Battle of Lake Maracaibo

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Battle of Lake Maracaibo
Part of Venezuelan War of Independence
Painting by José María Espinosa Prieto (1796-1883)
Date July 24, 1823 Location Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela Result Decisive Colombian Victory
Belligerents
Greater Colombia	Spanish Monarchy
Commanders
José Prudencio Padilla	Ángel Laborde

The Battle of Lake Maracaibo was fought on July 24, 1823 in Venezuela's Lake Maracaibo between Almirante (Admiral) José Prudencio Padilla and Royalist Captain Ángel Laborde.

The battle was won by the republican forces, and was the last battle of the Venezuelan War of Independence. The ships belonged to the wider, pro-independence forces led by Simón Bolívar, and were part of the larger conflict known as Bolivar's War and the South American Wars of Independence.

Some claim that the last battle fought for Venezuela's independence was the Battle of Carabobo, but most historians agree that if the Battle of Lake Maracaibo had not taken place, or if it had ended in a victory for the Royalist forces, the Spanish Crown might have set a new front in Western Venezuela to attack the patriot forces stationed in Carabobo. The Spanish Crown did not send any new regiments to Venezuela, and finally accepted Venezuelan Independence as a result of this second decisive patriot victory.

July 24th is a regional holiday of the Zulia state.

[edit] References

• (Spanish) A racconto of the battle
• (Spanish) José Prudencio Padilla