38:
114:
Venezuelan populace and emphasized a commitment to safeguarding the interests of the country's elites, including those who had collaborated with
Spanish authorities. It also outlined measures aimed at distinguishing between Peninsular individuals who actively supported independence and those who did not, with the intent of sparing South Americans from reprisals, regardless of their previous cooperation with Spanish authorities. Furthermore, the decree sought to redefine the conflict as an international war between Venezuela and Spain, thereby elevating its status from a regional rebellion to a recognized struggle for sovereignty.
445:
233:
issued to all
Spaniards who pass into our army, with or without their weapons; to those who offer aid to the good citizens working hard to shake off the shackles of tyranny. War officers and magistrates that proclaim the government of Venezuela and join our cause will keep their destinies and work positions; in one word, all Spaniards who perform service for the State will be reputed and treated as Americans.
237:
could cause you to perpetrate them. Do not fear the sword that comes to avenge you and cut the ignominious bindings which tie you to your executioners' fate. Rely on absolute immunity for your honor, life and properties; the mere title of
Americans will be your warranty and safeguard. Our weapons have come to protect you, and will never be used against a single one of our brothers.
228:
In spite of our just resentments against the iniquitous
Spaniards, our magnanimity still deigns itself to open, for the last time, a route to conciliation and friendship; we still invite them to live peacefully among us, if, hating their crimes and turning to good faith, they cooperate with us in the
216:
Touched by your misfortunes, we could not indifferently watch the afflictions inflicted to you by the barbaric
Spaniards, who have annihilated you with robbery and destroyed you with death, infringed the most solemn treaties and capitulations; in one word, committed every crime, reducing the Republic
113:
in
Spanish America who didn't actively participate in favor of its independence would be killed, and all South Americans would be spared, even if they had cooperated with the Spanish authorities. (See below for full declaration). The document expressed concern over the suffering inflicted upon the
236:
And you, Americans, who have been separated from the road of justice by error and perfidy, know that your brothers forgive you and seriously regret your misdeeds, intimately persuaded that you cannot be guilty, and that only the ignorance and blindness imposed on you by the authors of your crimes
108:
soldiers after the fall of the First
Republic, in which Spanish leaders allegedly stole property and executed thousands of Republicans: "we could not indifferently watch the afflictions inflicted to you by the barbaric Spaniards, who have annihilated you with robbery and destroyed you with death,
232:
All
Spaniards who do not conspire against tyranny in favor of our just cause, using the most effective and active resources, will be considered enemies, and will be punished as traitors to the homeland, and therefore, will be promptly executed. On the other hand, a general and absolute pardon is
213:, fully enjoying their liberty and independence; for our mission is only to break the chains of servitude, which still oppress some of our peoples, not claiming to create laws, or enforce acts of domination, which the right of war could authorize us to do.
70:, other than those actively assisting South American independence, and furthermore exonerated people from the Americas who had already committed such murders and atrocities. The phrase "war to the death" was used as a
37:
244:; and will be so religiously carried out that no reason, cause or pretext will be enough to make us break our offer, no matter how extraordinary the reasons you give us to excite our adversity.
109:
infringed the most solemn treaties and capitulations ; in one word, committed every crime, reducing the
Republic of Venezuela to the most horrific desolation." It proclaimed that all
433:
247:
Spaniards and
Canarians, count on death, even if indifferent, if you do not actively work in favor of the independence of America. Americans, count on life, even if guilty.
654:
954:
411:
217:
of Venezuela to the most horrific desolation. It is so that justice demands vindication, and necessity forces us to take it. May the monsters that infest
426:
221:
soil, and have covered it with blood disappear for good; may their punishment be equal to the magnitude of their treason, so that the stain of our
929:
539:
493:
533:
419:
130:
was widely practised on both sides, resulting in some extreme brutalities on both sides, such as the execution of Spanish prisoners in
637:
333:
658:
969:
545:
175:
143:
503:
498:
470:
834:
824:
726:
259:
741:
603:
551:
139:
964:
225:
is washed off, and to show the nations of the universe that the sons of America cannot be offended without punishment.
