After taking part, alongside Luis Brion, in the glorious victory of the people of Curaçao against an English military force of more than 1200 soldiers in February 1804, both Piar and Brion set out in search of support in the Caribbean, convinced that the English would return and better preparations were needed.
This effort did not yield the expected results, and at one point, Brion ended up in America. At the same time, in 1806, Piar appeared in Haiti as the Captain of a ‘frigate of war’ under President Jean Jacques Dessalines and later President Alexandre Pétion.
In February of the same year, Francisco de Miranda passes through Haiti in search of aid.
In February of the same year, Francisco de Miranda passed through Haiti, seeking support from Dessalines to invade the western coast of Venezuela. Due to a lack of documents, it is unclear whether Piar followed De Miranda on this occasion and consequently participated in the first invasion of Venezuela on April 28, 1806.
Historians like Tavera Acosta think that it was only in 1806 that De Miranda and Piar met for the first time in Barbados. So, after the first invasion failed, it was inevitable that he participated in the second invasion from April 1 to 4 with the rank of captain. He quickly rose to the rank of Naval Lieutenant.
De Miranda’s invasion
For historical clarity, it is also worth noting that De Miranda’s invasion was not the first armed action against the Spanish. There were two others before it: Firstly, a slave rebellion that occurred on May 10, 1795, in Coro, led by the zambo Jose Leonardo Chirino, and a rising in La Guaira in 1797, directed by the independence advocates Jose Maria España, Manuel Gual, and Juan Bautista Picornell. Notably, Piar and his mother also participated in this uprising, demonstrating that from the beginning, Piar was committed to the cause of the independence movement in our region.
In January 1813, Piar participated in a second invasion
In January 1813, Piar took part in a second invasion, this time on the eastern coast of Venezuela, and as the second leader behind Francisco Marino. Soon, Piar’s genius as an invincible military leader would reveal itself. In a short time, he defeated the bloodthirsty Spanish commanders Antonio Zuazola and Francisco De la Hoz one after another around Maturin.
“Except for Piar, no other military leader and officer is worth a penny; they are a group of cowards…!”
Given my good understanding of all this, the city of Maturin, its brave inhabitants, and those in command made the commendable decision to defend their freedom to the death if necessary. Monteverde is furious by the categorical rejection of Piar, and Monteverde attacks furiously.
Piar and his warriors respond heroically and practically crush the formidable and proud Domingo Monteverde, Commander-in-Chief of all Spanish troops in Venezuela—afterward, Piar defeats another Spanish General one after another.
Piar’s courage, determination, genius, and innate military intuition were such that even his direct military enemies praised him. In a letter to his friend La Torre, Don Pablo Morillo, another commander-in-chief of the Spanish troops, wrote: “Except for Piar, no other military leader and officer is worth a penny; they are a group of cowards…!”
“This man is invincible. He uses a tactic that combines a confrontation system in open terrain with guerrilla practices: ‘ hit, run, and turn face.’
Afterward, Morillo continues describing Piar’s exploits, not hiding his admiration for Piar’s genius. He notably emphasizes that Don Pablo Morillo was proudly burdened with the nickname ‘The Man from the Regime of Terror.’ Moreover, the cruel, formidable, and ultra-bloodthirsty Spanish General José Tomás Boves, rightfully deserving of the nickname “Beast on Horseback,” is no less praiseworthy in his subsequent comment about Piar: “This man is invincible. He uses a tactic that combines a confrontation system in open terrain with guerrilla practices: ‘ hit, run, and turn face.’ (Decree of War to the Death: June 15, 1813).”
According to Venezuelan historians from the so-called ‘New Wave’ following World War II, Piar emerged victorious in 24 battles, both large and small, one after another. He never lost a single confrontation. Lieutenant Colonel Ferdinand Galindo, who served as Piar’s defender during his October 15, 1817 trial, also agrees. We will return to this subject later.
