Flag of Venezuela
Encyclopedia
The current flag of Venezuela
was introduced in 2006.
The basic design includes a horizontal tricolor of yellow, blue, and red, dating to the original flag introduced in 1811, in the Venezuelan War of Independence
.
Further modifications have involved including a set of stars, multiple changes to the placement and number of stars and inclusion of an optional coat of arms
at the upper-left corner.
for his unsuccessful 1806 expedition to liberate Venezuela and later adopted by the National Congress of 1811. It consisted of three equal horizontal stripes of yellow, blue and red. Miranda's flag is also the inspiration for the flags of Colombia
and Ecuador
. This original design was first flown on March 12, 1806 at Jacmel
, Haiti
as Miranda's expedition prepared to make the final leg of its voyage to Venezuela. The flag was first flown over Venezuelan soil at La Vela de Coro
, on August 3. Until August 3, 2006, Flag Day
was celebrated in Venezuela on March 12. Since 2006 it has been celebrated on August 3.
Miranda gave at least two sources of inspiration for his flag. In a letter written to Count Semyon Vorontsov in 1792, Miranda stated that the colors were based on a theory of primary colors
given to him by the German writer and philosopher Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
. Miranda described a late-night conversation he had with Goethe at a party in Weimar during the winter of 1785. Fascinated with Miranda's account of his exploits in the United States Revolutionary War
and his travels throughout the Americas and Europe, Goethe told him that, "Your destiny is to create in your land a place where primary colors are not distorted.” He proceeded to clarify what he meant by this:
After Miranda later designed his flag based on this conversation, he happily recalled seeing a fresco by Lazzaro Tavarone
in the Palazzo Belimbau in Genoa
that depicted Christopher Columbus
unfurling a similar-colored flag in Veragua
during his fourth voyage
.
In his military diary, Miranda gave another source of inspiration: the yellow, blue and red standard
of the Burgers' Guard (Bürgerwache) of Hamburg
, which he also saw during his travels in Germany. The idea of the flag is documented in his 1801 plan for an army to liberate Spanish America, which he submitted unsuccessfully to the British cabinet
. In it Miranda requested the materials for "ten flags, whose colours shall be red, yellow and blue, in three zones."
The symbolism traditionally ascribed to the colors are that the yellow band stands for the wealth of the land, the blue for courage, and the red for the independence from Spain, or more succinctly: "golden" America separated from bloody Spain by the deep blue sea.
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After the Guayana
campaign, Simón Bolívar
added an eighth star to the national flag (the so-called Flag of Angostura) in representation of the newly freed province. Bolívar issued the following decree:
to the flag on February 19, 1954. The coat of arms was not incorporated into the Civil or Maritime Flag
, which is intended for non-governmental purposes, such as civilian use, merchant craft, and international sports competition
.
In 2006 the President of Venezuela Hugo Chávez
announced plans to add an eighth star to the flag of Venezuela to bring about a much belated fulfillment to Bolívar's 1817 decree. Although the new flag was approved by the Venezuelan government it has caused significant controversy, and at the time of its official unveiling, Óscar Pérez
, a spokesperson for the opposition group National Resistance Command, stated that the opposition would not use the new flag.
The opposition has complained about the significant cost involved in modifying not only all flags but all documents bearing the flag or coat of arms by the year 2011 as proposed by the government. However, the government says the 2011 proposal allows ample time for phasing in of the new flag as citizens, businesses, and other organizations are able to switch.
The changed direction of the horse on the coat of arms also caused a stir among the opposition, commentators, and comedians who have remarked that the horse's apparent "running to the left" is a not so subtle reflection of Chávez's left-leaning politics
. The new law says the latter represents the horse running with "independence and freedom"; it includes no reference to the attributed political symbolism.
At the close of the Miss Universe 2010
pageant, Stefanía Fernández
, winner from 2009, pulled out a seven-star flag of Venezuela.
There is currently no regulation as to the dimensions of the flag, its use inside private or public institutions or by the public in general, its form and protocol. The conventions that currently exist have been freely determined. Nevertheless, educational institutions currently follow a protocol modeled on the regulations issued for the armed forces for use in raising the flag on special days.
Out of respect for the flag, popular culture holds that upon raising the flag, the national anthem
should be played and all present should stand still, straight, with closed hands at the sides and without any headgear.
, in which this singular way of folding a flag originated. In the Venezuelan case, there are two ways of folding the flag depending on whether it is a civil or state flag.
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
was introduced in 2006.