625:
557:
527:
202:
86:
736:
934:
875:
865:
464:
949:
880:
393:
678:
784:
819:
769:
721:
577:
178:, has come to free you, and it is already amongst you, after evicting the oppressors from the provinces of
158:
901:
662:
850:
779:
81:" in BolĂvar's attempt to maintain Venezuelan independence in the war with Spain, since he felt that the
229:
destruction of the intruding government of Spain, and the reestablishment of the Republic of Venezuela.
804:
764:
78:
280:
959:
860:
706:
666:
619:
759:
63:
41:
885:
672:
615:
609:
300:
93:
45:
799:
711:
66:
which permitted murder and any atrocities whatsoever to be committed against civilians born in
944:
855:
701:
521:
329:
179:
939:
809:
794:
731:
716:
631:
292:
183:
789:
31:
17:
240:
This amnesty extends to the very traitors who have most recently committed their acts of
476:
104:
The decree states that it was created as a response to severe crimes and massacres by
923:
870:
829:
563:
449:
444:
304:
198:
154:
147:
814:
206:
190:
110:
82:
138:
in February 1814, on orders from BolĂvar himself, just before the collapse of the
296:
774:
210:
573:
135:
71:
205:. The states covering our arms (weapons) are once again ruled by their old
92:
BolĂvar promulgated the decree on June 15, 1813, in the Venezuelan city of
403:
218:
194:
171:
153:
The declaration remained in effect until November 26, 1820, when General
567:
131:
241:
357:
The term "Americans" here means natives of the American continent.
222:
105:
67:
415:
281:"Message by massacre: Venezuela's War to the Death, 1810–1814"
366:
Please note, this English translation is subject to scrutiny.
44:
signs the Decree of War to the Death in 1813, during his
170:
Venezuelans: an army of brothers, sent by the sovereign
161:
to declare the war of independence a conventional war.
85:'s use of atrocities against those who supported the
894:
843:
750:
692:
647:
596:
587:
512:
486:
457:
193:, to protect the Americans, and to reestablish the
62:, was a decree issued by the South American leader
142:, and the killing of several renowned citizens in
168:
383:. Columbus: Ohio State University Press, 1959.
427:
8:
655:BolĂvar's campaign to liberate New Granada
593:
434:
420:
412:
89:had contributed decisively to its defeat.
27:Simon Bolivar's declaration of no quarter
36:
271:
955:19th-century prisoner of war massacres
540:Venezuelan Declaration of Independence
381:Pablo Morillo and Venezuela, 1815-1820
534:Colombian Declaration of Independence
7:
189:We are the ones sent to destroy the
328:. New York: Simon & Schuster,
25:
638:Spanish reconquest of New Granada
494:Military career of SimĂłn BolĂvar
443:
546:United Provinces of New Granada
930:Venezuelan War of Independence
504:Venezuelan War of Independence
499:Ecuadorian War of Independence
471:Captaincy General of Venezuela
1:
279:Racine, Karen (22 May 2013).
260:Shoot on the Spot Declaration
742:Francisco de Paula Santander
552:Second Republic of Venezuela
297:10.1080/14623528.2013.789204
285:Journal of Genocide Research
197:governments that formed the
140:Second Republic of Venezuela
77:The decree was an explicit "
558:Third Republic of Venezuela
528:First Republic of Venezuela
146:by the royalist army under
87:First Republic of Venezuela
986:
908:Decree of War to the Death
866:Juan Domingo de Monteverde
825:Luisa Cáceres de Arismendi
727:José Miguel Pey de Andrade
465:Viceroyalty of New Granada
395:Decree of War to the Death
59:Decreto de Guerra a Muerte
54:Decree of War to the Death
29:
18:Decreto de Guerra a Muerte
737:Manuel RodrĂguez Torices
467:(1717–1723), (1739-1819)
150:in 1815, 1816 and 1817.
