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Christopher Columbus and Alonso de Ojeda visit Venezuela, which is inhabited by Carib, Arawak and Chibcha peoples
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Spanish colonisation begins on the north-east coast
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First rebellion against Spanish colonial rule.
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Venezuelan patriots take advantage of Napoleon Bonaparte's invasion of Spain to declare independence.
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Independence Act signed.
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Venezuela secedes from Gran Colombia and becomes an independent republic with its capital at Caracas.
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1870-88 - Venezuela governed by Antonio Guzman Blanco, who attracts foreign investment, modernises infrastructure and develops agriculture and education.
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Venezuela fails to repay loans and, as a result, its ports are blockaded by British, Italian and German warships.
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Dictator Juan Vicente Gomez governs at a time when Venezuela becomes world's largest exporter of oil.
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President Romulo Gallegos, Venezuela's first democratically elected leader, overthrown within eight months in military coup led by Marcos Perez Jimenez, who forms government with backing from the armed forces and the US.