MundoAndino Home : Venezuela Guide at Mundo Andino
Decreto de Guerra a Muerte
The Decree of War to the Death, in Spanish Decreto de Guerra a Muerte, was a decree issued by the South American Independence hero, Simon Bolivar, which permitted murder and any atrocities whatsoever to be committed against civilians born in Spain (or the Canary Islands), other than those actively assisting South American independence, and furthermore exonerated Latin Americans who had already committed such murders and atrocities. The phrase "War to the Death" was used as a euphemism for this situation.
The decree was an explicit call to use terror tactics in Bolivar's attempt to maintain Venezuelan independence in the war with Spain, since he felt that the Spanish Army's use of atrocities against those who supported the First Republic of Venezuela had contributed decisively to its defeat.
Bolivar promulgated the decree on June 15, 1813 in the Venezuelan city of Trujillo.
Background
The decree states that it was created as a response to severe crimes and massacres by Spanish 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, infringed the most solemn treaties and capitulations [a reference to the San Mateo Capitulation, 1812]; in one word, committed every crime, reducing the Republic of Venezuela to the most horrific desolation." It proclaimed that all Peninsular people 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.Stoan, Pablo Morillo, 47-50. (See below for full declaration). The document's ultimate goal was to assure the Venezuelan elites that they would not be unfavorably treated for having collaborated with Domingo de Monteverde and the royalist authorities. The Decree was the first step in transforming the common and legal view of the Venezuelan war of liberation from a mere rebellion (or at best a civil war) taking place in one of Spain's colonies, to a full-fledged international war between two distinct countries, Venezuela and Spain.
Practice of the "Guerra a Muerte"
This so-called Guerra a Muerte, (War to Death) was widely practised on both sides, making way for some extreme brutalities on both sides, such as the execution of Spanish prisoners in Caracas and La Guaira in February 1814, on orders from Bolivar himself, just before the collapse of the Second Republic of Venezuela, and the killing of several renowned citizens in New Granada by the royalist army under Pablo Morillo in 1815, 1816 and 1817.
The status imposed by the Declaration lasted until November 26, 1820, when General Pablo Morillo met with Bolivar to declare the war of independence a conventional war.
Text of the Decree (Spanish)
The Decreto reads:
"Venezolanos: Un ejercito de hermanos, enviado por el soberano Congreso de la Nueva Granada, ha venido a libertaros, y ya lo teneis en medio de vosotros, despues de haber expulsado a los opresores de las provincias de Merida y Trujillo.
Nosotros somos enviados a destruir a los espanoles, a proteger a los americanos, y a restablecer los gobiernos republicanos que formaban la Confederacion de Venezuela. Los Estados que cubren nuestras armas, estan regidos nuevamente por sus Antiguas constituciones y magistrados, gozando plenamente de su libertad e independencia; porque nuestra mision solo se dirige a romper las cadenas de la servidumbre, que agobian todavia a algunos de nuestros pueblos, sin pretender dar leyes, ni ejercer actos de dominio, a que el derecho de la guerra podria autorizarnos.Tocados de vuestros infortunios, no hemos podido ver con indiferencia las aflicciones que os hacian experimentar los barbaros espanoles, que os han aniquilado con la rapina, y os han destruido con la muerte; que han violado los derechos sagrados de las gentes; que han infringido las capitulaciones y los tratados mas solemnes; y, en fin, han cometido todos los crimenes, reduciendo la Republica de Venezuela a la mas espantosa desolacion. Asi pues, la justicia exige la vindicta, y la necesidad nos obliga a tomarla. Que desaparezcan para siempre del suelo colombiano los monstruos que lo infestan y han cubierto de sangre; que su escarmiento sea igual a la enormidad de su perfidia, para lavar de este modo la mancha de nuestra ignominia, y mostrar a las naciones del universo, que no se ofende impunemente a los hijos de America.
