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From the 1811 declaration in Caracas to the Battle of Carabobo, the struggle for Venezuelan sovereignty fused elite political ambition with mass social participation.

Venezuela commemorates its Independence Day on July 5, an historic event in 1811, when the country formally broke away from Spanish colonial rule. The decision made in Caracas over two centuries ago changed the geopolitical landscape of the continent and initiated a long process of regional self-determination.

RELATED: Venezuela Commemorates 215 Years of Independence

The declaration of independence was the result of deep social, economic and political shifts occurring both globally and locally. Until now, July 5 is marked by official speeches, civic parades and reflections broadcast across national media.

To learn more about this Venezuelan commemoration, we need to delve into the context: the declaration of independence, the movements behind it, and the unity and support across the continent.

Today in History:

Venezuela celebrates its Independence Day (Día de la Independencia or Cinco de Julio), marking the 215th anniversary in 2026 of its declaration of independence from Spain in 1811.

Venezuela became the first South American nation to formally declare… pic.twitter.com/5Iap1rqKcJ

— Echoes of Eras (@echoesoferas1) July 5, 2026

Context of a Declining Empire

The road to Venezuelan independence began amidst an international crisis that weakened the Spanish Empire. In 1808, French forces led by Napoleon Bonaparte invaded the Iberian Peninsula, forcing King Ferdinand VII of Spain to abdicate.

This sudden power vacuum left the Spanish colonies in the Americas without a recognized sovereign ruler. In response, local leaders across Spain’s colonies formed governing councils, known as juntas, to manage their own affairs during the crisis.

On April 19, 1810, the town council of Caracas established the Supreme Junta, initially claiming to rule in defense of the deposed Spanish king’s rights while establishing practical autonomy.

Inside Venezuela, internal economic and social tensions further accelerated the push for complete independence. The wealthy, locally born Spanish descendants, known as criollos, had long grown frustrated with Spanish mercantilist policies.

These imperial laws forced Venezuela to trade almost exclusively with Spain, suppressing local economic growth and penalizing agricultural producers.

At the same time, Venezuela’s society was strictly stratified. The “criollo” elites (as was known the locals) wanted political power matching their economic status, but faced severe internal pressure from the vast majority of the population, which included Indigenous groups, Afro-descendants, and pardos (mixed-race citizens) who sought broader social and economic rights.

The geopolitical landscape was also heavily influenced by radical philosophical ideas. Intellectuals and revolutionary networks in Caracas studied the ideals of the European Enlightenment, the United States Declaration of Independence of 1776, and the French Revolution of 1789.

These intellectual developments convinced early Venezuelan leaders that reforming their relationship with Spain was no longer viable, making a total break from the imperial center inevitable.

When, Where, and How the Declaration Was Signed

The growing demand for self-determination culminated in the historic sessions of the first Constituent Congress of Venezuela, which began meeting in early 1811.

Representatives from seven of the ten provinces that made up the Captaincy General of Venezuela gathered at the Chapel of Santa Rosa de Lima in Caracas. On July 5, 1811, after days of debates, the Congress held a decisive vote.

The delegates agreed to sever all ties with the Spanish Crown, officially establishing the American Confederacy of Venezuela, later known as the First Republic. This made Venezuela the first South American nation to declare independence.

Juan Germán Roscio and Francisco Isnardi drafted the Act of the Declaration of Independence, and it was signed by the representatives in the subsequent days. The document declared that the provinces were free and independent states, fully absolved of any allegiance to the Spanish monarchy.

However, the declaration faced immediate resistance from royalist factions, and it exposed deep divisions within Venezuelan society. The early independent government was primarily designed by the “criollo” elite, who initially maintained traditional socio-economic structures, including the system of slavery.

For the revolution to survive the upcoming military counter-offensive from Spain, the pro-independence leadership eventually had to realize that formal declarations signed in a boardroom were not enough. To achieve actual sovereignty, the movement needed to evolve into a popular, mass-mobilized struggle that included the broader working-class, pardo, and Afro-descendant populations.

5 July 1811: #Venezuela declares its #independence from #Spanish rule, becoming the first South American nation to do so. The historic declaration, spearheaded by Francisco de Miranda and Simon Bolivar, ignites the #Venezuelan War of Independence and inspires liberation movements… pic.twitter.com/1zs4xf8Tci

— Today In History (@URDailyHistory) July 6, 2026

Key Figures and Their Vision

The push for Venezuelan independence was driven by a diverse group of leaders with distinct perspectives. Among the most prominent early figures was Francisco de Miranda, known as the “Precursor.” Miranda was an experienced military strategist who had fought in the American Revolutionary War and served as a general in the French Revolution.

He brought an internationalist perspective to the Venezuelan struggle, advocating for the creation of a massive, unified independent nation spanning Latin America, which he envisioned calling “Colombeia”. Miranda’s return to Caracas in 1810 energized the radical factions pushing for an immediate declaration.

Another central figure in this process was a young Simon Bolivar, who would later become known across the continent as the “Liberator“. During the historic debates leading up to July 5, Bolivar was a prominent member of the Patriotic Society.

In a famous speech before the society on July 3, 1811, Bolivar challenged the hesitation of the conservative delegates by asking, “Are three hundred years of calm not enough?” He argued that the Congress should not fear great projects, but rather view delay as dangerous.

The success of the independence movement ultimately depended on leaders who could bridge the gap to the masses. As the war progressed, figures like Jose Antonio Paez emerged, leading the so-called “llaneros“. The inclusion of the llaneros transformed the revolutionary army into a force composed of Indigenous, African, and mixed-ancestry soldiers.

These figures demonstrated that independence could not be won solely by aristocratic ideas; it required the direct participation of the subaltern classes fighting for their own social liberation.

The Long March to Sovereignty

The formal declaration of July 5, 1811, was followed by a brutal and protracted war that lasted over a decade. The first years of the conflict were devastating for the republican forces.

The First Republic collapsed in 1812, leading to the capture of Francisco de Miranda by Spanish forces. Simón Bolívar temporarily revived the independence movement during the Admirable Campaign of 1813, establishing the Second Republic.

