Portal:Venezuela

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The Venezuela Portal

Venezuela, officially, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a federal republic, located at the north of South America. It borders north with the Caribbean Sea, east to Guyana, south with Braziland west with Colombia. Its territory comprehends about 916,445 km², including 600 islands that form the Federal Dependencies, uncounting the Essequiboarea, which has been largely reclaimed by the country.

A country with a large biodiversity, Venezuela is divided into 23 states (estados), the Venezuelan Capital District and the aforementioned dependencies. The capital city is Caracas, where resides the government along the legislative body. The country gained independence from Spain in 1821, and was one of the three nations that formed the Great Colombia. The economy is most based on the petroleum industry, depending also on the agricultural sector. The official language is Spanish, although several indigenous languages are spoken by aboriginal tribes through the nation.

Venezuela is a co-founder member of the OPEC and the South American Community of Nations.

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Selected article

Cachapa with shredded cheese

Cachapas are a part of traditional Venezuelan cuisine. They are made of maize in the form of masa. They are made as fresh corn is ground and then mixed into a batter of the consistency of pancakes, yet slightly thicker and lumpier. It is then cooked like a pancake. It is served with many toppings, but traditionally with butter or margarine and white cheese (queso blanco) on top. They can be prepared as an appetizer or a full breakfast, depending on the size. Cachapas could be very elaborate, some including different kinds of cheese, milky cream, and jam.

Venezuelan Corn Cakes: Cachapas Recipe

10 ears of corn 2 tablespoons sugar 1/4 cup milk Pinch salt Corn oil, for sauteing 1/4 lb fresh cheese

Remove kernels form husk of corn using a sharp knife. Puree in a blender. Mix in the sugar, milk, and salt. Heat griddle to medium heat, lightly coat with corn oil. Spoon mixture onto hot griddle to form "pancakes" of your desired size. Cook for 2 minutes on each side, and fold with a big piece of cheese inside

Cachapas are eaten with "Queso de Mano" Hand Cheese, a soft mozzarella like cheese and also with fried Pork on the side.

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The Estadio Olímpico, in Caracas. Home of Caracas FC. edit

Did you know...

...that the Parque Central Complex towers are the tallest buildings in South America?
...that Francisco de Miranda, a Venezuelan revolutionary leader, took part in the French Revolution and is depicted in Paris's Arc de Triomphe?
...that the Pabellón criollo, Venezuela's national dish (right), is actually a representation of the social classes that existed within the country during the Spanish Colony?
...that the name Venezuela actually means Little Venice?
...that Dr José Gregorio Hernández is widely considered as a saint by Venezuelans, but never given such title by the Vatican?
...that the Mérida Cable Car is the highest aerial tramway in the world?
...that the Venezuelan War of Independence against the Spanish was viewed by the Venezuelan positivism as a civil war?
...that the approximate number of Venezuelan-born currently signed to the Major League Baseball was around 800?
...that the Macagua Hydroelectric Complex is the only one in the world to be within the limits of a city?