The basic design includes a horizontal tricolor of yellow, blue, and red, dating to the original flag introduced in 1811, in the Venezuelan War of Independence
Venezuelan War of Independence
-The First Republic:Criollos resented the mercantilist policies of Spain. Trade was only allowed in Pacific ports which was a terrible burden for Argentina, Paraguay and the Caribbean colonies. This is significant as Cuba and Puerto Rico were forced to allow free trade in 1763 by Britain and...
.
Further modifications have involved including a set of stars, multiple changes to the placement and number of stars and inclusion of an optional coat of arms
Coat of arms of Venezuela
The current coat of arms of Venezuela was primarily approved by the Congress on April 18, 1836, undergoing small modifications through history, reaching the present version....
at the upper-left corner.
Original flag
The flag is essentially the one designed by Francisco de MirandaFrancisco de Miranda
Sebastián Francisco de Miranda Ravelo y Rodríguez de Espinoza , commonly known as Francisco de Miranda , was a Venezuelan revolutionary...
for his unsuccessful 1806 expedition to liberate Venezuela and later adopted by the National Congress of 1811. It consisted of three equal horizontal stripes of yellow, blue and red. Miranda's flag is also the inspiration for the flags of Colombia
Flag of Colombia
After Miranda later designed his flag based on this conversation, he happily recalled seeing a fresco by Lazzaro Tavarone in the Palazzo Belimbau in Genoa that depicted Christopher Columbus unfurling a similar-coloured flag in Veragua during his fourth voyage....
and Ecuador
Flag of Ecuador
The flag of Ecuador, which consists of horizontal bands of yellow , blue and red, was first adopted on September 26, 1860. The design of the current flag was finalized in 1900 with the addition of the coat of arms in the center of the flag. Before using the yellow, blue and red tricolor, Ecuador...
. This original design was first flown on March 12, 1806 at Jacmel
Jacmel
Jacmel, also known by its indigenous Taíno name of Yaquimel, is a town in southern Haiti founded in 1698. It is the capital of the department of Sud-Est and has an estimated population of 40,000, while the municipality of Jacmel had a population of 137,966 at the 2003 Census.The buildings are...
, Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
as Miranda's expedition prepared to make the final leg of its voyage to Venezuela. The flag was first flown over Venezuelan soil at La Vela de Coro
Santa Ana de Coro
Coro is the capital of Falcón State and the oldest city in the west of Venezuela.-History:The city was founded on July 26, 1527 by Spanish colonists. The name "Coro" is believed to be an indigenous word meaning "wind".The city had a turbulent history in colonial times and suffered a number of...
, on August 3. Until August 3, 2006, Flag Day
Flag Day
A flag day is a flag-related holiday—either a day designated for flying a certain flag , or a day set aside to celebrate a historical event such as a nation's adoption of its flag....
was celebrated in Venezuela on March 12. Since 2006 it has been celebrated on August 3.
Miranda gave at least two sources of inspiration for his flag. In a letter written to Count Semyon Vorontsov in 1792, Miranda stated that the colors were based on a theory of primary colors
Theory of Colours
Theory of Colours is a work by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe about the poet's views on the nature of colours and how these are perceived by man, published in 1810...
given to him by the German writer and philosopher Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a German writer, pictorial artist, biologist, theoretical physicist, and polymath. He is considered the supreme genius of modern German literature. His works span the fields of poetry, drama, prose, philosophy, and science. His Faust has been called the greatest long...
. Miranda described a late-night conversation he had with Goethe at a party in Weimar during the winter of 1785. Fascinated with Miranda's account of his exploits in the United States Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
and his travels throughout the Americas and Europe, Goethe told him that, "Your destiny is to create in your land a place where primary colors are not distorted.” He proceeded to clarify what he meant by this:
First he explained to me the way the irisIris (anatomy)The iris is a thin, circular structure in the eye, responsible for controlling the diameter and size of the pupils and thus the amount of light reaching the retina. "Eye color" is the color of the iris, which can be green, blue, or brown. In some cases it can be hazel , grey, violet, or even pink...
transforms light into the three primary colors […] then he proved to me why yellow is the most warm, noble and closest to [white] light; why blue is that mix of excitement and serenity, a distance that evokes shadows; and why red is the exaltation of yellow and blue, the synthesis, the vanishing of light into shadow.
It is not that the world is made of yellows, blues and reds; it is that in this manner, as if in an infinite combination of these three colors, we human beings see it. […] A country [Goethe concluded] starts out from a name and a flag, and it then becomes them, just as a man fulfils his destiny.