This movement also fell under heavy counter-offensives by royalist forces and the llaneros under Jose Tomas Boves, who initially fought against the criollo elites.

A critical turning point occurred during Bolivar’s exile in 1815. While in the Caribbean, he penned the Carta de Jamaica (Jamaica Letter), analyzing the failures of the early republics and outlining a vision for Latin American unity.

Seeking material support, Bolivar traveled to Haiti, where President Alexandre Pétion provided vital military supplies, funds and haven. Pétion asked for a commitment to abolish slavery in the liberated territories, a pivotal agreement that linked the military objective of national sovereignty with the social objective of human emancipation.

The ultimate military liberation of Venezuela was secured on June 24, 1821, at the Battle of Carabobo. On this savanna, Bolivar’s unified Republican army, which now fully integrated the llanero cavalry under Jose Antonio Paez and the British Legions, defeated the royalist army led by Miguel de la Torre.

The victory at Carabobo effectively broke the back of Spanish military power in the territory, allowing the project of Gran Colombia, a large federated republic encompassing Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador and Panama.

Today marks the 215th anniversary of the independence of #Venezuela

Throughout our history, there have been times of victory & times of hardship.

The people of Venezuela have shown —like never before — their spirit of solidarity following the earthquakes that struck on 24 June. https://t.co/f03AGLuQ7x

— Misión de Venezuela ante la Unión Europea (@misionven_ue) July 5, 2026

The Unfinished Revolution of the Global South

The declaration of independence on July 5, 1811, was a foundational event that permanently altered the global geopolitical landscape. By taking the step to sever ties with Spain, Venezuela set a historical precedent for anti-colonial movements across the Americas.

The subsequent decade of warfare proved that sovereignty could not be sustained through legislative decrees alone; it required regional solidarity, mass popular mobilization, and a fundamental restructuring of social hierarchies.

In modern Venezuelan discourse, as reflected by state officials and public media outlets, the legacy of July 5 is viewed not merely as past history, but as an ongoing responsibility.

Contemporary leaders often draw parallels between the 19th-century resistance against the Spanish Crown and current efforts to maintain economic and political self-determination against foreign economic coercion and external pressures.

Sources: Britannica – EBSCO – Radio Nacional de Venezuela – Con El Mazo Dando – TeleSUR – Official Page Vice Presidency – Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Venezuelanalysis

From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

Anti-Rent Movement Begins (1839)

Thu Jul 04, 1839

Image: A poster supporting the Anti-Rent Movement, aimed to end the patroon system in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. Its headline reads "ATTENTION! ANTI-RENTERS! AWAKE! AROUSE!" [Wikipedia]

On this day in 1839, tenant farmers on New York's oldest estate assembled in Albany County to adopt a declaration of independence from their landlord, initiating the longest rent strike in U.S. history, the "Anti-Rent War".

Their previous landlord, Stephen van Rensselaer III, who owned all 726,000 acres of the effectively feudal estate of Rensselaerwyck, had passed away a few months prior.

In their declaration of independence, the farmers stated "We will take up the ball of the Revolution where our fathers stopped it and roll it to the final consummation of freedom and independence of the masses."

This began a six year rebellion known as the Anti-Rent War, the longest rent strike in U.S. history.

In those six years, the farmers fought off attempts to collect rent by force, repelling a 500-man posse led by the Albany County sheriff in December 1839.

In 1844, the movement formed a prominent political party, known as the "Antirenter" party. In 1846, provisions for tenants' rights - abolishing feudal tenures and outlawing leases lasting longer than twelve years - were added to the New York Constitution.

• Date: 1839-07-04
• Learn More: alloveralbany.com, en.wikipedia.org.
• Tags: #Tenant, #Independence.
• Source: www.apeoplescalendar.org

Congo Crisis (1960)

Thu Jun 30, 1960

Image: Patrice Lumumba in 1960 [theafricareport.com]

On this day in 1960, the Republic of the Congo became independent from Belgian colonizers, beginning a four year period of civil war which killed approximately 100,000 people, including the country's first Prime Minister, Patrice Lumumba. The complex period of political strife is known as the "Congo Crisis".

The Congo had been colonized by Belgium since the late 19th century, a process initiated by King Leopold II of Belgium, who was frustrated by Belgium's lack of international power and prestige.

A nationalist movement within the Belgian Congo began to gain momentum in the 1950s, consisting of rival factions such as the Mouvement National Congolais (MNC), of which Patrice Lumumba (shown) was a leading figure, and Alliance des Bakongo (ABAKO), led by Joseph Kasa-Vubu.

Following major riots in Stanleyville and Léopoldville in 1959, a Round Table Conference in Brussels was held in January 1960, with leaders from all the major Congolese parties in attendance.

Congolese leaders were successful in negotiating their independence to be granted within months, formally winning their independence from Belgium in late June. Within days, violence between white and black communities broke out, and the country descended into a civil war between rival political factions. Some factions, supported by powerful mining interests, began seceding from the newly founded Republic of Congo.

The United Nations sent in peacekeeping troops, which were initially welcomed by Lumumba and the central government with the idea that the UN would help suppress the secessionist states. Viewing the secessions as an internal political matter, the UN refused to use its troops to assist the central Congolese government against them.

Lumumba also sought the assistance of the U.S. government, led by Dwight D. Eisenhower, who refused to provide meaningful military aid. He then turned to the Soviet Union, which agreed to provide weapons, logistical and material support, which the state promptly used against the secessionists.

Despite Lumumba's public proclamations that he was not a communist, the United States viewed the acceptance of aid with alarm, and Lumumba became a target of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) surveillance. Lumumba was captured and, on January 17th, 1961, executed by Belgian-assisted forces.

The factional conflict continued in the wake of Lumumba's death, with fighting and intervention coming from Western states, the United Nations, and various political groups inside the Congo.

