Columbus's ships arrived on the Coast of Paria (nowadays Venezuela) on his third journey to the New World, on August 3rd of 1498. That same day, during an act chaired by Captain Pedro Tarrero, expeditionaries implanted the Spanish flag. With this act, possesion of the newfound land was taken in name of the King and Queen. During 1500 Venezuela enters the world's cartography by being in the first world map that showed the american continent.
On July 13th, 1797, the authorities of Caracas quelched Venezuela's first attempt to gain independence. On April 19th 1810, the members of the City Council met at the City Hall to decide the political destiny of the country. A new government was formed, and thus Venezuela became part of the free world. Simon Bolivar later proclaimed the country's independence on July 5th, 1811.
Ten years later, in 1821, the Spanish Empire was defeated in the Carabobo Fields. By the end of 1829, the separatist feeling had become widespread, and became a reality the next year in spite of the Liberators effort to avoid this. Venezuela became an Independent Republic, with José Antonio Páez as the first Venezuelan President.
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