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Ephemerides

February 1, 1562 – The city of Nueva Córdoba was founded. It was renamed as Cumaná in 1591.
February 1, 1817 – Ezequiel Zamora is born.
February 1, 1818 – Writer Cecilio Acosta is born in San Diego de los Altos.
February 2, 1806 – Francisco de Miranda leaves New York City on board three ships with 200 men to the Venezuelan coasts, in a first attempt of independentist movement.
February 2 – This is the traditional date of presidential investiture for elected presidential candidates, since 1983.
February 3, 1795 – Independentist revolutionary leader Antonio José de Sucre is born in Cumaná.
February 4, 1944 – Death of Agosto Méndez, poet and composer of the anthem for the Bolivar State.
February 4, 1992 – Lt. Col. Hugo Chávez staged a coup d’etat against the government of Carlos Andrés Pérez. The coup was unsuccessful.
February 6, 1818 – Toma de las Flecheras: In order to capture a group of canoes (flecheras) for crossing the Apure River, José Antonio Páez and fifty lancers assault three Spanish ships.
February 6, 1843 – Birth of Raimundo Andueza Palacios, the 27th President of Venezuela.
February 7, 1859 – Death of Agostino Codazzi, geographer of Venezuela and Colombia, and founder of the Colonia Tovar.
February 7, 1816 – On the eve of the Los Cayos Expedition, an assembly of republicans elect Simón Bolívar as Supreme Chief of independentist forces, giving him civil and military powers.
February 8, 1814 – In the context of the War to Death (Guerra a Muerte), Bolívar orders the execution of 800 Spanish war prisoners, a decision described by himself as “painful”. All the Spanish prisioners were beheaded five days later.
February 10, 1824 – Simón Bolívar is created as Dictator of Peru, to control the situation of anarchy and general chaos in that country.
February 10, 1827 – Painter Martín Tovar y Tovar is born in Caracas.
February 11, 1870 – Death of Carlos Soublette, seventh President of Venezuela, at the age of 80.
February 11, 1876 – President Antonio Guzmán Blanco orders the relocation of independentist leaders and other notable Venezuelan citizens to the Panteón Nacional.
February 12, 1814 – Battle of La Victoria: José Félix Ribas, commanding an army mostly of teenagers above 12 years old, defeats Boves' army in La Victoria. Thus, every February 12 is celebrated as Youth Day.
February 12, 1818 – Battle of Calabozo: Simón Bolívar and José Antonio Páez assault that city with 3,500 soldiers, defeating Pablo Morillo.
February 13, 1877 – The government begins a series of proposals about the Essequibo area, in the context of a territorial dispute with the United Kingdom.
February 14, 1936 – A series of demonstrations against the government of Eleazar López Contreras take place. These are considered as the first of civic demonstrations in the country.
February 15, 1819 – The Congress of Angostura meets for the first time.
February 15, 1971 – President Rafael Caldera decreets the Bolivarian Week in schools, between 15 and 19 of February, with the purpose of studying objectively Bolívar’s political thinking and libertarian actions.
February 16, 1816 – Siege of La Mata De Miel: José Antonio Páez, with only 300 soldiers, defeats an army of 1,600 Spanish royalists in that city. It was Páez's first military victory.
February 17, 1531 – Queen Juana of Castile determinates the creation and management of the Royal Property (Real Hacienda) in Venezuela, belonging in that time to the Welser family.
February 17, 1819 – The Congress of Angostura designates Simón Bolívar as President of Venezuela.
February 17, 1860 – Federal War: Juan Crisóstomo Falcón wins the Battle of Coplé, in Guárico.
February 17, 1925 – Death of Ignacio Andrade, 38th President of Venezuela.
February 17, 1954 – The Congress approves the Law of the National Flag, Coat of Arms, and Anthem.
February 17, 1966 – The Geneva Conference of 1966 creates a commission to solventate the Essequibo territorial dispute between Venezuela and the United Kingdom.
February 18, 1924 – Birth of Humberto Fernández Morán, scientist, and inventor o the diamond scalpel.
February 18, 1983 – The bolívar suffers a serious devaluation. This day was known as the Black Friday (Viernes Negro).
February 19, 1873 – The Capitolio Federal is inaugurated and available for Congress sessioning.
February 20, 1821 – The capital of the Republic of Gran Colombia is moved from Angostura to Cúcuta.
February 20, 1859 – The Federationist movement breaks out in Coro, initiating the Federal War.
February 20, 1938 – The Museo de Bellas Artes is opened to public.
February 21, 1936 – The February Program (Programa de Febrero) is released to public opinion.
February 22, 1908 – Birth of Rómulo Betancourt, 54th President of the Republic.
February 23, 1825 – The Congress of Peru designates Simón Bolívar as Father and Saviour of Peru, and delivering him other honours.
February 23, 1854 – Simón Rodríguez dies at the age of 83.
February 25, 1873 – Writer Luis Manuel Urbaneja Achelpohl is born in Caracas.
February 26, 1787 – The Royal Hearing of Caracas is established.
February 27, 1989 – Rioting and street violence takes place in Caracas, later known as the Caracazo.
February 28, 1761 – Birth of José María España.
February 28, 1788 – The city of San Fernando de Apure is founded.
February 28, 1814 – Battle of San Mateo: Simón Bolívar defeats Boves' army in that city.
February 28, 1829 – Birth of Antonio Guzmán Blanco, who ruled the country three times from 1870 to 1888.
February 28, 1871 – Writer Manuel Díaz Rodríguez is born in Caracas.

