YELLOW LIBERALISM: ORIGIN, CHARACTERISTICS, CAUSES, CONSEQUENCES - HISTORY - 2025

The Yellow Liberalism was a time in Venezuelan history that lasted three decades, where 10 presidents identified with the guzmancismo exercised the presidency of the country. Guzmancismo refers to Antonio Guzmán Blanco, a prominent politician of the time who was also known as the "illustrious American."

One of the most relevant characteristics of this period corresponds to the notable developments that the country experienced, especially in the economic and institutional spheres. Despite these advances, at that time corruption also deepened, a practice that is still quite entrenched in this South American country today.

Antonio Guzmán Blanco was the main representative of Yellow Liberalism. Source: A. Vázquez

Yellow Liberalism occurred between 1870 and 1899. Guzmán Blanco was the first president of this period and he was the one who maintained stability throughout the process. As soon as he withdrew from the political sphere, imbalances began to emerge, which led to the fall of the Guzman hegemony to give way to the presidency of the Andean Cipriano Castro.

Origin

The most direct antecedent of Yellow Liberalism is related to the end of Greater Colombia. Venezuela broke away from this Simón Bolívar project and since then it has been governed by a conservative group.

At that time there were no very clear opposition initiatives, as there were no other political parties except the one in power. However, Antonio Leocadio Guzmán (Antonio Guzmán Blanco's father) changed this scenario as of 1840, when he founded the Liberal Party.

The influence of Antonio Leocadio Guzmán

Antonio Guzman Blanco

The journalist and politician Antonio Leocadio Guzmán began to interact with liberal circles in 1823. Through various media that he directed, he began to publicize his ideas on liberalism and actively participated in the process of separation of Venezuela from Greater Colombia.

He was part of several successive governments until in 1840 he founded both the Liberal Society of Caracas and the newspaper El Venezolano, which was the main medium through which said society published its communications.

After several years of relations and conflicts with the governments of the day, his son (Antonio Guzmán Blanco) defeated the conservatives through the April Revolution of 1870.

April Revolution of 1870

This was the act of war that definitively signified the rise of the liberals to power in the figure of Antonio Guzmán Blanco.

This politician advanced together with men who had participated in the Federal War and landed at Vela de Coro, in the state of Falcón.

After having triumphed there, they moved to Caracas; There they were received with applause and cheers, as the majority of Caracas people disagreed with the governor of the time, José Ruperto Monagas. From then on, Antonio Guzmán Blanco became president of Venezuela.

characteristics

- During the Yellow Liberalism there was development in the military, institutional and economic areas.

- The alternation in power of representatives of Guzmancism generated the deepening of corruption.

- In the first years of this period there was a relative pacification, which was a great achievement taking into account the previous moments of sharp combats and clashes throughout the country.

- In the Yellow Liberalism, Venezuela experienced an important modernization.

- Almost all the presidents of this period had the rank of general.

- A preeminence of the military sector was very evident, which generated social discomfort.

- The first two decades of the process, when Guzmán Blanco was in the presidency, were characterized by their remarkable stability. However, in the last decade there have been greater social and economic conflicts, and the previous balance has been lost.

Causes

After achieving independence, Venezuela went through a period of great instability. There were clashes between the merchants of the time and the conservatives, who were in power.

The merchants demanded more freedom to exercise their actions and the rulers denied them. As a result, the liberal trend emerged: its members sought to activate an environment for trade with freedom and possibilities for growth.

On the other hand, historical records indicate that there were still people in a situation of slavery at this time, which also increased the discomfort in these sectors.

Federal War

These discontent led to a series of uprisings throughout the country, which eventually spawned the Federal War, also known as the Five-Year War.

The Federal War was the main antecedent to the rise of Yellow Liberalism. This conflict is the bloodiest that Venezuela has had so far, after the war of independence: more than 150,000 people died.

