Las Víboras facts for kids

Las Víboras is a town in Uruguay, located in the Colonia Department. It was one of the very first towns established in the countryside of Uruguay. Many people who lived here later moved and helped create the city of Carmelo.

History of Las Víboras

In February 1527, a Spanish expedition led by Sebastian Cabot built a fort called San Lázaro in this area. However, people living there faced attacks from the Timbú people. Because of these attacks, the fort was abandoned for two years, until September 1530.

By 1745, a person named Ambrosio Sosa owned 650 cattle in the region. In 1758, a count of the population was done by Fray Domingo Monzón. This count showed that 194 people lived in the Las Víboras district. Juan Francisco Palacios built the first chapel in the town of Las Víboras. Fray Fernando Oviedo became its first priest.

The town of Las Víboras was officially founded in 1760. This happened thanks to the efforts of Don Gerónimo Monzón. Later, in 1783, Don Antonio Mariano Alonso became the new priest. In 1798, priest Casimiro José de la Fuente arrived. In 1800, a famous leader named José Artigas came to Las Víboras. He was there to deal with bandits and smugglers.

In 1806, Las Víboras became a safe place for people from Buenos Aires. They were escaping from the first English invasion of their city. In 1809, priest Felipe Santiago Torres Leiva arrived in Las Víboras.

Years later, in 1815, Father Larrañaga stayed overnight in Las Víboras. He wrote about this in his travel diary. The next year, on February 12, 1816, Artigas signed an important order. This order moved the town of Las Víboras to the Port of Las Vacas and the Uruguay River.

Isidoro Rodríguez was a local leader in Las Víboras in 1822. In 1830, he attended the swearing-in of the Constitution. He was a civil judge for Las Víboras at that time. The next year, he became the first Police Chief of the Colonia Department. In 1837, he was made president of the Land Commission of Colonia. In 1841, he became a justice of the peace in El Carmelo. In 1842, he was put in charge of the National Guard in El Carmelo. His time in charge ended in 1846, when Colonel Jaime Montoro was defeated, and a local conflict involving the town ended.

Location of Las Víboras

The town is located in the Colonia Department. It is only a few kilometers from the city of Carmelo. You can reach Las Víboras by using Route 97.

Population of Las Víboras

In 2014, it was estimated that 2,052 people lived in Las Víboras.

See also

In Spanish: Las Víboras para niños