After Miranda later designed his flag based on this conversation, he happily recalled seeing a fresco by Lazzaro Tavarone
Lazzaro Tavarone
Lazzaro Tavarone was an Italian painter of the late-Renaissance and Mannerist period, active mainly in his native Genoa and in Spain....
in the Palazzo Belimbau in Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
that depicted Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
unfurling a similar-colored flag in Veragua
Duchy of Veragua
The Duchy of Veragua was a Spanish hereditary domain created in 1537 in the reign of King Charles I in a small section of the territory of Veragua...
during his fourth voyage
Voyages of Christopher Columbus
In the early modern period, the voyages of Columbus initiated European exploration and colonization of the American continents, and are thus of great significance in world history. Christopher Columbus was a navigator and an admiral for Castile, a country that later founded modern Spain...
.
In his military diary, Miranda gave another source of inspiration: the yellow, blue and red standard
Heraldic flag
In heraldry and vexillology, an heraldic flag is any of several types of flags, containing coats of arms, heraldic badges, or other devices, used for personal identification....
of the Burgers' Guard (Bürgerwache) of Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, which he also saw during his travels in Germany. The idea of the flag is documented in his 1801 plan for an army to liberate Spanish America, which he submitted unsuccessfully to the British cabinet
Cabinet of the United Kingdom
The Cabinet of the United Kingdom is the collective decision-making body of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, composed of the Prime Minister and some 22 Cabinet Ministers, the most senior of the government ministers....
. In it Miranda requested the materials for "ten flags, whose colours shall be red, yellow and blue, in three zones."
The symbolism traditionally ascribed to the colors are that the yellow band stands for the wealth of the land, the blue for courage, and the red for the independence from Spain, or more succinctly: "golden" America separated from bloody Spain by the deep blue sea.
19th-century changes
During the first half of the 19th century, seven stars were added to the flag to represent the seven colonial provinces of Barcelona, Barinas, Caracas, Cumaná, Margarita, Mérida, and Trujillo that had united against Spain during the War of IndependenceVenezuelan War of Independence
-The First Republic:Criollos resented the mercantilist policies of Spain. Trade was only allowed in Pacific ports which was a terrible burden for Argentina, Paraguay and the Caribbean colonies. This is significant as Cuba and Puerto Rico were forced to allow free trade in 1763 by Britain and...
.
Guayana Region
The Guayana Region is an administrative region of Venezuela.The region has a population of 1,383,297 inhabitants and a territory of 458,344 km². It borders the independent nation of Guyana which forms part of The Guyanas...
campaign, Simón Bolívar
Simón Bolívar
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Yeiter, commonly known as Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan military and political leader...
added an eighth star to the national flag (the so-called Flag of Angostura) in representation of the newly freed province. Bolívar issued the following decree:
- Simón Bolívar. Supreme Leader of the Republic and Captain-in-chief of the Armies of Venezuela and Nueva Granada. Since the number of provinces that compose the Republic of Venezuela has increased with the number of stars on that the Venezuelan national flag has one more star as a symbol of the province of Guayana, in this way, from now on there will be eight stars on the flag. Signed by me, and stamped with the country's official stamp in the government palace in the city of AngosturaAngosturaAngostura may refer toPlacesThe Spanish word Angostura means "narrows" and so often refers to a narrowing or crossing on a river.* Angostura, Sinaloa, a municipality in northwestern Mexico.* Villa La Angostura is a mountain town in Neuquén, Argentina....
, 20 November 1817. Simón Bolívar. http://html.rincondelvago.com/bandera-de-venezuela.html
1954 changes
The Law of the National Flag, Coat of Arms and Anthem added the Coat of ArmsCoat of arms of Venezuela
The current coat of arms of Venezuela was primarily approved by the Congress on April 18, 1836, undergoing small modifications through history, reaching the present version....
to the flag on February 19, 1954. The coat of arms was not incorporated into the Civil or Maritime Flag
Civil flag
A civil flag is a version of the national flag that is flown by civilians on non-government installations or craft. The use of civil flags was more common in the past, in order to denote buildings or ships that were not manned by the military....
, which is intended for non-governmental purposes, such as civilian use, merchant craft, and international sports competition
World Baseball Classic
The World Baseball Classic is an international baseball tournament sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation and created by Major League Baseball , the Major League Baseball Players Association , and other professional baseball leagues and their players associations around the world...
.
2006 changes
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
announced plans to add an eighth star to the flag of Venezuela to bring about a much belated fulfillment to Bolívar's 1817 decree. Although the new flag was approved by the Venezuelan government it has caused significant controversy, and at the time of its official unveiling, Óscar Pérez
Óscar Pérez Torres
Oscar Jesús Pérez Torres is a Venezuelan politician. He is member of the , in opposition to Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez.-References:...