In 1964, a group known as the Simbas initiated a rebellion based on egalitarian ideals and witchcraft. In November 1964, the Simbas rounded up the remaining white population of Stanleyville, holding them hostage in the Victoria Hotel to use as bargaining tools with the Armée Nationale Congolaise (ANC).

To recover the hostages, Belgian parachute troops were flown to the Congo in American aircraft. More than 70 hostages and 1,000 Congolese civilians were killed in the rescue mission, but the vast majority of hostages were evacuated.

Following chaotic elections in 1964, Joseph-Désiré Mobutu took power in a military coup, assuming sweeping powers and instituting widespread political repression. Mobutu, who had played a key role in Lumumba's execution, ruled until 1997, enjoying support from the United States, France, Belgium, and China.

• Date: 1960-06-30
• Learn More: en.wikipedia.org, www.blackpast.org.
• Tags: #Colonialism, #Independence.
• Source: www.apeoplescalendar.org

Lyuh Woon-hyung (1886 - 1947)

Wed May 26, 1886

Image: **

Lyuh Woon-hyung, born on this day in 1886, was a socialist politician who argued that Korean independence was essential to world peace. Lyun was assassinated in 1947 by a right-wing nationalist refugee from the north. He is also known by the name Yo Un-hyung or the pen-name "Mongyang".

Lyuh was born in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province, the son of a local yangban magnate. In 1910, Lyuh parted from Korean tradition by freeing his household's slaves, giving them enough land and money to become self-sufficient.

Like many in the Korean independence movement, Lyuh sought aid from both right and left. In 1920, he joined the Koryǒ Communist Party, later meeting Leon Trotsky and Vladimir Lenin. In 1924, he also joined Sun Yat-sen's Chinese Nationalist Party to facilitate Sino-Korean cooperation.

In September 1945, Lyuh proclaimed the establishment of the People's Republic of Korea and became its vice-premier. When the United States occupied the Korean Peninsula, it did not recognize the People's Republic of Korea, and in October he was forced to step down under pressure from the U.S. military government.

In 1946, Lyuh represented the center-left politically as part of an effort to unify right and left-wing independence struggles, however this strategy earned ire from both sides. On July 19th, 1947, Lyuh was assassinated in Seoul by a 19-year-old North Korean refugee who was an active member of a nationalist right-wing organization.

His pen-name was Mongyang, the Hanja for "dream" and "the sun". Lyuh Woon-hyung is one of the few politicians celebrated in both North and South Korea.

• Date: 1886-05-26
• Learn More: web.archive.org, en.wikipedia.org.
• Tags: #Birthdays, #Independence.
• Source: www.apeoplescalendar.org

Hồ Chí Minh (1890 - 1969)

Mon May 19, 1890

Image: **

Hồ Chí Minh, born on this day in 1890, was a communist revolutionary and author who led the Việt Minh independence movement, serving as President of North Vietnam from 1945 to 1969. He also served as Chairman and First Secretary of the Workers' Party of Vietnam.

Because he spent 30 years traveling the world in his youth, Hồ could speak fluently as well as read and write in Vietnamese, French, English, Russian, Cantonese, and Mandarin.

In the 1920s, he was bureau chief/editor of many newspapers which he established to criticize French Colonial Government of Indochina and promote communist propaganda. Publications included "Le Paria" (The Pariah), published in Paris, and "Thanh Nien" (Youth).

Hồ Chí Minh led the Việt Minh independence movement from 1941 onward, establishing the Communist-ruled Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) in 1945, and defeating the French Union in 1954 at the Battle of Điện Biên Phủ, ending the First Indochina War.

He was a key figure in the People's Army of Vietnam and the Việt Cộng during the Vietnam War, which lasted from 1955 to 1975. North Vietnam was victorious and was reunified with the Republic of South Vietnam (South Vietnam) a few years after Hồ's death, in 1976.

"To reap a return in 10 years, plant trees. To reap a return in 100, cultivate the people."

- Hồ Chí Minh

• Date: 1890-05-19
• Learn More: en.wikipedia.org, www.marxists.org.
• Tags: #Communism, #Birthdays, #Independence.
• Source: www.apeoplescalendar.org

Segundo Ruiz Belvis (1829 - 1867)

Wed May 13, 1829

Ruiz Belvis, born on this day in 1829, was an abolitionist who fought for Puerto Rico's independence from Spain, helping organize the revolutionary rebellion "Grito de Lares". Belvis died while raising funds for the rebellion in Chile.

After studying abroad, Ruiz Belvis returned to Puerto Rico in 1859 and befriended Ramón Emeterio Betances, joining his group "The Secret Abolitionist Society". The society baptized and emancipated thousands of black slave children in an event known as the "aguas de libertad" (waters of liberty).

In 1866, Ruiz Belvis exiled in New York where, with Betances and others, he formed the "Comité Revolucionario de Puerto Rico" (Revolutionary Committee of Puerto Rico) to organize for the independence of the island.

They developed a plan to send an armed expedition to Puerto Rico, later known as the "Grito de Lares". Before the insurrection could happen, however, Belvis died of illness while on a diplomatic mission in Chile to raise funds for the rebellion.

• Date: 1829-05-13
• Learn More: en.wikipedia.org, www.biografiasyvidas.com.
• Tags: #Birthdays, #Abolitionism, #Independence.
• Source: www.apeoplescalendar.org

Spanish-American War Begins (1898)

Thu Apr 21, 1898

On this day in 1898, the Spanish-American War began, greatly expanding the scope of American imperialism, granting the U.S. sovereignty over the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico, as well as de facto control of the Cuban economy.

The war began with an American naval blockade of Cuba, which was fighting a war for independence from Spain, and only lasted three months. The U.S. intervened in the Cuban War of Independence after the internal explosion of the U.S.S. Maine, despite there being no evidence of Spanish involvement in the explosion.

The outcome of the war resulted in U.S. acquisition of Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the Philippines, and signaled a new era of American expansionism and colonialism in the 20th century.

From 1899-1901, the U.S. had to brutally suppress the Filipino movement for independence, killing between 200,000 and 1,000,000 civilians in the Philippine-American War. In 1901, the American government also refused to withdraw troops from Cuba unless their Constitutional Convention signed the Platt Amendment, which gave the U.S. government and capitalists de facto hegemony over the newly "independent" Cuba.

