Tocuyo de La Costa - First Settlers

First Settlers

It is presumed that the first settlers were the indigenous tribe of Mapubares.Todavía speaks of Mission Indians Mapubares which was established in the hills near the towns of El Alto and Santa Rosa; until a few years ago were the ruins the settlement. There is also talk of Aboriginal settlements in Cerritos near the town of La Villa, San Juan route of the Keys. Gradually went mixing with Spanish colonists and slaves brought from Africa by force. It was subsequently established immigrants were mainly from Spain.

In the book Raíces de Pueblo written by Professor Jose Antonio Zabala Zambrano it is noted that the origin of the population of San Miguel River Tocuyo (as it was called then) can be deduced that dates from 1560 onwards and for the facts below are expressed: When the cathedral was built in Coro(1583-1637), the wood that was used for this purpose was taken in our surrounding mountains, threw to the river, then later with the ocean currents carried around de la Vela de Coro or the dunes. In the year of 1561, the Captaincy organized a small army, which he left in pursuit of Coro Tirano Aguirre and being quartered in the town of San Miguel de Rio Tocuyo, were informed that Lope de Aguirre had been settled in the area Barquisimeto, then, from this same population, those government troops returned to the city of Coro. Ramon Rivero, chronicler of the municipality concerned: "Just one year after the discovery of the coast of the new world strong in 1498, comes another expedition of Spaniards commanded by Don Alonso de Ojeda. Supporting among others Juan de la Cosa and Amerigo Vespucci. This expedition began its journey from east to west on our shores starting in the Sea of Pearls from the Paria peninsula and the island of Margarita. After crossing the Gulf Sad, the climbers arrive at a beautiful bay that called attention to poderosdamente the security offered by their calm waters. As to take coast, a surprise attack with arrows and darts from the Aboriginal reject "This event will mark the registration of the first armed encounter that occurs in our history the early age of discovery.

Coordinates: 11°02′N 68°23′W / 11.033°N 68.383°W / 11.033; -68.383