Tucacas

Tucacas
Tucacas
	Coordinates: 10°47′52″N 68°19′03″W / 10.79778°N 68.31750°WCoordinates: 10°47′52″N 68°19′03″W / 10.79778°N 68.31750°W

Tucacas is a northern coastal town of Venezuela. It is located in the state of Falcón. Elevation 1m.

History[]

Tucacas, a town on the northern coast of Venezuela, surrounded by two rivers making access from the interior of Venezuela difficult. In 1693 a large group of granas Jews originally from Leghorn left Curaçao for Tucacas. With the settlement of Jews there, the place became a lively commercial center. The Jews built houses, grew cattle, erected a fortress, and built a synagogue. They began to purchase cocoa beans and tobacco from the interior of Venezuela, and mule trains carrying cocoa from New Granada and Quito would arrive in Tucacas, sell their produce to the Jews, and purchase textiles and other European goods in return. The attempts by Spanish forces to attack the settlement failed, owing to the protection of Dutch naval units, the local Venezuelan population, and the defense by the Jews themselves. This Dutch enclave was under the command of Jorge Christian, Marquis of Tucacas, and Samuel Gradis Gabai, under the title Señor de Las Tucacas. Samuel was also president of the Hebrew congregation called "Santa Irmandad" (the Holy Brotherhood).

The Spanish provincial authorities collaborated with the Jews, since they saw them as an outlet for export and the suppliers of much-needed European goods, since the over-extended Spanish fleet could not meet the demands of all its American colonies.

At the end of 1717, the province of Venezuela became part of the viceroyalty of Nueva Granada which also included actual Colombia and Ecuador. The Viceroy Jorge de Vilalonga, because of complaints from the Catholic clergy and from Spain, decided to eliminate Tucacas. Pedro Jose de Olivarriaga was nominated commissioner against the so-called Jewish "contraband trade." With special army units and 40 ships he attacked and captured the town in 1720. According to eyewitnesses the synagogue was destroyed, the Jews burned their own houses, and left for Curaçao.

Local economy[]

Turtle in Tucacas, Morrocoy National Park.

The economy is based mainly on tourism.

Transport[]

It is mentioned as a station on the national railway network. However, there is not a train station in Tucacas and there is not railway service for passengers in this network. The railway is for transport of raw materials for the petrochemical industry. There are permanent bus services to and from Puerto Cabello, Valencia, Barquisimeto, Coro and to most important localities in the region. There is fuel, gas and diesel, available 24/7, repair shops, tow service and traffic police. There are boats for rent and taxi boats, marine fuel from 6 am to 6 pm, ship yards, boat parts stores and mayor repair services. Scooter and personal watercraft rentals, but no car rentals in town.

Tucacas is also mentioned as a destination at Conviasa's United States web-page.^[1]