• Date: 1898-04-21
• Learn More: en.wikipedia.org, www.thenation.com.
• Tags: #Imperialism, #Independence.
• Source: www.apeoplescalendar.org

Luís Cabral (1942 - 2009)

Sat Apr 11, 1942

Image: **

Luís Cabral, born on this day in 1942, was a Bissau-Guinean revolutionary who served as the first President of Guinea-Bissau after the country won its independence from Portuguese colonizers in 1974.

Luís Cabral was also a half-brother of noted pan-African revolutionary Amílcar Cabral, with whom he co-founded the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) in 1956.

PAIGC was one of the primary agitators for freedom against Portuguese colonial rule, and fought the Guinea-Bissau War of Independence against Portugal, winning the country's independence in 1974. Luís Cabral became the leader of the party in 1973 after Amílcar was assassinated that year.

Cabral served as president of Guinea-Bissau from 1974 to 1980, when a military coup d'état led by João Bernardo Vieira deposed him. After losing power, Cabral was exiled to Portugal, where he died in 2009.

• Date: 1942-04-11
• Learn More: www.blackpast.org, en.wikipedia.org, www.theguardian.com.
• Tags: #Birthdays, #Colonialism, #Independence.
• Source: www.apeoplescalendar.org

Ramón Emeterio Betances (1827 - 1898)

Sun Apr 08, 1827

Ramón Emeterio Betances, born on this day in 1827, was a Puerto Rican abolitionist, revolutionary, and medical doctor who helped instigate the "Grito de Lares". Betances is considered to be the father of the Puerto Rican independence movement.

Because of his abolitionist beliefs, Betances began organizing a series of secret anti-slavery organizations in 1856. Some of these societies sought the freedom and free passage of African descended peoples from Puerto Rico to countries without slavery, while other societies sought to liberate as many of the enslaved as possible by buying their freedom (this included freeing thousands of slaves as infants and baptizing them at the Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria).

While exiled from Puerto Rico, Betances and others formed the "Revolutionary Committee of Puerto Rico" and began agitating for armed insurrection to establish Puerto Rican independence. The most famous attempt of these was the "Grito de Lares", however it was forcibly put down by the local militia.

Betances was known for stating "Nadie puede dar lo que no tiene" (English: "No one can give others what they don't have for themselves") in reference to Spain's unwillingness to grant Puerto Rico or Cuba any reforms.

Days before his death, the U.S. annexed Puerto Rico in the aftermath of the Spanish-American War. Frustrated by the ostensible unwillingness of Puerto Ricans to demand their independence from the United States, he wrote "And what's wrong with Puerto Ricans that they haven't yet rebelled?"

• Date: 1827-04-08
• Learn More: en.wikipedia.org, www.loc.gov.
• Tags: #Birthdays, #Abolitionism, #Independence.
• Source: www.apeoplescalendar.org

Aung San (1915 - 1947)

Sat Feb 13, 1915

Image: Aung San, 1947 [Encyclopedia Britannica]

Aung San, born on this day in 1915, was a Burmese revolutionary nationalist who was instrumental in helping Burma achieve independence from British imperialists, however he was assassinated six months before independence was formalized.

Aung San was born to a family distinguished in the resistance movement after the British annexation of 1886. He enrolled in Rangoon University in 1933 and became secretary of the university's student union and and editor of its newspaper.

In 1936, Aung San was expelled for refusing to reveal the name of an author for the paper who had criticized a university official. In response, students went on strike, leading to his reinstatement. The incident garnered nationwide publicity and recognition for Aung San.

In 1938, Aung San joined the Thakins, a movement of nationalist intellectuals who rejected British rule. In 1939, he became a founding member and the first Secretary-General of the Communist Party of Burma, however he had a unsteady relationship with the Party, joining and leaving it twice.

In 1940, Aung San was contacted by Japanese agents, who offered assistance to help him raise an army to fight against British rule. On December 28th, 1941, Aung San, as part of the "Thirty Comrades", formally inaugurated the Burma Independence Army (BIA) in Bangkok.

The BIA initially collaborated with Japanese forces following their invasion of the country in 1942 and establishment of a puppet government. However, relations between the BIA and Japan soon deteriorated, and Aung San grew suspicious of Japan's true intentions in the region.

Aung San began to secretly organize against the Japanese occupation, founding the "Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League" (AFPL) in 1944. On March 27th, 1945, Aung San led a surprise attack against Japanese forces, continuing to fight them for the remainder of World War II.

Following the end of war and official alignment with Allied forces, British forces sought to integrate the Burma National Army into the colonial armed forces. Aung San, who was not personally invited to negotiate by the British, reorganized former soldiers as the paramilitary "People's Volunteer Organization" in an attempt to preserve an armed, nationalist formation.

Clement Attlee's newly-elected Labour Party government in the United Kingdom decided to start moving towards a withdrawal, and, beginning in September 1946, Aung San served as Premier of the Crown Colony of Burma, a move criticized by the Communist Party. On January 27th, 1947, Aung and Attlee signed an agreement on the terms of independence within the year.

On July 19th, before the transition to independence had been completed, Aung San was assassinated along with seven other members of the interim government under unclear circumstances.

U Saw, a political rival, was later executed for his role in the killings, although there have been allegations made regarding British complicity in the incident.

"If you're feeling helpless, help someone."

- Aung San

• Date: 1915-02-13
• Learn More: en.wikipedia.org, www.britannica.com.
• Tags: #Communism, #Labor, #Birthdays, #Colonialism, #Independence.
• Source: www.apeoplescalendar.org

Yên Bái Mutiny (1930)

Mon Feb 10, 1930

Image: 1930 photo of Nguyen Thai Hoc, leader of the Việt Nam Quốc Dân Đảng (VNQDD), imprisoned for his role in the Yên Bái Mutiny [Wikipedia]

On this day in 1930, 50 Vietnamese soldiers of the French colonial army mutinied, attempting to take control of the Yên Bái garrison and begin a war of independence against the French. The uprising failed and many of its leaders were executed.

