Luis de Urdaneta

Luis Urdaneta Farías (Maracaibo, — Panama, ) was a Venezuelan soldier and revolutionary who participated in several military campaigns of the Spanish American Wars of Independence. Initially part of the troops loyal to the Spanish Empire, he switched sides during the conflict. He participated and played a leading role in the independence of Guayaquil. He fought in several battles under the command of Marshal Antonio José de Sucre in the Southern Campaign and in the Gran Colombia–Peru War. He insurrectioned against Juan José Flores' attempted separation of the Southern District from Gran Colombia.

Early life He was born in the city of Maracaibo in 1768, and was the son of José de Urdaneta Barrenechea y Troconís, and Francisca Farías, therefore the nephew of General Rafael Urdaneta. Coming from a wealthy family, he easily entered as a cadet in the White Militia Battalion of Maracaibo, where he began his military career. Due to his great performance, he was later assigned to the distinguished Royalist First Battalion of Numancia, which in turn was destined to be stationed in Peru. However, in mid-1820, Spanish authorities in Lima discovered that Urdaneta sympathized with emerging independence ideas and separated him from the battalion, forcing him to return to Venezuela along with his compatriots, and León de Febres Cordero, who had been expelled for the same reasons.

Military career Quito and Peru

The Anglo–American brig Tiber, which was carrying the three deported Venezuelans from the Numancia Battalion, arrived in the city of Guayaquil with a stopover and remained there for several days. Urdaneta, along with his compatriots, made friends with several local residents who shared their ideas on independence. invited the three Venezuelans to a party at José de Villamil's house on October 1, 1820, which masked a secret meeting of an emancipatory conspiracy called the Forge of Vulcano.

In the early morning of October 9, 1820, Urdaneta together with Lorenzo de Garaycoa, , and other volunteers went to the Daule Barracks, which was under the command of the royalist commander Joaquín Magallar. After taking control of the barracks, he headed to the Las Cruces battery, south of the city, to capture it. By the morning of October 9, Guayaquil achieved its independence. The forces of the Protective Division of Quito, led by the newcomers Urdaneta and Febres Cordero, achieved victory in the Battle of Camino Real (November 9), but suffered a serious defeat in the First Battle of Huachi (November 22) and they blamed Peruvian Major for their defeat, but after the trial he was later released from the charges and the responsibility for poor command fell on commanders Urdaneta and Febres Cordero.