Publications
Strategic Planning as a Pillar for Effective Zoning and Participatory Urban Governance, in Coro, Falcón, Venezuela
Strategic planning emerges as a critical tool for effective zoning and participatory urban governance in Coro, Venezuela. This approach goes beyond territorial division to analyze the city's unique heritage, resources, and socioeconomic dynamics, fostering a shared vision that optimizes infrastructure, economic activity, and environmental sustainability while addressing diverse community needs. By involving citizens, civil society organizations, the private sector, and academia in decision-making, strategic planning enhances policy legitimacy, transparency, and adaptability to local realities. While challenges such as economic instability and institutional capacity persist, this framework offers a path to a more organized, sustainable, and equitable Coro with improved quality of life for its inhabitants.
Venezuelan Historical Archaeology. Current Perspectives on Contact, Colonialism, and Independence
This groundbreaking volume, the first comprehensive study of Venezuelan historical archaeology available in both English and Spanish, sheds new light on the country's complex past from precolonial times to the republican period. It reveals how indigenous experiences during colonialism, missionization, and commodity production shaped landscapes and societies, with a focus on key case studies like Coro and other foundational cities. The research integrates recent fieldwork and unpublished data, employing a critical historical approach to analyze everyday life, consumerism, and social practices surrounding death. By bridging gaps in Latin American archaeology, this bilingual work offers transformative insights for scholars globally.
La modernización militar de Guzmán Blanco y la Campaña de Coro en Venezuela (1874-1875)
The Campaign of Coro (1874–1875) marked a pivotal moment in Venezuela's military modernization under President Antonio Guzmán Blanco, whose reforms during this period laid the foundation for his 18-year rule. Archival analysis reveals significant advancements in military leadership, logistics, and medical services, transforming small divisions into permanent army corps with superior organization and weaponry. These innovations not only strengthened Guzmán Blanco’s political dominance but also reshaped Venezuela’s military structure, ensuring stability and efficiency that endured for nearly two decades.
Registros comentados de mariposas diurnas (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) en Coro (estado Falcón), Mérida (estado Mérida) y Trujillo (estado Trujillo), Venezuela
A comprehensive survey of day-flying butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) in three distinct Venezuelan regions—Coro (a semi-arid coastal area), Mérida, and Trujillo (both in the Andes)—revealed 44 genera and 57 species across six families. This study highlights the biodiversity of urban and semi-urban environments, emphasizing butterflies as effective indicators of ecological health. Researchers conducted random sampling using entomological nets between July 2020 and March 2021, capturing a diverse range of species, including representatives from Hesperiidae, Lycaenidae, Nymphalidae, Papilionidae, Pieridae, and Riodinidae. The findings contribute valuable baseline data for conservation efforts in these UNESCO-listed regions.
Earthen ridges in coastal sand dunes of the Caribbean coast, Venezuela: Anthropogenic or natural?
A study of earthen ridges in the Los Médanos de Coro dune fields, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on Venezuela's Caribbean coast, challenges the long-held belief that these features were constructed by ancient Caquetío people. Through geomorphic, physicochemical, and elemental analyses, along with three radiocarbon dates ranging from 1900 to 3000 years BP, researchers concluded that the ridges are most likely exhumed paleochannels of natural origin. While past human occupants may have utilized these features as causeways, the evidence strongly supports a natural formation process rather than anthropogenic construction.
Revolution and Politics in Venezuela and Curaçao, 1795-1800
A dense, mutually beneficial trade relationship between Venezuela and Curaçao flourished during the late 18th century, particularly from 1795 to 1800. This symbiotic economic bond, facilitated by Curaçao's status as a free port since 1674, was so significant that it sometimes surpassed Venezuela's ties with Spain in importance. The study reveals that Venezuelan products, especially from Coro, were staple exports via Curaçaoan traders who dominated Caribbean trade routes. Additionally, the research highlights the human dimension of this relationship, noting that enslaved individuals fleeing Curaçao frequently found refuge in Coro, suggesting a complex interplay of commerce and social dynamics during this period.
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