This confrontation ended with a peace treaty known as the Car Treaty, which determined the need to convene a national assembly made up of equal parts conservative and federalist members, and the resignation of the then president, José Antonio Páez, in order to facilitate the imminent transition.

The launch of this process meant the victory of the liberal party and the beginnings of Yellow Liberalism.

Consequences

Compulsory and free education

The declaration of a free and compulsory education was one of the first measures taken by the government of Antonio Guzmán Blanco. Facilitating access to education on a massive scale meant an important social paradigm shift.

Currency unification

At that time there were various currencies circulating throughout the national territory. With the coming to power of the Liberals there was a unification in this regard, in order to simplify business processes and generate economic stability in the country.

In 1876 the only currency that circulated in the country was born: it was called “the Venezuelan”. Three years later it was exchanged for the bolivar.

Decreased power of regional warlords

Before and during the unfolding of the Federal War, a large number of caudillos emerged in the different regions of Venezuela. Once the conflict ended, a certain order had to be established to guarantee the stability of the government.

By centralizing the command in the president (in this case, Antonio Guzmán Blanco), it was possible to subtract power from the caudillos and have greater control of the political and economic scene of the country.

Creation of railways that modernized the country

The construction of railways was essential to generate a push for the country's nascent trade, and thus develop the commercial environment not only during the Yellow Liberalism, but also later.

It meant a change of thought that sought to position Venezuela as a prosperous and developed nation.

First and last presidents

- First presidents

First term of Antonio Guzmán Blanco

Antonio Guzmán Blanco ruled for three presidential terms: from 1870 to 1877, from 1879 to 1884, and from 1886 to 1888.

The main characteristics of their governments was to promote what was called "Europeanization" of the country. The idea was to develop modern initiatives in the economic, social, educational and political fields.

In his first term in office, Guzmán Blanco managed to pacify the country, since he appeased the leaders who were still generating conflict.

In addition, railways were built that allowed the commercial activity to be carried out in a more effective and lucrative way. Undoubtedly, this first government took great and obvious steps towards modernization

Francisco Linares Alcántara and José Gregorio Valera

Linares Alcántara was only in power for a year, as he died suddenly. He was replaced by the also military José Gregorio Valera.

Both Linares Alcántara and Valera had distanced themselves from Guzmán Blanco, but the latter organized the Reclamation Revolution with the military man Gregorio Cedeño at the head, which forced Valera to resign as president.

At that time Guzmán Blanco was in Paris exercising diplomatic functions. After Valera's resignation, he returned to Venezuela and assumed the presidency.

- Past presidents

Second period of Joaquín Crespo

Joaquín Crespo ruled Venezuela in two stages: between 1884 and 1886, and between 1892 and 1898. This last period corresponded to the penultimate liberal government framed in the Yellow Liberalism.

Crespo was characterized by being a faithful follower of Antonio Guzmán Blanco. When the latter died, Crespo became the most powerful man in Venezuelan politics.

During the years of his government the Venezuelan economic and social situation had worsened considerably. Crespo had the intention of carrying out actions that would improve the country's context, but the unfavorable social panorama made this task difficult for him.

In these years the fall of Yellow Liberalism had already begun as the predominant figure on the political scene in Venezuela.

Crespo died on the battlefield, specifically in the Quiepa Revolution, organized by José Miguel Hernández. The latter was opposed to the government as a result of an electoral fraud that gave Ignacio Andrade, an ally of Crespo, the winner of the presidency.

Ignacio Andrade

Despite Crespo's death, the Quiepa Revolution had the liberals as winners, but for a very short time.

Ignacio Andrade assumed the presidency in 1898 and had a very poor performance. In addition, on the world stage there was a very strong agricultural crisis that affected the country.

These situations, together with a constitutional reform that had many detractors and the rise of the caudillo Cipriano Castro in the name of the Restorative Liberal Revolution, were the main causes why Andrade decided to resign in 1899, just months after taking office.

After he resigned, Cipriano Castro took power and became the first of the four presidents who made up the so-called Andean hegemony.

References

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