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Alonso de Ojeda | |
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Born | c. 1466 |
Died | c. 1515 |
Nationality | Spanish |
Occupation | Explorer |
Known for | Naming Venezuela, first European to visit Lake Maracaibo, founder of Santa Cruz, Venezuela (La Guairita) |
Alonso de Ojeda (Spanish pronunciation: [aˈlonso ðe oˈxeða]; c. 1466 – c. 1515) was a Spanish explorer, governor and conquistador. He travelled through modern-day Guyana, Venezuela, Trinidad, Tobago, Curaçao, Aruba and Colombia, at times with Amerigo Vespucci and Juan de la Cosa. He is famous for having named Venezuela, which he explored during his first two expeditions, for having been the first European to visit Guyana, Curaçao, Colombia, and Lake Maracaibo, and later for founding Santa Cruz (La Guairita).