Anita Arnon

It's not just Wellesley, actually.

It's also the Foreign Secretary, George Canning, who is actively championing the cause of colonial independence.

These colonies should be free, which is so bonkers because Wellesley is a colonist.

But not when it comes to Spain and her colonies.

He's very outspoken about Spain and his, you know, her colonies.

You shouldn't have colonies at all.

Let's go back to Bolivar.

So he's had this successful meeting, Willie, in London.

He's got the ear of people.

Yeah.

So what they start doing is agitating.

They send out people, like-minded people, and it is very cloak and dagger stuff because it's dangerous.

What they're doing is very, very dangerous, particularly if Spain is trying to come down with an iron fist on those who are trying to wrest its colonies away.

But the agitation is successful.

You have this very important date on July the 5th, 1811, Venezuela declares independence.

It is the first Spanish-American colony to do so.

They have the numbers.

After the agitation of this, you know, sort of farmer's club, supposedly this agricultural society, they gain a head of steam.

No, because I mean, who is he in the scheme of things, really?

So it is the first national congress declares Venezuela's independence.