). Venezuela Venezuela , officially

9250-409: The importance of the voyage comes from the fact that it was the first detailed reconnaissance of the coast of Venezuela and that Spanish explorers carried it out. Following Columbus's third voyage Ojeda is credited with leading the second European expedition to have visited Venezuela, and the first to have visited Colombia. The expedition also gave Juan de la Cosa the chance to draw the first known map of

9375-443: The incumbent government led to the collapse of Venezuela's entire economy. The country struggles with record hyperinflation , shortages of basic goods , unemployment, poverty, disease, high child mortality, malnutrition , environmental issues , severe crime and corruption. These factors have precipitated the Venezuelan refugee crisis in which more than 7.7 million people had fled the country by June 2024. By 2017, Venezuela

9500-495: The independentist forces, launched his Admirable Campaign in 1813 from New Granada , retaking most of the territory and being proclaimed as El Libertador ("The Liberator"). A Second Republic of Venezuela was proclaimed on 7 August 1813, but lasted only a few months before being crushed by royalist caudillo José Tomás Boves and his personal army of llaneros . The end of the French invasion of homeland Spain in 1814 allowed

9625-435: The islands that were not incorporated into the Venezuelan states but belonged to their territory. In 1891, Queen María Cristina of Spain issued an arbitration ruling recognizing Colombia's ownership of almost the entire Guajira Peninsula based on the 1777 and 1790 decrees on the segregation of Maracaibo and Sinamaica, stating that all differences over boundaries were terminated. In 1922, a Swiss arbitration decision reiterated

9750-502: The islands, usually by fishing boats making the short trip from Guajira and the Paraguaná Peninsula. There are three islands or island groups, with a total area of 0.2 km (0.1 sq mi): In 2012 the Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela named a Damen Stan Lander 5612 landing craft after the islands. Alonso de Ojeda Alonso de Ojeda ( Spanish pronunciation: [aˈlonso ðe oˈxeða] ; c. 1466 – c. 1515)

9875-617: The largest and most important river system of the country; it originates in one of the largest watersheds in Latin America. The Caroní and the Apure are other major rivers. Venezuela borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south. Caribbean islands such as Trinidad and Tobago , Grenada , Curaçao , Aruba , and the Leeward Antilles lie near the Venezuelan coast. Venezuela has territorial disputes with Guyana, formerly United Kingdom, largely concerning

10000-594: The leadership of Francisco de Miranda , a Venezuelan marshal who had fought in the American and French Revolutions , declared independence as the First Republic of Venezuela on 5 July 1811. This began the Venezuelan War of Independence . A devastating 1812 Caracas earthquake , together with the rebellion of the Venezuelan llaneros , helped bring down the republic. Simón Bolívar , new leader of

10125-409: The local people and turned them against the Spaniards. When Ojeda arrived at the fort, Margarite refused to follow Columbus's orders and remained at the fort with his men. Not long after he returned to Spain, disapproving of the chaotic situation and mistreatment of the Indians. After Margarite's refusal to capture Caonabo, Columbus ordered Ojeda to find the cacique allegedly responsible for destroying

10250-651: The maritime border between Venezuela and the island of Aruba, which at that time belonged to the Netherlands Antilles, using the Los Monjes archipelago as a reference base. On August 9, 1987 the frigate ARC Caldas of the Colombian Navy sailed in undefined waters of the Gulf that Venezuela considers its own, very close to the archipelago, which caused strong tension between both countries and military mobilization by both governments that included in

10375-790: The matter. Then, U.S. president Grover Cleveland adopted a broad interpretation of the doctrine that declared an American interest in any matter within the hemisphere. Britain ultimately accepted arbitration, but in negotiations over its terms was able to persuade the U.S. on many details. A tribunal convened in Paris in 1898 to decide the issue and in 1899 awarded the bulk of the disputed territory to British Guiana. In 1899, Cipriano Castro , assisted by his friend Juan Vicente Gómez , seized power in Caracas. Castro defaulted on Venezuela's considerable foreign debts and declined to pay compensation to foreigners caught up in Venezuela's civil wars . This led to