A battle within a battle…
This concerns a historic fact, the first of its kind on the solid ground of the entire American continent. Piar was fighting a battle within a battle. While others were engaged in a nationalist struggle aimed at liberating South America from Spanish colonial dominance, Piar had an additional sacred goal: the liberation of those who were in slavery and shameful poverty.
However, Piar’s most glorious feat, having by then attained the rank of General-in-Chief, was his crushing victory at San Felix on April 11, 1817. This victory definitively marked the liberation of Eastern Venezuela. In Angostura, the people received him as their Liberator and bestowed upon him the title of “Liberator of the East.”
For clarity, it’s worth noting that at that time Venezuela was effectively divided into a Western and an Eastern part, with both parts functioning quite independently of each other. Bolívar and Brion were more active in the Western part, while Piar and Marino operated in the Eastern part.
Undoubtedly, the liberation of Eastern Venezuela was crucial, not only for the liberation of the rest of Venezuela but also in a sense for the other Latin American countries that would later form what is known as Gran Colombia. In addition to being the liberation of the first territory in South America and Central America, Piar’s achievement created a ‘Safe Haven’ where independence fighters could move freely and from which they could launch guerrilla actions against their enemies.
Moreover, the liberated territory was rich in agriculture and livestock breeding, which provided great relief for the substantial consumption needs of the growing liberation troops. Equally important was the abundance of donkeys in the territory, as at that time donkeys were of crucial importance for war logistics. From a psychological perspective, Piar’s achievement was also of great value, as it proved that the Spanish could be decisively defeated. From that moment, the liberation of Venezuela was no longer a question of ‘if’ but ‘when’.
There, they truly value me…”
However, the decisive success of General-in-Chief Manuel Piar led to the definite intensification of an existing power struggle between Bolívar and Piar over Eastern Venezuela. This conflict eventually resulted in Piar’s capture, trial, and execution. Abandoned by friends and fellow combatants and pursued by enemies, in his desperation he requested a passport to return to his native island of Curaçao. At that time, he expressed himself in the following way: “I want to go back to my country. There, no false people walk around. There, they truly value me.”
Piar’s defense in front of a Court Martial, where the majority of the members were hostile towards Piar, was in the hands of Lieutenant Colonel Fernando Galindo. His defense, which dismantled an action against Piar, was brilliant. I will quote a small part where Galindo convincingly describes the genius, heroism, determination, and extraordinary courage of Piar, and this in front of his worst enemies.
Distinguished Gentlemen, today the Republic of Venezuela finds itself facing the most precarious and delicate matter it has ever confronted, considering the case that will be addressed today. The prodigious judge, the conqueror and terror of the Spaniards, one of the most stable pillars of our homeland, General Piar, appears today before this distinguished Court as the most criminal and detestable figure among us.
How is it possible that Colonel Sanchez dares to denounce Piar as a vile monster, while Piar is the one who has contributed the most to the recovery of the Republic of Venezuela, the liberator of the East, hero of Maturin, vanquisher of Corocillos, and terror of the Spaniards in Cumanacoa, who with his name, bravery, and courage alone emerged victorious in battle and at San Felix blew away the proud followers of Morillo; among all other generals of Venezuela, he was never defeated… the one who so many times risked his life for our Republic, who shattered the chains that so many Venezuelans were enchained by… the one whose sword was more feared by the Spaniards than that of Napoleon, and whose mere presence made every tyrant in Venezuela recoil and tremble.
And yet, gunshots rang out on the late afternoon of October 16, 1817, and the body of General-in-Chief Manuel Carel Maria Piar fell against the cathedral wall in Angostura. His last words were heroic. In a state of shock, the attending public returned to their homes and wept in silence behind closed doors for their General-in-Chief, their eternal liberator.
Tico Vos is a professional photographer, producer, and tourism specialist. He has been documenting the History, Culture, and News of Curaçao. This site is a documentation of the history of Manuel Carlos Piar.