The revolt was planned in advance by the Việt Nam Quốc Dân Đảng (VNQDD), a socialist party founded by Nguyễn Thái Học (shown) that sought independence from France. The VNQDD had previously attempted to engage in clandestine activities to undermine French rule, but increasing state scrutiny on their activities led to their leadership risking a large scale military attack in the Red River Delta in northern Vietnam.

Multiple uprisings were planned throughout the region, with VNQDD members taking command of forces with specific strategic missions. The uprisings were supposed to be simultaneous, but matters were complicated when a messenger carrying an order from Học to delay the uprising until the 15th was arrested.

Early in the morning of February 10th, 1930, ~50 Vietnamese soldiers stationed at Yên Bái attacked their 29 French officers, aided by 60 civilian members of the VNQDD. Although the French were caught off guard and several officers were killed, the majority of the soldiers present remained loyal to the colonial army and helped suppress the uprising. Three Vietnamese sergeants were awarded the Médaille militaire for their efforts.

Later than evening, another planned VNQDD revolt in the rural district of Sơn Dương was also suppressed. Although insurgents initially succeeded, raising the VNQDD flag over the town, at sunrise they were routed by the colonial army.

The French retaliation was swift and brutal. When VNQDD forces fled into the village of Co Am, the French bombed the entire settlement, killing 200 people, mostly civilians. This was the first time that military air power had been used in Indochina.

In France, the severity of the sentences led to a campaign of solidarity by the French Communist Party and various demonstrations by Vietnamese expatriates. On May 22nd, 1930, more than 1,000 demonstrated outside Élysée Palace against the French reaction to Yên Bái. The police arrested 47 people, deporting 17 back to Vietnam, where most of them engaged in communist anti-colonial activities.

In total, 547 individuals, both soldiers and civilians, were prosecuted for their role in the uprising. Thirty-nine of the surviving leaders of the VNQDD were sentenced to death, although some of these were later granted clemency. Học, along with twelve others, was guillotined on June 17th, 1930. The thirteen shouted "Vietnam!" in unison before being executed.

• Date: 1930-02-10
• Learn More: en.wikipedia.org, ink.library.smu.edu.sg.
• Tags: #Communism, #Colonialism, #Mutinies, #Independence.
• Source: www.apeoplescalendar.org

Camilo Cienfuegos (1932 - 1959)

Sat Feb 06, 1932

Image: Camilo Cienfuegos, in Cuba in the 1950s [Wikipedia]

Camilo Cienfuegos, born on this day in 1932, was a Cuban revolutionary who served as one of Fidel Castro's top guerilla commanders, known as the "Hero of Yaguajay" after winning a key battle of the Cuban Revolution.

In 1954, Cienfuegos became an active member of the underground student movement against U.S.-aligned dictator Fulgencio Batista. On December 5th, 1955, the eve of the anniversary of the death of 19th-century Cuban independence figure Antonio Maceo, soldiers opened fire on Cienfuegos and other students who were returning to Havana university after placing a wreath on Maceo's monument.

Cienfuegos credited this incident with his political awakening and decision to dedicate his life to freeing Cuba from Batista's government. Along with Fidel Castro, Che Guevara, Juan Almeida Bosque, and Raúl Castro, he was a member of the 1956 Granma expedition, which launched Fidel Castro's armed insurgency to establish Cuban independence.

On the evening of October 28th, 1959, Cienfuegos' Cessna 310 ('FAR-53') disappeared over the Straits of Florida during a night flight, returning from Camagüey to Havana. Despite several days of searching, his plane was not found. By mid-November, Cienfuegos was presumed lost at sea. In 1979, the Cuban government established the "Order of Cienfuegos" in his honor.

In October 1958, when a Cuban Masonic organization expressed concern that someone captured by the rebels might be tortured and killed, Cienfuegos replied:

"Your petition is unnecessary, because under no condition would we put ourselves at the same moral level as those we are fighting...We cannot torture and assassinate prisoners in the manner of our opponents; we cannot as men of honor and as dignified Cubans use the low and undignified procedures that our opponents use against us."

• Date: 1932-02-06
• Learn More: en.wikipedia.org, www.cndh.org.mx.
• Tags: #Birthdays, #Independence.
• Source: www.apeoplescalendar.org

Kim Chwa-chin Assassinated (1930)

Fri Jan 24, 1930

Kim Chwa-chin (1889 - 1930) was a Korean general and anarchist independence activist who was assassinated by Park Sang-sil, an agent of the Japanese colonial government, on this day in 1930.

When Kim was 18, he released 50 enslaved families when he burned a slave registry and provided each family with enough land to live on, resulting in the first emancipation of slaves in modern Korea.

In 1918, Kim was one of 40 Korean representatives to sign the Korean Declaration of independence. He then joined the Korea Justice Corps, later becoming the general commander of the Northern Military Administration Office Army and playing a key role in the "Battle of Cheongsanri" against Japanese forces.

In 1928, the Korea Independence Party was formed, and the following year, when the Korean General Association was established, Kim was designated as its President.

After allying with an anti-Japanese group in China to prepare for war against the Japanese colonial government, Kim was assassinated by Park Sang-sil in Northern Manchuria, on January 24th, 1930.

• Date: 1930-01-24
• Learn More: en.wikipedia.org, web.archive.org.
• Tags: #Assassinations, #Colonialism, #Independence.
• Source: www.apeoplescalendar.org

Guinea-Bissau War of Independence Begins (1963)

Wed Jan 23, 1963

The Guinea-Bissau War of Independence was an armed conflict between Pan-African revolutionaries and Portuguese colonizers that began on this day in 1963, lasting until 1974. The war is also known as "Portugal's Vietnam".

Fought between Portugal and the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), the war is referred to as "Portugal's Vietnam" due to the large numbers of men and amounts of material expended in a long, mostly guerrilla war and the internal political turmoil it created in Portugal. Until his assassination in 1973, Pan-African socialist Amílcar Cabral played a key role in the revolutionary activity of PAIGC.

