160 years ago, Venezuela's sovereignty over Isla de Aves was ratified

June 30, 1865, the Arbitral Award was issued ratifying Venezuela's sovereignty over Isla de Aves.

This island is the national sanctuary for the reproduction of seabirds and for the green turtle, an endangered species. The island is composed of sand and some vegetation. The area is dangerous for navigation and many ships have been wrecked off its coast.

The Island was discovered by Avaro Sanzze in 1584, and claimed in the name of Spain, but it was not inhabited. This led to it being later claimed by Spain, the United Kingdom, Portugal and the Netherlands.

The Netherlands claimed it starting in 1854, intending to declare it united to the Island of Saba, located 200 kilometers away.

The Venezuelan Government rejected these requests and the Dutch decided to send, in 1856, a fleet of three warships to the port of La Guaira, also sending an ultimatum to the National Government to respond to their requests for the island's sovereignty, in addition to “negotiating” the terms of the alleged compensation to the Jews expelled from Coro.

However, the conflict over the possession of this Island was resolved by means of an Arbitral Award that declared the territory a Venezuelan space, and Isabel II of Spain was appointed as arbitrator, at the request of both countries, in 1860.

After several years of studying the allegations, consulting between officials and drafting several reports, the senior officials of the Ministry of State, the Council of State and the Council of Ministers gave their final opinion to the queen, who handed down a judgment on June 30, 1865, in favor of Venezuelan rights over the island.

In July 1895, President Joaquín Crespo organized the Venezuelan Islands in the Caribbean and included Bird Island as part of the Colón Federal Territory. In May 1905, President Cipriano Castro decreed that the Island belong to the so-called “Eastern Municipality” of the Colón Federal Territory.

In 1978, the Venezuelan Navy established a Military Garrison on the Island with the name of “Simón Bolívar Scientific-Military Base”. The impact of Hurricane “Allen”, in 1980, divided the Island into two parts, but the increase in coral on the island could reunify it.

On January 6, 1999, the Venezuelan Government decreed that the Island would be under the control of the Directorate of Hydrography and Navigation, with the name of “Simón Bolívar Naval Scientific Base” and its name was included in Article 11 of the Venezuelan Constitution, approved on December 15, 1999, which considers it part of the island space of the Republic as one of the Federal Dependencies.

On October 22, 2000, President Hugo Chávez made the first radio and television transmission from the Island using a satellite signal.

MIPPCI