Federal War

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Federal War
partof=


caption=Ezequiel Zamora leader of the Federalist Army until his assassination on January 10, 1860
date= January 20,1859 - April 24, 1863
place= Mainly the Barinas, Portuguesa, Cojedes, Apure and Guárico states of Venezuela
result=Federalist Victory, Treaty of Coche, Establishment of a Federalist Government
combatant1= Federalists
combatant2= Centralists
commander1=Ezequiel Zamora,
Juan Crisóstomo Falcón Antonio Guzman Blanco
commander2=José Antonio Páez Julián Castro
strength1=
strength2=
casualties1=
casualties2=

The Federal War ( _es. Guerra Federal), was a civil war (1859–1863) in Venezuela between the conservative party and the liberal party about the monopoly of the conservatives of the land and the government positions, and their reluctance to grant any reforms. This drove the liberals to look for greater autonomy for the provinces. The Federal war was mainly a guerrilla war largely without a centralized command for the Federalists, who let loose the social resentment of the oppressed classes against the Bourgeoisie. Just over three major conventional battles were fought: The Battle of Santa Inés (December 10 1859), in which Zamora and 3,400 men defeated the Central Army of 2,300 men, with about 1,200 casualties altogether both sides; the Battle of Coplé (February 17 1860), victory of the government forces of general León de Febres Cordero over a Federalist army of 4,500 men, commanded by Falcón, and the Battle of Buchivacoa (December 26-December 27 1862). The hostilities ended with the signing of the Treaty of Coche in April 1863.It was the biggest civil war Venezuela had had since its independence. Hundreds of thousands died in the violence of the war, or from hunger or disease, in a country with a population of just over a million people.