Close Topic Options

Trinidad & Tobago vs Venezuela - Page 4

Cagel, but wasn't the Captaincy General of Caracas under the Spaniard rule? If so, was Trinidad technically part of Venezuela then?

Venezuela Tobago and Trinidad

Don't forget that history is only in the eyes of the historian but it does not really mean that's how it was. I want to address the original question that started all of this:

If they did that they would have to face a hit back from the UN, USA and UK - the three big "U's".

Trinidad & Tobago vs Venezuela Caribbean / Tobago & Trinidad

LydiaTT, They were under Spanish rule as well but what we are now calling Venezuela was a group of provinces (Caracas or Venezuela, Guayana, Cumana, Merida and Margarita along with Trinidad up until 1797) each with its own Governor. The Governor of Caracas or Venezuela was given the title as Captain General and had supervisory authority over the others.

At independence in the 1830s, in the Treaty with Spain, all provinces and islands that belonged to the Captain General's territory were legally recognized as the Republic of Venezuela. The Venezuelans then retroactively apply the label "Venezuela" To all the provinces that formed the CG from 1777 when it was inaugurated.

So from a retroactive Venezuelan perspective the answer is yes.

From a Trinidadian perspective the answer is no as we were a British colony when the Republic of Venezuela was constituted and we weren't party to the Treaty that formed this Republic.

Edited: Cagel on 26th May, 2013 - 7:47am

Page 4 Venezuela Tobago and Trinidad

In other words Trinidad & Tobago wasn't Spain's to give and Venezuela obviously wasn't no match for the British otherwise they would have tried for an invasion.

Venezuela Tobago and Trinidad

IndianChick, you are correct. When the Declaration of Independence took place in 1811 to actual independence in the 1830s, all claims on Trinidad would've had to be taken up by Britain. Venezuela recognizes the Treaty of Amiens of 1802 so they wouldn't be ever able to legally claim the island.

Trinidad & Tobago vs Venezuela

What does the Treaty of Amiens have to do with Venezuela? The Treaty of Amiens was between France and England. Venezuela would have been under the rule of Spain at the time.

Trinidad & Tobago Venezuela - Page 4

It was between Spain and the UK in 1802 where it was agreed formally to cede Trinidad to the British and Spain would no longer try to reclaim it.

Trinidad & Tobago Venezuela Trinidad & Tobago / Caribbean - Page 4

Of course, if there would have been a claim on the island by Venezuela if Spain still wanted to contest the British conquest of Trinidad in 1797 as Trinidad under Spanish rule was part of the CG of Caracas and Venezuela demanded that Spain hand over all CG provinces to the Republic of Venezuela upon independence.