El Barcelonazo: Civic-military insurrection that broke out against abuses Democratic Action

Published at: 26/06/2025 08:00 AM

On June 26, 1961, 64 years ago, Barcelonazo was a military insurrection that took place at Cuartel Pedro María Freites in the city of Barcelona, Anzoátegui state. This event was triggered as a result of the persecution, searches and arrests carried out jointly by the General Directorate of Police (DIGEPOL) and the armed gangs of Democratic Action (AD) against members of the Venezuelan Agricultural Chamber.

That is why, outraged by so much abuse of power, the leaders of the Agricultural Chamber decided to act by armed means, for this reason, together with a group of soldiers, they planned an uprising in the city of Barcelona, which should be extended to other localities in Venezuela in order to provoke a great civic-military movement to overthrow the Government.

In this regard, on June 26, a group of armed soldiers, led by Major Luis Alberto Vivas Ramírez, the Captain, Rubén Massó Perdomo and Tesalio Murillo, took over the Barcelona Barracks and the Marine Fusiliers Battalion. But due to the lack of support offered by the other military components involved in the uprising, who were in favor of that mandate, they quickly regained control, and by 10 in the morning the movement was defeated.

Unfortunately, they did not achieve their objectives and the soldiers opposed to the president surrendered, and their main leaders were quickly arrested. This movement left around 16 dead and 9 injured.

MAZO DRAFTING