Happy TravellerWelcome to Carúpano, a vibrant city located on the Venezuelan Caribbean coast in the eastern state of Sucre. This city is the shire town of the Bermúdez Municipality and serves as the gateway to the Paria Peninsula. With a population of 173,877 inhabitants, Carúpano is the main commercial and financial center of the region.
Carúpano has a rich history, and it was on the Peninsula of Paria, near Carúpano, where Christopher Columbus first set foot on the American continent during his third voyage. Simón Bolívar, the liberator of Venezuela, also issued a decree ending slavery in Carúpano in 1814. The city was also the scene of a short-lived military rebellion against the government of Rómulo Betancourt in 1962, known as El Carupanazo.
Carúpano’s economy has been based on the export of cacao, coffee, sugar, cotton, timber, and rum since colonial times. In fact, Carupanese rums are highly appreciated nationwide, and the internal consumption usually leaves little surplus rum for export. Although the local General José Francisco Bermúdez Airport does not carry regular commercial flights, the city remains a hub of economic activity in the region.
The Bermúdez Municipality has a population of 175,877, and its population density is 1,559 people per square mile. Carúpano is the administrative center of the municipality, and the current mayor is Nircia Villegas, elected in 2017.
Carúpano has several sites of interest, including the House of Cable, where the first submarine cable between Europe and America arrived, joining the French city of Marseille with Carúpano in the late 19th century. Today, the House of Cable is the headquarters of the Tomas Merle Foundation and the Paria Project, two organizations that promote tourism and industry. Carúpano also boasts several religious buildings, including the Iglesia Catedral Santa Rosa de Lima, the Iglesia San Martín de Porres, and the Capilla Santa Cruz. The city also has several squares and parks, such as Plaza Suniaga and Parque Karupana.
Carúpano has been the birthplace of several notable figures, including Wolfgang Larrazábal, former president of Venezuela, and Andrés Eloy Blanco, one of the most important Venezuelan poets. With its rich history, culture, and natural beauty, Carúpano is a must-visit destination for any traveler to Venezuela.