10500-462: The most popular and accepted version, in 1499, an expedition led by Alonso de Ojeda visited the Venezuelan coast. The stilt houses in the area of Lake Maracaibo reminded the Italian navigator, Amerigo Vespucci , of the city of Venice , Italy, so he named the region Veneziola , or "Little Venice". The Spanish version of Veneziola is Venezuela . Martín Fernández de Enciso , a member of

10625-525: The mouths of the rivers Essequibo and Orinoco in the Gulf of Paria . It also visited the peninsulas of Paria and Araya, the islands of Trinidad and Margarita and traveled along the continental coast, always in search of a passage towards India. The flotilla then sailed along the Paraguaná Peninsula and sighted the island of Curacao , which was named Giants Island as the indigenous people that were seen were thought to be giants. During

10750-404: The natives in the coastal area and on pursuing some of the survivors who had escaped into the jungle he came upon the village of Turbaco . The Spanish were then taken by surprise by a counterattack. Nearly the entire party were wiped out in the battle and Juan de la Cosa sacrificed his life so that Ojeda could escape. Only one other Spanish soldier survived the battle and he and Ojeda fled back to

10875-554: The new State of Venezuela . Between one-quarter and one-third of Venezuela's population was lost during these two decades of war (including about half the Venezuelans of European descent ), which by 1830, was estimated at 800,000. In the Flag of Venezuela , the yellow stands for land wealth, the blue for the sea that separates Venezuela from Spain, and the red for the blood shed by the heroes of independence. Slavery in Venezuela

11000-640: The northern coast, but in the mid-18th century, the Spanish pushed farther inland along the Orinoco River . Here, the Ye'kuana organized resistance in 1775–76. Spain's eastern Venezuelan settlements were incorporated into New Andalusia Province . Administered by the Royal Audiencia of Santo Domingo from the early 16th century, most of Venezuela became part of the Viceroyalty of New Granada in

11125-546: The notable exception of the Communist Party of Venezuela ), signed the Puntofijo Pact power-sharing agreement. AD and COPEI dominated the political landscape for four decades. During the presidencies of Rómulo Betancourt (1959–64, his second term) and Raúl Leoni (1964–69), substantial guerilla movements occurred. Most laid down their arms under Rafael Caldera 's first presidency (1969–74). Caldera had won

11250-525: The opposition took control, took over the functions of the assembly, creating the 2017 Venezuelan constitutional crisis . In August 2017, the 2017 Constituent National Assembly was elected and stripped the National Assembly of its powers. The election raised concerns of an emerging dictatorship. In December 2017, Maduro declared opposition parties barred from the following year's presidential vote after they boycotted mayoral polls. Maduro won

11375-418: The original Spanish settlement at Navidad. According to Bartolomé de las Casas , Ojeda presented Caonabo with a fine set of polished brass manacles and shackles and convinced him to wear them as a symbol of royalty. The ruse was successful and Ojeda brought the chief back to Columbus. Following Ojeda's mistreatment of the Indians at the river, a fort had to be built to protect the vital crossing. Late in 1494,

11500-501: The party faced several difficulties en route and half of the men died of hunger, illness or other hardships that they met along the way. The sole possession remaining to Ojeda was an image of the Virgin Mary , which he had carried with him since he left Spain. He made a promise on this image that he would build a church dedicated to her in the first village that he reached where he was given hospitality. A little later, and with only

11625-410: The permission of Columbus, to sail for America again, which he did on 18 May 1499 with three caravels . He travelled with the pilot and cartographer Juan de la Cosa and the Italian navigator Amerigo Vespucci . While Columbus had touched a small portion of Venezuelan coast in 1498, it was only after this voyage that sustained contact with indigenous people was established. This was the first of

