Chinácota

Chinácota emerged from the evolution of a settlement presumed to have originated with the natives who inhabited the region. Mentions of Chinácota began after the death of the German conquistador Ambrosio Alfinger within its current territory in May 1533. The territory that makes up the modern municipality's jurisdiction is presumed to have been inhabited in the 16th century by a branch of the Chitarera family. According to local legend, there area became inhabitated under tribal leader Chinaquillo, who led Chitarero warriors who killed Alfinger.^[1]

The founding of the municipality dates back historically to 22 June 1586, when Captain Alonso de Montalvo described and settled the Chinácota Indians. He summoned Juan Ramírez de Andrada, encomendero (commendation officer), Father Fray Miguel de Victoria, priest of the region encompassing Pamplona River valley, and town leader Diego Caypaquema, to give them "a plan for the construction of the streets and plaza, and everything else that would be necessary for the town." And he ordered them, through the "tongue," or interpreter, to build their doctrinal chapel, to build their huts for permanent settlement. He also ordered Father Miguel de Victoria to provide them with the doctrine, and Ramírez to pay the stipends of the doctrinal priest as ornaments and jewelry for the doctrinal chapel (AGN, Colonia: Poblaciones SC 46).

The municipality was a mandatory stopover on five occasions by the liberator Simón Bolívar.

In 1902, in a house located at 5-42 Carrera 4 Avenue in the El Centro barrio, the Treaty of Chinácota [es] was signed to end the Thousand Days' War. The Iscala estate was the residence of President Ramón González Valencia. Chinácota was established as a municipality between 1839 and 1840.^[2]

• Jhoan Arenas (born 1990), footballer
• Biofilo Panclasta (1879-1943), activist