Speech Made by José Padilla, former admiral of Gran Colombia in the Town Square of Caracas

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This speech has been found circulating in Caracas due to its popularity amongst the Venezuelan people. 

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All of you know me. I have led our great nation to fantastic victories. I led our military to great victories in the Battle of Lake Maracaibo, and now I am here to push our country to greater heights. We have fought, truly, with the strength we could, for our nation. No one could truly accuse me of not loving this Republic. No one could accuse me of not loving our leader, the Great Liberator. But this is not the time for hopeless self-love and undeserved praise. This is a time for real reform, if we want our country to progress. Our Liberator has failed to address the concerns of our brothers in Venezuela, causing Paez to have to form his movement, the La Cosiata. Only then did we get the concession of this Convention, to bring about the changes our people sorely needed. 

We must give Venezuela more rights. We must give Ecuador more rights. I am myself of mixed race. I am myself a reflection of the true greatness of this country. But yet, we must let Venezuela and Ecuador rule themselves. The Liberator’s presence is needed, but surely even he cannot rule over the entire world. As the Catholics in Europe say, let the smallest division rule itself - an element that the Catholic Church has long known to be true. If this isn’t done, what must we expect except for a full rebellion? What can we expect from our Venezuelan brothers, who see freedom in their future, and themselves as a nation? We must give them their freedom and keep our state together. We are soon to go to a Convention where all this can change - the Ocana Convention. Let us make change. 

Those who do not agree with my view are unwise. They will see. It’s impossible not to.