1814 Caracas Exodus

[1] Although a large number of people followed Bolívar on the long journey, another group, especially the most politically committed, sought refuge in the Antilles or New Granada, while a third group gave up the march and returned to Caracas to place themselves under the protection of Archbishop Coll y Prat José Tomás Boves had gathered an army in the Southern plains in 1812, composed of Llaneros, released black slaves, mulattoes, mestizos and Indians whom he treated as equals.

His troops hated the white land- and urban upper classes of Venezuela, and became feared for their summary executions, which became especially notorious for their extreme cruelty, even in a period when such actions were common on both sides of the conflict.

After his victory in the Battle of La Puerta, Boves besieged Valencia on 19 June, bravely defended by Francisco Espejo, which for 21 days withstood the onslaught until capitulating before the offer of respect for the lives and property of the Valencians.

On the evening of 16 July Boves entered Caracas proclaiming a general slaughter against the white population, but when he met no resistance, he published a pardon and only those accused of acting against the Spanish were executed.

[3] Among the illustrious people of the emigration led by Bolívar were two ladies who later figured in the war, Eulalia Buroz and Luisa Cáceres de Arismendi, who during the journey lost four relatives and only she, her mother and a younger brother survived.