The first act of the revolution took place on January 23rd, when PAIGC guerrillas attacked a Portuguese garrison in Tite, near the Corubal River, south of Bissau. Similar guerrilla actions quickly spread across the colony. PAIGC had few weapons - perhaps only one submachine gun and two pistols per group - and so they attacked Portuguese convoys to gain more weapons.

The war ended when Portugal, after the Carnation Revolution of 1974, granted independence to Guinea-Bissau, with Cape Verde's independence following a year later.

• Date: 1963-01-23
• Learn More: en.wikipedia.org, uca.edu, jacobin.com, aaprp-intl.org, thetricontinental.org.
• Tags: #Pan-Africanism, #Assassinations, #Independence.
• Source: www.apeoplescalendar.org

Irish War of Independence (1919)

Tue Jan 21, 1919

Image: Photocopy of image taken during the Irish War of Independence. Seán Hogan's (NO. 2) Flying Column, 3rd Tipperary Brigade, IRA. 1920-1921 [Wikipedia]

On this day in 1919, the republican party Sinn Féin declared Irish independence from Britain. After two years of guerilla warfare against British occupation and ~2,300 deaths, the Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed, creating the Irish Free State.

In April 1916, Irish republicans had launched the Easter Rising against British rule, proclaiming an Irish Republic. Although the rebellion was suppressed, the incident led to greater popular support for Irish independence. In December 1918 elections, just a month prior to their independence declaration, republican party Sinn Féin won a landslide victory.

On January 21st, 1919 Sinn Féin formed a breakaway government (Dáil Éireann). The same day, two Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) officers were killed in the Soloheadbeg ambush by Irish Republican Army (IRA) volunteers.

Throughout 1919, the IRA went about capturing weapons and freeing republican prisoners while the Dáil began building up a state. In September, the British government outlawed the Dáil and Sinn Féin, and the conflict intensified.

Over the following two years, the IRA waged a campaign of guerilla warfare against British occupiers. In total, approximately 2,300 people were killed - 936 of the British-aligned forces, 491 of the Irish-aligned forces, and 900 civilians.

The British government bolstered the RIC with recruits from Britain, the "Black and Tans and Auxiliaries", who became notorious for ill-discipline and reprisal attacks on civilians.

On December 6th, 1921, the Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed, bringing an end to the 1919 Irish War of Independence. The treaty formally recognized the Irish Free State and led to the creation of Northern Ireland, partitioning the island.

"If you remove the English Army tomorrow and hoist the green flag over Dublin Castle, unless you set about the organization of the Socialist Republic your efforts will be in vain. England will still rule you. She would rule you through her capitalists, through her landlords, through her financiers, through the whole array of commercial and individualist institutions she has planted in this country and watered with the tears of our mothers and the blood of our martyrs."

- James Connolly

• Date: 1919-01-21
• Learn More: www.theirishstory.com, www.theirishwar.com, www.marxists.org, en.wikipedia.org, www.neversuchinnocence.com.
• Tags: #Independence.
• Source: www.apeoplescalendar.org

Revolutionary Committee of Puerto Rico Founded (1867)

Sun Jan 06, 1867

Image: An artistic depiction of the Grito de Lares by Leonardo Rivera

On this day in 1867, the Revolutionary Committee of Puerto Rico was founded by exiled revolutionaries to fight for independence from Spain. These revolutionaries included Juan Ríus Rivera, Segundo Ruiz Belvis, Ramón Emeterio Betances, and José Francisco Basora.

The Committee began planning an armed revolution in Puerto Rico in early 1868, issuing several "Proclamas" criticizing Spanish exploitative practices and demanding rebellion against the government. On September 23rd, 1868, the Revolutionary Committee, led by Betances, declared independence in the city of Lares, Puerto Rico, calling it the Republic of Puerto Rico.

Several hundred rebels took over city hall, looted stores owned by "peninsulares" (Spanish-born men), and took some of the store owners prisoner. The revolutionary uprising was suppressed by the Spanish militia, and around 475 rebels were imprisoned. The event became known as "El Grito de Lares" (shown).

• Date: 1867-01-06
• Learn More: en.wikipedia.org, www.loc.gov.
• Tags: #Independence.
• Source: www.apeoplescalendar.org

Haitian Independence (1804)

Sun Jan 01, 1804

Image: The painting "Attack and take of the Crête-à-Pierrot" (March 24th, 1802), by Auguste Raffet [blackpast.org]

On this day in 1804, the Haitian Republic was established by self-liberated slaves, the culmination of years of violent revolt against French colonizers. More than 200,000 Haitians died in the struggle for liberation.

The Haitian Revolution was the only uprising of enslaved people that led to the founding of a state which was both free from slavery, and ruled by non-whites and former captives.

The revolt began on August 21st, 1791, in what was then the French colony of Saint-Domingue. Thousands of people began to kill their masters, plunge the colony into civil war.

Within the next ten days, slaves had taken control of the entire Northern Province in an uprising of unprecedented scale. The fighting was particularly brutal, and more than 200,000 black people died in the years between the initial uprising and formal independence.

Although Toussaint Louverture established himself as a military leader of the revolution by 1801, he died shortly before independence was won. Jean-Jacques Dessalines, his former lieutenant, became the first leader of Haiti.

• Date: 1804-01-01
• Learn More: www.blackpast.org, libcom.org, en.wikipedia.org, eji.org.
• Tags: #Independence.
• Source: www.apeoplescalendar.org

Kim Chwa-chin (1889 - 1930)

Mon Dec 16, 1889

Kim Chwa-chin (also written Kim Chwa-jin), born on this day in 1889, was a Korean general, independence activist, and anarchist who played an early role in the development of anarchism in Korea.

When Kim was 18, he released 50 families of slaves when he burned the slave registry and provided each family with enough land to live on, resulting in the first emancipation of slaves in modern Korea.

