 |
In March 1858, the autocratic Monaga brothers,
who had ruled Venezuela since 1848, were overthrown in a revolution engineered
by Conservatives and Liberals, who were both vying for power. Promptly civil
strife erupted among ambitious caudillos
(military leaders) in the provinces, and Venezuela became embroiled in the
so-called Federalist Wars mainly pitting Conservatives against Liberals, with
the former wanting a centralized government and the latter federalism and
democracy. Fighting was fierce, adn the government was in different hands
several times until Jose Antonio Paez (1790-1873), a former Venezuelan
president, was recalled from exile to form a Conservative ministry (1861). But
turmoil persisted as the Liberals fought against the repressive policies of
Paez, who governed as a harsh dictator until his supporters were defeated in
1863; he again went into exile. By 1864, the Liberals, led by Generals Juan
Falcon (1820-70) and Antonio Guzman Blanco (1829-99), had gained control
and promulgated a federalist consititution.
|