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News and Headlines

November 12, 2007

Before flying back to Venezuela from Santiago where he attended the Iberian-American summit, Chavez has defended his performance and his controversial speech. He upset the usual complacent sensibilities at the talking-shop by calling former Spanish President Jose Maria Aznar a fascist who was deeply involved in the coup d'etat against Chavez government in 2002. Both the King of Spain and current President Jose Luis Zapatero closed ranks with Aznar, accusing the Venezuelan President of disrespecting an elected leader. President Chavez' final salvo before returning home was to publicly ask the King whether he personally knew about the coup d'etat against Venezuela. The Venezuelan President insists that the Aznar government openly supported the coup in Venezuela, stating that the Spanish Ambassador at the time was one of the first to applaud the coup while he, the Venezuelan President, was being held prisoner. "It is very difficult to think that the Spanish Ambassador would be at the Palalce supporting the coupsters without His Majesty's authorization because it is he who directs foreign policy." Pro-government supporters have reacted angrily to the incident accusing the Spanish King and the Spanish government of continuing to treat Venezuela like a colony. VHeadline.com

November 11, 2007

In a press release, issued today, Sunday, November 11, the Hugo Chavez International-Foundation for Peace, Friendship & Solidarity (HCI-FPFS) says it has learnt from credible sources of a plot to assassinate the President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez. According to HCI-FPFS sources, the plot (code-named "Operation Cleanse Venezuela") is designed to be put into action before Venezuela's referendum on Constitutional amendments scheduled for December 2. The HCI-FPFS says that CIA agents are working with other foreign secret service organizations on at least three concrete subversive plans to destabilize the government of President Chavez with the objective of obstructing the Referendum. VHeadline.com

October 25, 2007

In a forum about the constitutional reforms at the Caracas Pedagogic College, student leader Yon Goicochea was punched and lesioned by a group of government followers. The act ended in a big clash, and the ex-guerrilla leader, 85-year-old Pompeyo Márquez, was also verbally attacked by chavistas. El Universal Daily News

October 23, 2007

Students rallied towards the National Assembly to protest against the constitutional reform proposed by Chavez. After a brief clash with the police, the students reached the Assembly and deliverd a document demanding more time to discuss the proposals. BBC News

October 19, 2007

Representatives of PODEMOS, a government political party, protested in the Supreme Tribunal of Justice against the intended changes to the national constitution, and asked the National Electoral Council for the postergation of the aprobatory referendum. El Universal (Spanish)
The erected monument for Che Guevara in the Pico El Águila is destroyed by unknown people.

October 16, 2007

2010 FIFA World Cup qualification: The Venezuela national football team loses 0 - 2 to Argentina in Maracaibo. FIFA.com

October 13, 2007

2010 FIFA World Cup qualification: The Venezuela national football team wins 0 - 1 to Ecuador in Quito, earning three points in the qualification. FIFA.com

October 8, 2007

The Government inaugurates a monument in honor of the Che Guevara in the Pico El Águila, located in Mérida.

September 28, 2007

The Government delays the application of the new time zone, alleging technical difficulties and the delayment of the concerning laws.

September 15, 2007

The famous composer, pianist, arrenger and orchestal conductor Aldemaro Romero died in morning hours, in Valencia.

August 21, 2007

The Government announces that the time zone of the country will change by 30 minutes next September. The hour will accommodate the Meridian 66 (UTC -4 1/2), which was used from 1912 to 1965. ABN

August 13, 2007

Guido Antonini Wilson, a Venezuelan-US entrepreneur claiming to be on the Chávez's entourage, arrived in Argentina on a private flight hired by Argentinian and Venezuelan state officials carrying 800,000 dollars in cash without declaring them in Venezuela or Argentina. The police decommissioned it and a whole scandal has started between Argentina and Venezuela about the use of Venezuelan money to finance politics in Argentina and corruption within the Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. and Venezuela in general. The New York Times

July 30, 2007

The Caracas Metro suffers its first accident in its 24 years of public service, when two trains collided in the Plaza Sucre station, leaving one dead and fourteen wounded. El Universal.com(Spanish)

July 16, 2007

The TV channel RCTV begins formal transmission of its programming via cable and satellite, and to an international broadcast. The channel is number 103 in DirecTV, 13 in Inter, 5 in NetUno and 3 in SuperCable. Reuters

July 15, 2007

The Copa América 2007 finishes in the Estadio José Pachencho Romero in Maracaibo. Brazil achieved its eighth title in the tournament, with a victory 3 - 0 over Argentina. Read more

June 26, 2007

The Copa América 2007 begins in Venezuela, with the inaugural matches between Peru vs. Uruguay and Venezuela vs. Bolivia.

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Quotes

Pintor que pintas tu tierra,

si quieres pintar tu cielo,

cuando pintes angelitos,

acuérdate de tu pueblo;

y al lado del ángel rubio

y junto al ángel trigueño,

aunque la Virgen sea blanca,

píntame angelitos negros.