A pesar de nuestros justos resentimientos contra los inicuos espanoles, nuestro magnanimo corazon se digna, aun, abrirles por la ultima vez una via a la conciliacion y a la amistad; todavia se les invita a vivir pacificamente entre nosotros, si detestando sus crimenes, y convirtiendose de buena fe, cooperan con nosotros a la destruccion del gobierno intruso de Espana, y al restablecimiento de la Republica de Venezuela.Todo espanol que no conspire contra la tirania en favor de la justa causa, por los medios mas activos y eficaces, sera tenido por enemigo, y castigado como traidor a la patria y, por consecuencia, sera irremisiblemente pasado por las armas. Por el contrario, se concede un indulto general y absoluto a los que pasen a nuestro ejercito con sus armas o sin ellas; a los que presten sus auxilios a los buenos ciudadanos que se estan esforzando por sacudir el yugo de la tirania. Se conservaran en sus empleos y destinos a los oficiales de guerra, y magistrados civiles que proclamen el Gobierno de Venezuela, y se unan a nosotros; en una palabra, los espanoles que hagan senalados servicios al Estado, seran reputados y tratados como americanos.
Y vosotros, americanos, que el error o la perfidia os ha extraviado de las sendas de la justicia, sabed que vuestros hermanos os perdonan y lamentan sinceramente vuestros descarrios, en la intima persuasion de que vosotros no podeis ser culpables, y que solo la ceguedad e ignorancia en que os han tenido hasta el presente los autores de vuestros crimenes, han podido induciros a ellos. No temais la espada que viene a vengaros y a cortar los lazos ignominiosos con que os ligan a su suerte vuestros verdugos. Contad con una immunidad absoluta en vuestro honor, vida y propiedades; el solo titulo de americanos sera vuestra garantia y salvaguardia. Nuestras armas han venido a protegeros, y no se emplearan jamas contra uno solo de nuestros hermanos.Esta amnistia se extiende hasta a los mismos traidores que mas recientemente hayan cometido actos de felonia; y sera tan religiosamente cumplida, que ninguna razon, causa, o pretexto sera suficiente para obligarnos a quebrantar nuestra oferta, por grandes y extraordinarios que sean los motivos que nos deis pare excitar nuestra animadversion.
Espanoles y Canarios, contad con la muerte, aun siendo indiferentes, si no obrais activamente en obsequio de la libertad de America. Americanos, contad con la vida, aun cuando seais culpables."Text of the Decree (English)
Note: The term "Americans" here means natives of the American continent.
"Venezuelans: an army of brothers, sent by the sovereign Congress of New Granada, has come to free you, and it is already amongst you, after evicting the oppressors from the provinces of Merida and Trujillo.
We are the ones sent to destroy the Spaniards, to protect the Americans, and to reestablish the republican governments that formed the Confederation of Venezuela. The states covering our arms (weapons) are once again ruled by their old constitutions and magistrates, 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.
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 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 Colombian 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 ignominy is washed off, and to show the nations of the universe that the sons of America cannot be offended without punishment.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 destruction of the intruding government of Spain, and the reestablishment of the Republic of Venezuela.
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 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.''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 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 you warranty and safeguard. Our weapons have come to protect you, and will never be used against a single one of our brothers.
This amnesty extends to the very traitors who have most recently committed their acts of felony; 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.
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."Biography
Stoan, Stephen K. Pablo Morillo and Venezuela, 1815-1820''. Columbus: Ohio State University Press, 1959.
External links
http://www.analitica.com/bitblio/bolivar/decreto.asp
http://www.venezuelatuya.com/historia/guerraamuerte.htm
See also
Patria Boba
First Republic of Venezuela
Second Republic of Venezuela
Military career of Simon Bolivar
Admirable Campaign
Spanish reconquest of New Granada
Need more information for your travel research or homework?
Ask your questions at the forum about Venezuelan War of Independence or help others to find answers.
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Decreto de Guerra a Muerte
