La Cosiata, also known as the Revolution of the Morrocoyes, was a political separatist movement that broke out in the city of Valencia, Venezuela, carried out by General José Antonio Páez and Miguel Peña Páez on April 30, 1826, with the purpose of separating Venezuela from Gran Colombia.
Originally, the movement intended to demand the reform of the Cúcuta Constitution and break with the authorities of Santa Fe de Bogotá, but continue under the protection of Simón Bolívar. Others, however, conclude that these events could be seen coming from the birth of the Republic of Gran Colombia, since when it was constituted, a centralist-type system was adopted in the hands of the political and economic elites. The system of government had become absolutist, and coupled with this, the Venezuelan authorities had to be subject to the decision of the Senate of Gran Colombia (New Granada, Venezuela and Ecuador), in Peru and Bolivia there was news about a new constitution for life and this was not seen as a good decision. Several regions including Venezuela asked for autonomy and it was not seen in theory that several years of independence struggle and achievements of freedom achieved on the battlefield were misused. This event ultimately marked the birth of the Republic of Venezuela.
Etymology
The origin of this name by which this political movement is known is a bit strange in the eyes of those who seek its meaning, but according to research carried out by the historian, Professor José M. Ameliach N., reflected in his article "La Cosiata fue el principio del fin", edition of the newspaper El Informador de Barquisimeto, dated January 22, 2012, its etymological meaning stems from the characteristic of the Venezuelan population of the time that gave a certain name to some political eventuality, for that reason Then an Italian comedian had arrived in the country who used the word "Cosiata" in his presentations, to refer to theatrical events without importance or meaning, and since that was the fashionable word for the occasion, it turned out to be the one used as a review by the media.
Background
In 1821, the promulgation of the Constitution of Cúcuta (Constitution of Gran Colombia) had caused discomfort among Venezuelans from the beginning, being sworn in Caracas under protest from the Municipality. The election of Francisco de Paula Santander for the Vice Presidency of the Republic, the choice of a centralist system instead of a federal one, and the election of Bogotá as the capital of the newly formed Union, were also points of great citizen discord, with the perception that Venezuela, which had not been favored with the decisions made. The central constitution, which could not be reformed before 10 years, provided for certain federal measures over time, but it depended on the people to abide by the Magna Carta and the law.
Motivated by the constant onslaught of royalist guerrillas, in a Venezuela that was undergoing a full recovery from the emancipatory war, and by the prevailing fear of a supposed "Holy Alliance" between France and Spain, through which a powerful army would be formed to reconquer America, Francisco de Paula Santander decreed on August 31, 1824 a general enlistment of all citizens between the ages of 16 and 50 in the country and demanded from the Department of Venezuela a contingent of 50,000 men to be sent to Bogotá.
For his part, General José Antonio Páez, who had been exercising the functions of General Commander of the Department of Venezuela (Caracas, Carabobo, Barquisimeto, Barinas and Apure) since 1822, delayed the execution of the decree for almost a year, fearful not only of a general mutiny, but to show their displeasure at the government's decisions. Subsequently, and due to the continuous pressure from Bogotá, he decided to accept the call for enlistment of the Venezuelans, which finally ended in resounding failure due to the recruitment of only 800 citizens, being forced to make a second and third call in collaboration with the Brigadier General Juan de Escalona (Intendant of the Department of Venezuela) ending these new attempts in bloody disturbances. Reports of excesses in recruitment reached the Municipal Council of Caracas, which led to an accusation that would prosper in the Senate of Bogotá.