11750-431: The poor. Poverty began to increase into the 2010s. Nicolás Maduro was picked by Chavez as his successor, appointing him vice president in 2013. Maduro has been president of Venezuela since 14 April 2013, when he won the presidential election after Chavez' death, with 51% of the vote, against Henrique Capriles on 49%. The Democratic Unity Roundtable contested Maduro's election as fraud, but an audit of 56% of

11875-476: The poorest. Hugo Chávez's socioeconomic policies of relying on oil sales and importing goods resulted in large amounts of debt, no change to corruption in Venezuela and culminated into a crisis in Venezuela . As a result, the Venezuelan refugee crisis , the largest emigration of people in Latin America's history, occurred, with over 7 million – about 20% of the country's population – emigrating. Chávez initiated Bolivarian missions , programs aimed at helping

12000-643: The present-day city of Cumaná . In the 16th century, the king of Spain granted a concession to the German Welser family . Klein-Venedig became the most extensive initiative in the German colonization of the Americas from 1528 to 1546. The Welsers were bankers to the Habsburgs and financiers of Charles V , Holy Roman Emperor , who was King of Spain and had borrowed heavily from them to pay bribes for his Imperial election . In 1528, Charles V granted

12125-431: The press and civil liberties and has high levels of perceived corruption . Venezuela is a developing country having the world's largest known oil reserves and has been one of the world's leading exporters of oil . Previously, the country was an underdeveloped exporter of agricultural commodities such as coffee and cocoa, but oil quickly came to dominate exports and government revenues. The excesses and poor policies of

12250-587: The previous terms. In July 1938, the Organic Law was approved by which Venezuela included the territory as part of the Federal Dependencies. In 1952, the Colombian president in charge, Roberto Urdaneta Arbeláez, through his foreign minister Juan Uribe Holguín, in response to a claim by Venezuela, recognized Venezuelan sovereignty over Los Monjes through a diplomatic note (GM-542): "The Government of Colombia declares that it does not object to

12375-487: The recognition and on November 29, 1952, the Venezuelan flag was raised on the islands, with which the government of the Venezuelan general Marcos Pérez Jiménez ended the matter and began the effective occupation of the group of islands by Venezuela, installing a scientific-military observatory. On March 31, 1978, the Maritime Boundary Treaty between the Netherlands and Venezuela was signed, establishing

12500-513: The role of the state in a new economic strategy. The social reality made the changes difficult to apply. Economic crises in the 1980s and 1990s led to a political crisis. Hundreds of people were killed by security forces and the military in the Caracazo riots of 1989, during the second presidential term of Carlos Andrés Pérez (1989–1993) and after the implementation of economic austerity measures. Hugo Chávez , who in 1982 had promised to depose

12625-520: The same journey, he constructed a ship and visited the islands of Aruba and the Las Aves archipelago . During the voyage along the Paraguaná Peninsula, the flotilla entered into a gulf ( Gulf of Venezuela ) where there were villages of the Wayuu people with palafito houses built over the water and supported on stilts made from tree trunks. These villages are said to have reminded Amerigo Vespucci of

12750-411: The sea, using the material obtained from blasting in the islands themselves, as well as inaugurating a security port. The islands consist of rocks rising steeply out of the sea, without any beaches or natural landing. The Venezuelan Navy maintains a base on El Sur, where it constructed a pier. The islands have no natural resources and must be supplied from the mainland. Fishing is the main activity around

12875-430: The situation of the people who rely on imported products or locally produced products that depend on imported inputs, while dollar-denominated oil sales account for the majority of exports. The profits of the oil industry have been lost to "social engineering" and corruption, instead of investments needed to maintain oil production. Chávez survived further political tests, including an August 2004 recall referendum . He

13000-547: The south, the dissected Guiana Highlands contain the northern fringes of the Amazon Basin and Angel Falls , the world's highest waterfall, as well as tepuis , large table-like mountains. The country's center is characterized by the llanos , which are extensive plains that stretch from the Colombian border in the far west to the Orinoco River delta in the east. The Orinoco, with its rich alluvial soils , binds

