The conflict was a struggle for power between the conservative government of President Julián Castro, who had ousted his predecessor José Tadeo Monagas in March 1858, and the liberal opposition led by Ezequiel Zamora.

After this defeat and the death of Ezequiel Zamora, the new Liberal leader Juan Crisóstomo Falcón switched to guerrilla warfare, that by 1863 had weakened the government troops and caused the desertion of thousands of their soldiers.

[3] On 20 February 1859, Lieutenant Colonel Tirso Salaverría occupied the northern Venezuelan military base in Coro and proclaimed the creation of a federation, the abolition of the death penalty, universal suffrage and political pluralism.

Since they were weakened after the unsuccessful attack on San Carlos, Falcón decided to avoid battle and wait for reinforcements from a contingent under General Juan Antonio Sotillo.

On 22 May 1863, President José Antonio Páez and General Falcón signed the PeaceTreaty of Coche (named after an estate not far from Caracas), which sealed the victory of the Liberals.

[5] The Federal War in Venezuela went on for four years until April 1863 due to the signing of the treaty of Coche that put an end to it.

Through his friendship with the lawyer José Manuel García, Zamora learned a lot about philosophy and the foundations of Roman law, and he soon advocated for the "principles of equality" and the need for Venezuela to have this implemented.

León de Febres Cordero was an army and political conservative from Venezuela who was a key leader in the war for independence of the country.