In 1918, Kim was one of 40 Korean representatives to sign the Korean Declaration of independence. He then joined the Korea Justice Corps, later becoming the general commander of the Northern Military Administration Office Army and playing a key role in the "Battle of Cheongsanri" against Japanese forces.

In 1928, the Korea Independence Party was formed, and the following year, when the Korean General Association was established as the successor of the new people, Chwa-chin was designated as the President. During this process, conflicts between the nationalist and communist independence activists intensified.

On January 24th, 1930, Kim was assassinated by Park Sang-sil, an agent of the Japanese colonial government.

• Date: 1889-12-16
• Learn More: en.wikipedia.org, web.archive.org.
• Tags: #Birthdays, #Anarchism, #Independence.
• Source: www.apeoplescalendar.org

Angola Liberation Movement (MPLA) Founded (1956)

Mon Dec 10, 1956

Image: An MPLA poster commemorating the organization's anniversary [digitalcommons.colum.edu]

On this day in 1956, the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) was founded in a merger between 2 smaller communist and anti-colonial parties. The MPLA was a major faction in the Angolan Civil War, which lasted until 2002.

The MPLA fought for liberation from Portuguese colonizers, alongside the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), the Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO) and CLSTP, forerunner of the Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe.

From 1961 to 1974, the MPLA waged a guerrilla war against the colonial government in Angola. Following the Carnation Revolution in Portugal, the newly-established Portuguese military government granted Angola independence, which was to be led by a coalition of different anti-colonial liberation armies.

The coalition quickly broke apart, erupting into a civil war between the MPLA, the National Liberation Front of Angola (FNLA), and the Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA). The MPLA won the war, and has ruled Angola since 1975.

At its first congress in 1977, the MPLA adopted Marxism-Leninism as its official ideology. Receiving military support from Cuba and the Soviet Union, they maintained control over most territory in Angola, despite extensive aid to the FNLA and UNITA from South Africa, Zaire, and the United States.

Both the MPLA and UNITA were complicit in war crimes; more than 500,000 civilians were killed during the civil war. UNITA soldiers kidnapped and abused children, using them as child soldiers.

After the end of the Cold War and collapse of the Soviet Union, the MPLA renounced Marxism-Leninism in favor of social democracy. Though no longer a proxy war between the USA and the USSR, the Angolan Civil War lasted until 2002, when a peace agreement was finally reached in victory for the MPLA.

• Date: 1956-12-10
• Learn More: www.marxists.org, en.wikipedia.org, www.sahistory.org.za, archive.org.
• Tags: #Labor, #Marxism, #Colonialism, #Independence.
• Source: www.apeoplescalendar.org

Panama Anti-American Riots (1959)

Tue Nov 03, 1959

On this day in 1959, during a celebration of Panamanian independence, riots broke out as protesters clashed with U.S. soldiers and Canal Zone police. A U.S. flag was torn from the ambassador's residence and trampled by the crowd.

The demonstrations were influenced by former foreign minister Aquilino Boyd, who threatened a "peaceful invasion" of the American-controlled Panama Canal Zone to raise the flag of the republic there as tangible evidence of Panama's sovereignty over the territory, which had been under the control of the United States since 1903.

Fearful that Panamanian mobs might actually force entry into the Canal Zone, the United States government put troops on the ground. Several hundred Panamanians crossed barbed-wire restraints and clashed with Canal Zone police and U.S. soldiers.

Extensive and violent disorder followed. A mob smashed the windows of the United States Information Agency library. The United States flag was torn from the ambassador's residence and trampled, and the U.S. embassy was attacked. Stones were thrown against the troops, who were dispersed by tear gas.

These riots were a prequel to the deadlier and more prominent Flag Protest of 1964, which led to the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, which granted independence to the Canal Zone.

• Date: 1959-11-03
• Learn More: en.wikipedia.org, history.state.gov.
• Tags: #Riots, #Protests, #Independence.
• Source: www.apeoplescalendar.org

Stanleyville Riots (1959)

Fri Oct 30, 1959

On this day in 1959, Congolese residents of Stanleyville rebelled against Belgian colonizers, demanding independence after a speech by Patrice Lumumba. Police suppressed the riot, killing ~70, imposing martial law, and arresting Lumumba.

The day prior, Lumumba called for a nationwide campaign of civil disobedience in a speech to the MNC congress, also ordering Congolese people to not collaborate with the Belgian colonial government and announcing that the party would not take part in the upcoming December elections.

The rebellion began on October 30th when the police arrived at the suburb of Mangoba to arrest Lumumba. The uprising was suppressed with military force, including two companies of infantry.

In total, approximately 70 people were killed in the fighting, and up to 200 were wounded. Lumumba himself was arrested by police as the government imposed martial law and banned gatherings of more than five people.

Congo would achieve independence from Belgium on June 30th, 1960, with Lumumba serving as its first Prime Minister. He was assassinated by Belgian forces and their collaborators on January 17th, 1961.

• Date: 1959-10-30
• Learn More: www.theguardian.com, cdnc.ucr.edu, en.wikipedia.org.
• Tags: #Labor, #Assassinations, #Colonialism, #Riots, #Independence.
• Source: www.apeoplescalendar.org

Guinea Declares Independence (1958)

Thu Oct 02, 1958

Image: The President of Guinea, Sekou Toure, alongside American President John F. Kennedy in 1962. From the JFK Library.

On this day in 1958, Guinea achieved total and immediate independence from France, the first sub-Saharan African nation to do so and the only former French colony to not join the "French Community". Sékou Touré served as its first President.

This independence came just four days after a national constitutional referendum on whether or not to adopt a French-approved constitution, which would have Guinea join the French Community (Communauté française), an economic and diplomatic association of former French territories.

Guineans overwhelmingly voted against the constitution - the African Elections Database lists 95% voting against with an 85% turnout rate - aiming to sever all ties to France and declare immediate independence.

On October 2nd 1958, Pan-African socialist Ahmed Sékou Touré, then Guinea's deputy to the French National Assembly, proclaimed the Republic of Guinea, serving as its first President.