13125-417: The southwest. On 20 January 1510 he founded the settlement of San Sebastián de Urabá , which in reality was little more than a fort. However, the fort soon grew short of food, which exacerbated the problems caused by the unhealthy climate and the constant threat of attack by the local tribes who attacked the Spaniards with poisoned arrows. Ojeda was wounded in the leg by one such attack. Eight months after

13250-552: The sovereignty of the United States of Venezuela over the Los Monjes Archipelago and that consequently it does not object to the exercise of that sovereignty, or to any act of claim that it may make with respect to the exercise of that sovereignty, or to any act of domination by that country over the archipelago in question." The Venezuelan government, through its ambassador Luis Gerónimo Pietri, thanked for

13375-456: The union of Venezuela with New Granada was decreed to form the Republic of Colombia. The war continued until full victory and sovereignty was attained after the Battle of Carabobo on 24 June 1821. On 24 July 1823, José Prudencio Padilla and Rafael Urdaneta helped seal Venezuelan independence with their victory in the Battle of Lake Maracaibo . New Granada's congress gave Bolívar control of

13500-511: The unrest between Chavistas and opposition protesters and opposition leaders, including Leopoldo López and Antonio Ledezma were arrested. Human rights groups condemned the arrest of López. In the 2015 Venezuelan parliamentary election , the opposition gained a majority. Venezuela devalued its currency in February 2013 due to rising shortages, which included milk and other necessities. This led to an increase in malnutrition, especially among children. The economy had become dependent on

13625-430: The vast majority of Venezuelans live in the cities of the north and in the capital. The territory of Venezuela was colonized by Spain in 1522 amid resistance from Indigenous peoples. In 1811, it became one of the first Spanish-American territories to declare independence from the Spanish and to form part of the first federal Republic of Colombia ( Gran Colombia ). It separated as a full sovereign country in 1830. During

13750-529: The vote showed no discrepancies, and the Supreme Court of Venezuela ruled Maduro was the legitimate president. Opposition leaders and some international media consider Maduro's government a dictatorship. Since February 2014, hundreds of thousands have protested over high levels of criminal violence, corruption, hyperinflation, and chronic scarcity of basic goods due to government policies. Demonstrations and riots have resulted in over 40 fatalities in

13875-466: The voyage was not financially successful, netting some fifteen thousand maravedis in profit to be divided among the fifty-five crew members surviving from the original three hundred. Note, that since forty maravedis per day was an average wage for skilled labor at this time, they could have made more money staying at home. Returning on the heels of Pedro Alonso Nino 's smaller but far more lucrative voyage magnified this disappointment. The date of return

14000-415: The world . The territory it controls lies between latitudes 0° and 16°N and longitudes 59° and 74°W . Shaped roughly like a triangle, the country has a 2,800 km (1,700 mi) coastline in the north, which includes numerous islands in the Caribbean and the northeast borders the northern Atlantic Ocean. Most observers describe Venezuela in terms of four fairly well defined topographical regions:

14125-458: Was Pérez Jiménez and he was suspected of being behind the death of Chalbaud, who died in a bungled kidnapping in 1950. When the junta unexpectedly lost the 1952 presidential election , it ignored the results and Jiménez was installed as president Jiménez was forced out on 23 January 1958. In an effort to consolidate a young democracy, the three major political parties ( Acción Democrática (AD), COPEI and Unión Republicana Democrática (URD), with

14250-474: Was a Spanish explorer, governor and conquistador. He travelled through modern-day Guyana , Venezuela , Trinidad , Tobago , Curaçao , Aruba and Colombia , at times with Amerigo Vespucci and Juan de la Cosa . He is famous for having named Venezuela, which he explored during his first two expeditions, for having been the first European to visit Guyana, Curaçao, Colombia, and Lake Maracaibo , and later for founding Santa Cruz (La Guairita). Alonso de Ojeda

