Maracaibo was a strategic place for the Spanish but also for the Patriots. For realists represented the possibility of regaining the provinces of Magdalena and western Venezuela. The city had lost before the infamous path of betrayal: the largest Nativity Artillery Villamil delivery negotiated with Brigadier Francisco Tomas Morales, second in command of Spanish army, claiming that he had no military resources to the defense. The terrible loss caused serious material damage in the army and alarmed Venezuelan Bolivar and Sucre, who were concentrated in the Southern Campaign. And they corresponded to the glory of recovering padilla as strategic position.
The battle began at two in the afternoon of July 24, 1823 when the armed patriot sailed towards the enemy. After the battle the victory was complete. In his book "El Almirante Padilla, Jose Torres Almeida takes stock of the battle: The enemy had 800 killed or wounded and 438 prisoners taken by the Patriots, including 69 officers." Venezuelan Admiral Eljuri-Nunez writes, apropos of the race: "The triumph of freedom consolidated Maracaibo of Venezuela and allowed freedom of half a continent." The Venezuelan diplomat and historian Arturo Uslar Pietri meanwhile, is adamant when he says: If you lose the battle of Maracaibo luck the war of independence would have been different. Probably have lasted for several more years, perhaps, Bolivar had had to return the South. All won in thirteen years of long and desperate war had again been at stake. " Padilla is not great for what they say about him or the statues to be erected in honor of his memory. Not even for the speeches delivered on special dates. It is for his achievements and his brave and valuable contributions to a cause they firmly believed. His courage, bravery and intelligence is an example not only to his countrymen but to all who still believe in the importance of fidelity to the motherland and love theirs. A Jose Prudencio Padilla comes the saying of the French writer Romaind Rolland: "Success does not matter. It's about being great, not appearing to "FOR: ALEJANDRO RUTTO Martnez.