• Andrés Eloy Blanco, "Píntame Angelitos Negros".

English: "Painter, you that paint your land, / if you want to paint your heaven, / when you're painting little angels, / remember where you're from; / and beside the blond angel / and next to the brunette angel, / even if the Virgin is white, / paint me black little angels."

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Portal:Venezuela topics

v • d • e Topics in Venezuela Geography Environmental issues• Fauna& Flora• National parks• Subdivisions(Administrative regions, Cities, States) • World Heritage Sites History New Granada• Captaincy General of Venezuela• Venezuelan Declaration of Independence• Venezuelan War of Independence• Bolívar's War• Battle of Carabobo• Gran Colombia• Federal War Government Constitution• Foreign relations• Military• Missions• National Assembly• President• Supreme Tribunal of Justice Politics Elections• Political parties(Fifth Republic Movement, Democratic Action, COPEI, For Social Democracy, Communist Party of Venezuela, United Socialist Party of Venezuela, A New Era) Economy Communications• Companies• Cooperatives• Education• Energy• Healthcare• Stock exchange• Transport• Venezuelan bolívar Culture Cuisine• Demographics• Heritage• Holidays• Literature• Media• Miss Venezuela• Music• National symbols• Notable Venezuelans• LanguagesPortal:Venezuela

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Things you can do

Here are some Venezuela tasks:

Requests: Adolfo Aristeguieta Gramcko - Banco Industrial de Venezuela - Betancourt Doctrine - Bodegas Pomar - Bolivar Films - Boves' rebellion - Centro Simón Bolívar - Compañía Guipuzcoana de Caracas - Cruz de Mayo - Federico Diaz Legorburu - Generation of 1928 - Greater Caracas - Gustavo J. Vollmer - Indiani - The islands conforming the Federal dependencies of Venezuela - Fermín Toro - Geographical Regions of Venezuela - Juan Bimba - Juan Germán Roscio - Juan Vicente González - List of coats of arms of Venezuela - List of flags of Venezuela - Luis Esteban Palacios - Our Lady of Coromoto - Ron Santa Teresa - Storming of the Venezuelan National Congress - Teatro Municipal de Caracas - The Triumph of Liberty over Despotism - Venezuelan coup d'etát of April 19, 1810 - Venezuelan National Railways and its sub-systems - Venezuelan positivism - Venezuelan rum - Venezuelan wine - Natural disaster of Vargas of 1999(es:Tragedia de Vargas (1999)) .
To Expand: Administrative Regions of Venezuela - Andrés Eloy Blanco - Antonio Guzmán Blanco - Araya Peninsula - Armando Reverón - Art of Venezuela - Arturo Uslar Pietri - Barcelona, Anzoátegui - Barinas, Barinas - Battle of Carabobo - Battle of Lake Maracaibo - CANTV - Carlos Delgado Chalbaud - Carlos Soublette - Caroní River (Venezuela) - Columbus Channel - Coro System - Cumaná - Cuquenan Falls - Doña Bárbara - East-West Railway, Venezuela - El Conde del Guácharo - Eleazar López Contreras - Empresas Polar - Gaita (music style) - General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge - Guanare - Guri Dam - Isla Margarita - Juan Arango - Juan Vicente Gómez - Juan Crisóstomo Falcón - La Asunción - La Guaira - List of anthems of Venezuela - Los Teques - Los Teques Metro - Marcos Pérez Jiménez - Mariano Picón Salas - Mérida Cable Car - Miguel Otero Silva - New Andalusia - Our Lady of Rosario of Chiquinquirá - Pabellón criollo - Palafito - Pedro Elías Gutiérrez - Pico Bolívar - Polar (beer) - Puerto Ayacucho - Rafael Caldera - Ramon Jose Velasquez - San Carlos, Cojedes - San Cristóbal, Táchira - San Felipe, Yaracuy - San Juan de los Morros - Santa Ana de Coro - Siderúrgica del Orinoco - Simón Díaz - Subdivisions of Venezuela (and each one of them) - Tepuy - Teresa Carreño - Tequeño - Tucupita - Trujillo, Trujillo - Valera - Venezuelan literature - Banco del Libro - Valencia, Carabobo - Energy policy of Venezuela.
Find Images: Dancing Devils of Yare
Translate: the anthems for every state. See: List of anthems of Venezuela.
See also: Wikipedia:How to edit a page

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WikiProjects

WikiProject Venezuela

The Project page was designed with the aim of improving the quality of articles related to Venezuela, in Wikipedia and other media. Feel free to join in!