During Casa de Venezuela's Bicentennial Celebration, Vice President Rubén Reyes provided the following informative and historical remarks about the Independece of Venezuela.

In 1811 a Congress formed by seven of the 10 provinces of the Captaincy General of Venezuela gathered in Caracas and declared the independence of Venezuela from the Spanish Kingdom.

Among the reasons for the declaration of independence were:

1) It was considered baneful that a small European nation ruled the great expanses of the new world

2) The Spanish colonies had the right of self-government; such idea was fueled by the abdication of Charles IV and Ferdinand VII, and the political instability in Spain

The new nation was established based on the principles of equality of individuals, abolition of censorship and freedom of expression. These values were opposed to those that existed during 300 years of colonial rule.

The declaration proclaimed a new nation called the American Confederacy of Venezuela, authored mainly by Juan Germán Roscio. It was ratified by Congress on July 7th and recorded in the Congress Book of Minutes on August 17.

Today we gather in Philadelphia in front of a statue of Francisco de Miranda, a landmark that represents the significance of both the Venezuelan and American independence processes.

Years before the declaration of Independence, the Venezuelan elite envied the prosperity of the United States and associated it with its independence and republican institutions.

At the time, Venezuelans who traveled to Philadelphia frequently became Masons or members of Lautaro lodges. Francisco de Miranda, Simón Bolívar and Simón Rodríguez all had associations with Masonic lodges in Philadelphia.

Dr. José Ignacio Moreno, rector of the University of Caracas and a sympathizer of the separatist movement, translated and distributed in Venezuela copies of the 1774 and 1775 proclamations of the Philadelphia Continental Congress.

As we know, Miranda initiated the independence movement in Venezuela. He received support from influential Americans such as Alexander Hamilton, Rufus King, General Henry Knox and William Smith, as well as financial backing from merchants such as Samuel Ogden.

Telesforo de Orea, special envoy of Venezuela to the United States, when presented his credentials said, “The United States showed Venezuela the path of liberty and social virtues, and the peoples of South America will also follow insofar as possible the Constitution of North America.”

Today, our nations continue to share strong ties that have grown well beyond Philadelphia and have extended to every state of the union. And the Venezuelan community in Philadelphia in our daily activities, continue to develop and strengthen the ties of friendship, education and commerce.

¡Felicidades!

¡Viva Venezuela!