The War to the Death : Bolivar angered by the fact that Briceno and others has been captured near Barinas by royalist who shot all of them as rebels, issued a proclamation.

"Those executioners who call themselves our enemies have broken international law...But the victims will be avenged, those executioners exterminated. Our vengeance shall equal the cruelties of the Spaniards, for our forbearance is exhausted. Since our oppressors forced us into this deadly war, they will vanish from the face of America. ...Our hatred knows no bounds, and the war shall be tp the death.!"

Bolivar followed this with another proclamation, pardoning all natives for past acts against the patriots, but sparing the lives of only those Peninsulares who would actively and effectively support the patriots.

"Spaniards and Canary Islanders" the proclamation concluded "be prepared for certain death, even if you are merely indifferent. Americans, you shall live, even if you are guilty".

Bolivar latter commented that "to bind to us four guerrillas, who contributed to our liberation it was necessary to declare the War to the Death".

Most likely, Bolivar saw in it a sure mean of ending the neutrality or indifference of many Venezuelan and of making reconciliation with Spain impossible, even under the liberal Constitution of 1.812. The main effect of The War to the Death was to make Venezuela a desert.

On August 6 1.813, two weeks after his thirtieth birthday, Bolivar entered Caracas in triumph, welcomed by twelve white-robed maidens who placed a laurel crown on his head.

At this time Bolivar met Josephina Madrid known as "Senorita Pepa", she gloried in the power her new position gave her, and proved herself as vindictive as she was adept at intrigue

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