30:Not to be confused with
876:Daniel Florence O'Leary
835:José Antonio Anzoátegui
820:Juan Bautista Arismendi
578:Republic of New Granada
477:Peninsular War in Spain
970:Massacres in Venezuela
881:José Prudencio Padilla
659:Las Queseras del Medio
405:Archivo del Libertador
249:
74:for these atrocities.
49:
785:Antonio José de Sucre
159:Santa Ana de Trujillo
40:
765:Francisco de Miranda
157:met with BolĂvar at
79:war of extermination
902:Carmañola Americana
861:Juan Manuel Cajigal
707:Benito Salas Vargas
886:Miguel de la Torre
616:Admirable Campaign
610:Magdalena campaign
379:Stoan, Stephen K.
324:Arana, M. (2013).
165:Text of the Decree
50:
46:Admirable Campaign
935:1813 in Venezuela
917:
916:
856:Louis-Michel Aury
805:CristĂłbal Mendoza
770:José Antonio Páez
722:JosĂ© MarĂa Obando
688:
687:
626:Alto de los Godos
402:) - Available at
118:Practice of the "
111:Peninsular people
16:(Redirected from
977:
950:June 1813 events
851:José Tomás Boves
810:Mariano Montilla
795:Carlos Soublette
780:José Félix Ribas
732:Antonio Ricaurte
594:
448:
447:
436:
429:
422:
413:
367:
364:
358:
355:
349:
342:
336:
322:
316:
315:
313:
311:
276:
21:
985:
984:
980:
979:
978:
976:
975:
974:
920:
919:
918:
913:
890:
839:
800:Santiago Mariño
790:Rafael Urdaneta
752:
746:
712:JoaquĂn Camacho
694:
684:
661:, April 1819 –
643:
634:(December 1813)
622:, February 1813
589:
583:
514:
508:
482:
453:
442:
440:
390:
376:
371:
370:
365:
361:
356:
352:
343:
339:
323:
319:
309:
307:
278:
277:
273:
268:
256:
167:
128:Guerra a Muerte
126:This so-called
124:
120:Guerra a Muerte
102:
35:
32:Guerra a muerte
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
983:
981:
973:
972:
967:
962:
957:
952:
947:
942:
937:
932:
922:
921:
915:
914:
912:
911:
905:
898:
896:
892:
891:
889:
888:
883:
878:
873:
868:
863:
858:
853:
847:
845:
841:
840:
838:
837:
832:
827:
822:
817:
812:
807:
802:
797:
792:
787:
782:
777:
772:
767:
762:
756:
754:
748:
747:
745:
744:
739:
734:
729:
724:
719:
714:
709:
704:
702:Antonio Nariño
698:
696:
690:
689:
686:
685:
683:
682:
679:Lake Maracaibo
676:
670:
669:, August 1819)
665:, July 1819 –
651:
649:
645:
644:
642:
641:
635:
629:
623:
613:
607:
600:
598:
591:
585:
584:
582:
581:
571:
561:
555:
549:
543:
537:
531:
525:
522:Luz de América
518:
516:
510:
509:
507:
506:
501:
496:
490:
488:
484:
483:
481:
480:
474:
468:
461:
459:
455:
454:
450:Gran Colombian
441:
439:
438:
431:
424:
416:
410:
409:
389:
388:External links
386:
385:
384:
375:
372:
369:
368:
359:
350:
337:
317:
291:(2): 201–217.
