Venezuela — books & literature

The story of Venezuela

Long before Europeans arrived, the lands now called Venezuela were home to Indigenous peoples such as the Caquetío, Timoto-Cuica, and Warao, living by fishing, farming, and trade around Lake Maracaibo and the Orinoco basin. Christopher Columbus sighted the coast in 1498, and in 1499 explorer Alonso de Ojeda named it "Venezuela" ("little Venice") after stilt houses on Lake Maracaibo reminded his crew of the Italian city. Spain colonised the coast from the 1520s onward, and Caracas became the seat of the Captaincy General of Venezuela in 1777. On 5 July 1811 Venezuela became one of the first Spanish American colonies to declare independence, and native son Simón Bolívar went on to lead the liberation of much of northern South America, decisively winning the Battle of Carabobo in 1821. Venezuela broke away from Bolívar's Gran Colombia in 1830 to become a fully separate republic. The 20th century brought an oil boom that transformed the economy, decades of both democracy and military rule, and, from the late 1990s, the Bolivarian Revolution under Hugo Chávez. Today Venezuela remains a country of vast natural beauty , from Angel Falls to the Amazon , and a literary tradition shaped by that turbulent history.

Timeline — key moments

1. 1498

   Christopher Columbus sights Venezuela's coast on his third voyage.

2. 1499

   Alonso de Ojeda names the region "Venezuela" after Lake Maracaibo stilt villages.

3. 1777

   Caracas becomes capital of the newly formed Captaincy General of Venezuela.

4. 1811

   Venezuela declares independence from Spain on 5 July, among the first in Spanish America.

5. 1821

   Simón Bolívar wins the decisive Battle of Carabobo on 24 June, securing independence.

6. 1830

   Venezuela separates from Gran Colombia to become a fully independent republic.

7. 1922

   A major oil strike at Los Barrosos begins the transformation into a petroleum economy.

8. 1958

   Democratic rule is restored after the fall of dictator Marcos Pérez Jiménez.

9. 1999

   Hugo Chávez is sworn in as president, beginning the Bolivarian Revolution.

Top 10 things to know about Venezuela

1. Angel Falls, in Canaima National Park, is the tallest uninterrupted waterfall on Earth at 979 metres.
2. Simón Bolívar, "El Libertador", was born in Caracas and helped liberate Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia.
3. Venezuela holds one of the largest proven oil reserves in the world.
4. Lake Maracaibo is one of the oldest lakes on the planet and home to near-constant nighttime lightning storms (Catatumbo lightning).
5. The country is named after Venice, from Spanish explorers likening native stilt houses to the Italian city.
6. Venezuela spans dramatically varied terrain, from Caribbean beaches and the Andes to the Amazon rainforest and vast plains (Los Llanos).
7. Spanish is the official language, though several Indigenous languages are still spoken.
8. The hallaca, a corn-dough parcel filled with stew and wrapped in banana leaves, is the essential Christmas dish.
9. Baseball, not football, is the most popular sport, and Venezuela has produced many Major League players.
10. Venezuela has won the Miss Universe and Miss World titles more times than almost any other nation.

Famous people from Venezuela

Say it in Venezuela's language

Did you know?

• ★The lightning storm over the Catatumbo river near Lake Maracaibo flashes on up to 260 nights a year and can be seen for miles.
• ★Angel Falls was named after American aviator Jimmie Angel, who flew over it in 1933 and crash-landed nearby in 1937.
• ★Venezuela was one of the five founding members of OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) in 1960.

Venezuela culture

• Nochebuena (Christmas Eve) centres on hallacas, pan de jamón, and family gatherings that last long into the night.
• Joropo, a fast-paced string-and-harp folk music and dance from Los Llanos, is considered the national musical style.
• El Sistema, Venezuela's free youth orchestra program founded in 1975, has trained world-class musicians including conductor Gustavo Dudamel.
• Baseball is a national passion, with intense rivalry between clubs like the Leones del Caracas and Navegantes del Magallanes.

Why read Venezuela's books

Venezuelan literature runs from Andrés Bello's foundational scholarship through Rómulo Gallegos's landmark novels of land and power to a modern generation of writers shaped by the country's oil-boom highs and turbulent recent decades. Reading Venezuela's books is a way into that whole arc.