, a spokesperson for the opposition group National Resistance Command, stated that the opposition would not use the new flag.
The opposition has complained about the significant cost involved in modifying not only all flags but all documents bearing the flag or coat of arms by the year 2011 as proposed by the government. However, the government says the 2011 proposal allows ample time for phasing in of the new flag as citizens, businesses, and other organizations are able to switch.
The changed direction of the horse on the coat of arms also caused a stir among the opposition, commentators, and comedians who have remarked that the horse's apparent "running to the left" is a not so subtle reflection of Chávez's left-leaning politics
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
. The new law says the latter represents the horse running with "independence and freedom"; it includes no reference to the attributed political symbolism.
At the close of the Miss Universe 2010
Miss Universe 2010
Miss Universe 2010, the 59th edition of the pageant, was held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. on August 23, 2010. It was hosted by Bret Michaels and Natalie Morales...
pageant, Stefanía Fernández
Stefanía Fernández
Stefanía Fernández Krupij is a Venezuelan beauty pageant titleholder who won the Miss Venezuela 2008 and Miss Universe 2009 titles. She earned a Guinness record by being the first Miss Universe winner who was crowned by a compatriot....
, winner from 2009, pulled out a seven-star flag of Venezuela.
Customs and regulations
As with most other national flags, the Venezuelan flag should be flown every day by the legally registered public institutions from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. Private institutions, businesses and citizens should fly the flag on national holidays or on days determined by the National Executive. Institutions which should fly the flag by obligation are:- The Federal Legislative Palace, when the National AssemblyNational Assembly of VenezuelaThe National Assembly is the legislative branch of the Venezuelan government. It is a unicameral body made up of a variable number of members, who are elected by "universal, direct, personal, and secret" vote partly by direct election in state-based voting districts, and partly on a state-based...
is in session and buildings in which a legislative council is being held, - Public national, state and municipal offices on national holidays and other days determined by special resolution of the relevant authorities,
- Embassies, legations, consulates and other national agencies abroad, on national holidays or when required by the protocol of the host nation,
- Miraflores Palace, the building of the office of the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, daily,
- Buildings of the Armed ForcesMilitary of VenezuelaThe National Armed Forces of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela are the overall unified military forces of Venezuela. It includes over 129,150 men and women, under Article 328 of the Constitution, in 5 components of Ground, Sea and Air...
, fortresses and other military buildings, as determined by law and pertinent regulations, - Venezuelan merchant ships, using the civil ensign, since they operate in a civil capacity.
There is currently no regulation as to the dimensions of the flag, its use inside private or public institutions or by the public in general, its form and protocol. The conventions that currently exist have been freely determined. Nevertheless, educational institutions currently follow a protocol modeled on the regulations issued for the armed forces for use in raising the flag on special days.
Out of respect for the flag, popular culture holds that upon raising the flag, the national anthem
Gloria al Bravo Pueblo
Gloria al Bravo Pueblo was adopted as Venezuela's diverse national anthem by President Antonio Guzmán Blanco on May 25, 1885. The lyrics were written by the physician and journalist Vicente Salias in 1810. The music was later composed by musician Juan José Landaeta...
should be played and all present should stand still, straight, with closed hands at the sides and without any headgear.
Folding the flag
Although there is no official regulation on the manner in which the flag should be folded, there is, as in other countries, a procedure with widespread acceptance in schools, scout groups and military institutions. Its origins are not known, but there are several possibilities, such as the adoption of the custom from other nations of the region, such as the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, in which this singular way of folding a flag originated. In the Venezuelan case, there are two ways of folding the flag depending on whether it is a civil or state flag.
- For the state flag, the flag is lowered and taken to the place where it will be folded. It is then held at all four corners by at least two people. The red stripe is folded over the blue and then the yellow over the red, so that the yellow stripe and the national arms are on top and the blue stripe with stars on the bottom. The flag is then folded under in a triangular manner from the fly to the hoist such that at the end the remaining material is tucked into the last fold and the resulting triangle is all yellow with the national arms.
- For the civil flag, the flag is also lowered in the same manner as above but the yellow stripe is folded first over the blue one, then the red one over the yellow stripe, with the blue stripe and stars facing down. The flag is then folded over in a triangular manner so that the resulting triangle is only blue with stars.
External links
- Venezuela Historical flag
- Ley de Bandera, Escudo, e Himno Nacionales - Law of the National Flag, Coat of Arms and Anthem.
- BBC Report on change of flag