Luisa was born in Caracas , Venezuela , to José Domingo Cáceres and Carmen Díaz , prosperous Criollos . On her father 's side , she was of Canarian descent . She was baptized in the Church of Santa Rosalía , in Caracas . Her father was an intellectual , a historian and a professor of Latin . Educated by her father , Luisa learned how to read and write , and developed a love for her country . While Luisa was a young girl focussing on her studies , Spain was taken over by Napoleon , who installed his brother , Joseph , as its king . People not just in Spain , but in its colonies as well , were infuriated , and a war for Spain 's independence broke out . In Venezuela , Spanish colonists saw this as an opportunity to break away from Spain while it was weak , and gain independence , and so a series of uprisings occurred . They were led by the Venezuelan marshal Francisco de Miranda , who had been involved in the French Revolution and the American Revolutionary War . Venezuela declared itself independent from Spain on July 5 , 1811 . This triggered the war for Venezuela 's independence . The 1812 Caracas earthquake occurred where Luisa and her family were living , completely destroying the city . Because of this earthquake and a rebellion by the Venezuelan '' Llaneros '' and Canarians , the First Republic of Venezuela was toppled . A second Venezuelan republic was proclaimed on August 7 , 1813 , but lasted only a few months before it , too , was crushed
1812 Caracas earthquake
1812 Caracas earthquake
Luisa Cáceres de Arismendi