Guinea would be the first of France's sub-Saharan colonies to achieve independence, and the only one to reject incorporation into the short-lived French Community.

"We have told you bluntly, Mr. President, what the demands of the people are...We have one prime and essential need: our dignity. But there is no dignity without freedom...We prefer freedom in poverty to opulence in slavery."

-Ahmed Sékou Touré to French President Charles De Gaulle, 1958

• Date: 1958-10-02
• Learn More: www.webguinee.net, www.nonviolent-conflict.org, en.wikipedia.org.
• Tags: #Independence.
• Source: www.apeoplescalendar.org

Mozambique War for Independence (1964)

Fri Sep 25, 1964

On this day in 1964, the Mozambican Liberation Front (FRELIMO) launched a war against their Portuguese colonizers, winning independence after a decade of fighting. Communist revolutionary Samora Machel served the country's first President.

Ideologically Marxist-Leninist, FRELIMO was able to expel the Portuguese from significant regions of the colony. The Portuguese military, largely ineffectual in combat against guerrilla tactics, responded with extreme suppression of suspected leftists and FRELIMO-sympathizers among the native citizenry.

In April of 1974, a military junta seized power in Portugal in a coup known as the "Carnation Revolution". In the following months, FRELIMO was able to negotiate a ceasefire with the new government, ending the war and officially winning their independence.

"FRELIMO TODAY SOLEMNLY PROCLAIMS THE GENERAL ARMED INSURRECTION OF THE MOZAMBICAN PEOPLE AGAINST PORTUGUESE COLONIALISM FOR THE ATTAINMENT OF THE COMPLETE INDEPENDENCE OF MOZAMBIQUE. Our fight must not cease before the total liquidation of Portuguese colonialism..."

- FRELIMO, September 25th, 1964

• Date: 1964-09-25
• Learn More: www.marxists.org, en.wikipedia.org, projects.kora.matrix.msu.edu, www.britannica.com, www.marxists.org.
• Tags: #Marxism, #Colonialism, #Independence.
• Source: www.apeoplescalendar.org

Jacobo Árbenz (1913 - 1971)

Sun Sep 14, 1913

Jacobo Árbenz, born on this day in 1913, was a Guatemalan President who earned the ire of the United Fruit Company, the largest private landowner in the country, by instituting widespread land reforms. He was ousted in a U.S-backed coup in 1954.

Árbenz served as the Minister of National Defense from 1944 to 1951 and the second democratically elected President of Guatemala from 1951 to 1954. He was a major figure in the ten-year Guatemalan Revolution, which represented some of the few years of representative democracy in Guatemalan history.

Árbenz instituted many popular reforms, including an expanded right to vote, the right of workers to organize, legitimizing political parties, and allowing public debate.

The centerpiece of Árbenz' policy was an agrarian reform law, under which uncultivated portions of large land-holdings were expropriated in return for compensation and redistributed to poverty-stricken agricultural laborers. Approximately 500,000 people benefited from the decree, the majority of them indigenous people whose forebears had been dispossessed after the Spanish invasion.

Opposition to these policies led the United Fruit Company to lobby the U.S. government to have him overthrown. The U.S. was also concerned by the presence of communists in the Guatemalan government, and Árbenz was ousted in a coup d'état engineered by the U.S. government on June 27th, 1954.

"Our only crime consisted of decreeing our own laws and applying them to all without exception. Our crime is having enacted an agrarian reform which effected the interests of the United Fruit Company. Our crime is wanting to have our own route to the Atlantic, our own electric power and our own docks and ports. Our crime is our patriotic wish to advance, to progress, to win economic independence to match our political independence. We are condemned because we have given our peasant population land and rights."

- Jacobo Árbenz

• Date: 1913-09-14
• Learn More: en.wikipedia.org, spartacus-educational.com, ufcguatemala.voices.wooster.edu.
• Tags: #Birthdays, #Independence.
• Source: www.apeoplescalendar.org

John MacLean (1879 - 1923)

Sun Aug 24, 1879

Image: John Maclean in December of 1918 upon his release from prison [Wikipedia]

John Maclean, born on this day in 1879, was a revolutionary Scottish socialist and schoolteacher, sometimes called "Scotland's Lenin".

Maclean's revolutionary politics were well-known, and in 1915, he was arrested under the Defence of the Realm Act and fired from his job as a primary school teacher. As a consequence, he became a full-time Marxist lecturer and organizer, educating other Glaswegian workers in Marxist theory.

Maclean was also noted for his outspoken opposition to World War I, and, in 1918, he was arrested for sedition. During the trial, Maclean gave the now legendary "speech from the dock", expounding on his position. He was sentenced to five years' penal servitude, but was released after the November armistice.

Maclean supported Irish independence on an anti-imperialist basis, describing the Irish War of Independence as "The Irish fight for freedom" and even condoning the assassination of a magistrate, Alan Bell.

Maclean saw the war in Ireland as strengthening the Bolshevik revolution in Russia, arguing that "Irish Sinn Féiners, who make no profession of socialism or communism...are doing more to help Russia and the revolution than all we professed Marxian Bolsheviks in Britain".

In captivity, Maclean had been on hunger strike, and prolonged force-feeding permanently affected his health. In 1923, he collapsed during a speech and died of pneumonia, aged forty-four.

"I have taken up unconstitutional action at this time because of the abnormal circumstances and because precedent has been given by the British government. I am a socialist, and have been fighting and will fight for an absolute reconstruction of society for the benefit of all. I am proud of my conduct. I have squared my conduct with my intellect, and if everyone had done so this war would not have taken place...

...I appeal exclusively to [the working class] because they and they only can bring about the time when the whole world will be in one brotherhood, on a sound economic foundation. That, and that alone, can be the means of bringing about a re-organisation of society. That can only be obtained when the people of the world get the world, and retain the world."

• John MacLean, from the "Dock Speech"

• Date: 1879-08-24
• Learn More: www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk, en.wikipedia.org, www.marxists.org.
• Tags: #Socialism, #Marxism, #Birthdays, #Independence.
• Source: www.apeoplescalendar.org