270:
269:
267:
264:
263:
262:
255:
252:
166:
163:
123:
116:
101:
98:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
982:
971:
968:
966:
965:SimĂłn BolĂvar
963:
961:
958:
956:
953:
951:
948:
946:
943:
941:
938:
936:
933:
931:
928:
927:
925:
909:
906:
903:
900:
899:
897:
893:
887:
884:
882:
879:
877:
874:
872:
871:Pablo Morillo
869:
867:
864:
862:
859:
857:
854:
852:
849:
848:
846:
844:Other figures
842:
836:
833:
831:
828:
826:
823:
821:
818:
816:
813:
811:
808:
806:
803:
801:
798:
796:
793:
791:
788:
786:
783:
781:
778:
776:
773:
771:
768:
766:
763:
761:
760:SimĂłn BolĂvar
758:
757:
755:
749:
743:
740:
738:
735:
733:
730:
728:
725:
723:
720:
718:
717:Liborio MejĂa
715:
713:
710:
708:
705:
703:
700:
699:
697:
691:
680:
677:
674:
671:
668:
664:
660:
656:
653:
652:
650:
646:
639:
636:
633:
630:
627:
624:
621:
617:
614:
611:
608:
605:
602:
601:
599:
595:
592:
586:
579:
575:
572:
569:
565:
564:Gran Colombia
562:
559:
556:
553:
550:
547:
544:
541:
538:
535:
532:
529:
526:
523:
520:
519:
517:
511:
505:
502:
500:
497:
495:
492:
491:
489:
485:
478:
475:
472:
469:
466:
463:
462:
460:
456:
451:
446:
437:
432:
430:
425:
423:
418:
417:
414:
407:
406:
401:
397:
396:
392:
391:
387:
382:
378:
377:
373:
363:
360:
354:
351:
347:
346:Pablo Morillo
341:
338:
335:
334:9781439110195
331:
327:
321:
318:
306:
302:
298:
294:
290:
286:
282:
275:
272:
265:
261:
258:
257:
253:
251:
248:
245:
243:
238:
234:
230:
226:
224:
220:
214:
212:
208:
207:constitutions
204:
200:
199:Confederation
196:
192:
187:
185:
181:
177:
173:
164:
162:
160:
156:
155:Pablo Morillo
151:
149:
148:Pablo Morillo
145:
141:
137:
133:
129:
121:
117:
115:
112:
107:
99:
97:
95:
90:
88:
84:
80:
75:
73:
69:
65:
64:SimĂłn BolĂvar
61:
60:
56:, in Spanish
55:
47:
43:
42:SimĂłn BolĂvar
39:
33:
19:
907:
815:Pedro Camejo
663:Vargas Swamp
452:independence
404:
399:
394:
380:
374:Bibliography
362:
353:
345:
340:
325:
320:
308:. Retrieved
288:
284:
274:
250:
246:
239:
235:
231:
227:
215:
188:
169:
152:
127:
125:
119:
103:
91:
83:Spanish Army
76:
58:
57:
53:
51:
775:Manuel Piar
681:(July 1823)
675:(June 1821)
628:, May 1813)
612:(1812-1813)
606:(June 1812)
604:La Victoria
566:(1819–31) (
479:(1808–1814)
473:(1777–1821)
211:magistrates
176:New Granada
144:New Granada
960:War crimes
924:Categories
830:Luis BriĂłn
751:Venezuelan
657:(1819–20:
458:Background
400:in Spanish
266:References
195:republican
100:Background
693:Colombian
640:(1815–16)
574:Venezuela
560:(1817–19)
554:(1813–14)
548:(1811–16)
530:(1810–12)
513:Political
305:144103773
219:Colombian
203:Venezuela
191:Spaniards
136:La Guaira
72:euphemism
945:Ultimata
673:Carabobo
588:Military
487:Overview
348:, 47-50.
310:10 April
254:See also
223:ignominy
184:Trujillo
172:Congress
94:Trujillo
940:Decrees
753:figures
695:figures
648:1819–23
618:(1813:
597:1812–16
590:history
580:, 1831)
568:Ecuador
515:history
344:Stoan,
326:Bolivar
132:Caracas
106:Spanish
910:(1813)
904:(1797)
667:Boyacá
632:Araure
620:CĂşcuta
570:, 1830
542:(1811)
536:(1810)
524:(1809)
332:
303:
242:felony
180:MĂ©rida
895:Other
301:S2CID
68:Spain
330:ISBN
312:2022
209:and
182:and
134:and
52:The
293:doi
201:of
174:of
926::
299:.
289:15
287:.
283:.
186:.
96:.
576:/
435:e
428:t
421:v
408:.
398:(
314:.
295::
122:"
48:.
34:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
