HEROES OF VENEZUELA’S HISTORY
Simón Bolívar
Simón Bolívar is the Father of the Country and the inspiration behind the Venezuelan Constitution that carries his name. He was born in Caracas on July 24, 1783, and died in Colombia on December 17, 1830.
Bolívar united a great part of Latin America to fight the occupant Spanish empire. The Liberator, in company of the towns that joined him, fought for and gained the independence of six nations: Venezuela, Colombia, Panamá, Ecuador, Perú and Bolivia. His thoughts and example are and will always be a guide for the Venezuelan people.
Francisco de Miranda
Sebastián Francisco de Miranda Espinoza was born in Caracas March 28, 1750. Called “The Universal Man of Caracas,” Miranda participated in the French Revolution, the American Revolutionary War and the Venezuela independence movement. His name is inscribed on the Arch of Triumph of the Heroes of the French Revolution.
In 1806, he took on the task of preparing an expedition to invade Venezuela and free it of Spanish rule. On that occasion, Miranda brought to Venezuela the flag that would become today’s tricolor national symbol. While his expedition failed and he was chased away, in 1810 he returned to the country at Simón Bolívar’s invitation to take the role of Commander-in-Chief of the patriotic army. In 1812 he surrendered to the leader Spanish Domingo Monteverde, leading to the loss of the First Republic. He died in 1816 while in a Spanish prison. Years later his ideas became inspiration for the total independence of the Americas.
Luisa Cáceres
Luisa Cáceres of Arismendi was born in 1799. A heroine of Venezuela’s fight for independence, she was distinguished for her bravery in confronting the Spanish, who tried to trade her for the surrender of her husband, General Juan Bautista Arismendi.
She became famous for the phrase: “That my husband fulfills his duty so that I will know to comply with mine.”
Pedro Camejo, “The First Black”
Pedro Camejo, known as the “First Black,” was a valiant Cavalry Lieutenant under the service of General Jose Antonio Páez. Born somewhere in the Venezuelan plains around 1790, Camejo fought in the Campaign of the Plains and died in 1821 at the Battle of Carabobo.
It was the brilliant military action of this battle that led to the independence of Venezuela. Camejo was famous for his loyalty. Historians tell that in the Battle of Carabobo, he approached General Páez, who rebuked him harshly, thinking Camejo was fleeing the fighting. The brave Afro-Venezuelan responded by showing him his mortal injuries and saying: “No, my General, I am not afraid, I came to tell you goodbye because I am dead.” He then fell off of his horse and died, fighting for the liberty of the country.
Guaicaipuro
Guaicaipuro was a chief of the Teques Caribbean natives. He was a heroic defender of the Valley of Caracas. Guaicaipuro is the symbol of the resistance and strength of the Venezuelan people.
Before the invasion and occupation of the conquering Captain Francisco Fajardo, Guaicaipuro crafted an alliance with other important native chiefs, which allowed them to chase off the invading Spanish. Two years later, Diego de Losada entered the valley and was defeated by the same coalition of tribes. But this time, Losada persisted until he won. Guaicaipuro then started an aggressive campaign of guerrilla warfare against the Spanish.
Manuelita Saenz
Manuelita Sáenz was an intelligent and beautiful woman born in the territory that is currently the Republic of Ecuador. She was known as “the Liberator of the Liberator,” a mistress, confidante and political ally of Simón Bolívar.
In 1828, she saved Bolivar from death at the hands of mutinous officers. She was an active colonel in the army and gave of herself to complete many important tasks and services for Venezuela.
The Black Hippolyta
The Black Hippolyta, a self-sacrificing member of the servants of the Bolivar family, was the true mother of Simon Bolivar. As Bolicar said of his black mother: “The slave who was father and mother of the twice-orphaned boy Simon.” Hippolyta symbolizes the love and the self-sacrifice of Venezuelan mothers.