14375-600: Was abolished in 1854. Much of Venezuela's 19th-century history was characterized by political turmoil and dictatorial rule, including the Independence leader José Antonio Páez, who gained the presidency three times and served 11 years between 1830 and 1863. This culminated in the Federal War (1859–63). In the latter half of the century, Antonio Guzmán Blanco , another caudillo , served 13 years, between 1870 and 1887, with three other presidents interspersed. In 1895,

14500-479: Was accompanied by seventy men and he was seeking help. However, the pirate took Ojeda prisoner and would not set him free. At this point, a powerful hurricane struck the boat and Talavera had to seek help from Ojeda. Despite their efforts, the ship was shipwrecked at Jagua, Sancti Spíritus , in the south of Cuba . Ojeda decided to travel along the coast on foot with Talavera and his men to reach Maisí Point from where they would be able to get to Hispaniola. However,

14625-718: Was advised not to visit Paria. On this occasion he formed a partnership with the Andalusian merchants Juan de Vergara and García de Campos , who were able to charter four caravels : the Santa María de la Antigua , the Santa María de la Grenada , the Magdalena , and the Santa Ana . Ojeda set sail from Spain in January 1502 and he followed the same route as his first voyage. On this occasion, he kept his distance from

14750-401: Was against the wishes of De la Cosa who did not want to land in the area. After disembarking with about 70 men Ojeda encountered some indigenous tribes. He then sent out missionaries and interpreters to read out the proclamation that had been drafted by Palacios Rubios. The indigenous people were upset by this proclamation and so Ojeda tried to placate them by offering them trinkets. At this time

14875-698: Was born in Torrejoncillo del Rey , New Castile around 1466. His father, Rodrigo de Huete, was a minor noble who fought for Isabel in 1474 during the War of the Castilian Succession . Isabel was grateful for his support and put his son, Alonso, under her protection. In his youth, Alonso served the Duke of Medinaceli , Luis de la Cerda. In service to the duke, he distinguished himself in the conquest of Granada with his military abilities, his skill as

15000-422: Was declared to be in default regarding debt payments by credit rating agencies . The crisis in Venezuela has contributed to a rapidly deteriorating human rights situation. The 2024 presidential election were not recognized by the Carter Center and Organization of American States due to the lack of granular results, and disputed by the opposition, leading to protests across the country . According to

15125-663: Was elected for another term in December 2006 and for a third term in October 2012. However, he was never sworn in due to medical complications; he died in March 2013. The presidential election that took place in April 2013, was the first since Chávez took office in 1999 in which his name did not appear on the ballot. Under the Bolivarian government, Venezuela went from being one of the richest countries in Latin America to one of

15250-470: Was organized for Columbus by Juan Rodríguez de Fonseca . Medinaceli had been a patron of both Columbus and Ojeda, so perhaps it is not surprising that Ojeda was selected at a relatively young age to captain one of the ships on this new voyage. Fonseca was also impressed with Ojeda and would later become his most important patron. The fleet sailed for the island of Hispaniola in September 1493 and reached

15375-472: Was originally named after Saint Bartholomew as this was his saints day. Ojeda also reached Cabo de la Vela , on the Guajira Peninsula, which he named Coquivacoa . A few days later the expedition left Cabo de la Vela for Hispaniola with some pearls obtained in Paria, a little gold and several slaves. The scarcity of goods and slaves resulted in a poor economic return for investors in the expedition. However,

15500-458: Was put in prison in Hispaniola in May 1502, where he was held until 1504. He was released following an appeal made by Archbishop Rodríguez de Fonseca, although he had to pay a costly indemnity, which left him with little money. The second voyage was, therefore, a failure as he had not discovered any new areas and he had not received much of a share of the plunder obtained by Vergara and Campos. Besides,

15625-470: Was relaxed. Angarita granted a range of reforms, including the legalization of all political parties. After World War II, immigration from Southern Europe and poorer Latin American countries markedly diversified Venezuelan society. In 1945, a civilian-military coup overthrew Medina Angarita and ushered in a period of democratic rule (1945–1948) under the mass membership party Democratic Action , initially under Rómulo Betancourt , until Rómulo Gallegos won

#291708