He had six siblings, but only he and his brother and fellow revolutionary Felipe Fermín Paúl Terreros received higher education.

When the First Republic of Venezuela was established, he was made the prosecutor of the High Court of Justice and of the Royal Treasury.

[2][1] Returning from exile, he became the War Auditor[1] for the United Provinces of New Granada in the Magdalena Campaign, with his commander Mariano Montilla unable to find a suitable military role for him.

[4] At a celebration of the anniversary of the start of the Venezuelan War of Independence hosted by the Patriotic Society, Coto Paúl delivered a now-famous speech where he extolled anarchism.

May anarchy, with the torch of the furies in hand, guide us to discussion, so that its smoke intoxicates rebels against order so they follow it through the streets and plazas shouting ¡Libertad!El anarquismo en América Latina records that Coto Paúl's anarchism may have been influenced by Sylvain Maréchal.