RUDY Dovale: July seems to be the “independence month” of the year, Rudy said in his “4th of July speech”. Canada starts with the 1st of July; Curacao with its Dia di Bandera the 2nd, July 4th the USA, July 5th Venezuela, July 9th Argentina , July 16 Liberia, July 20th Colombia, July 26th the Netherlands, Jluy 28th Peru, and France is famous for its “quatorze juillet” but looking at the list of declarations of Independence there are many more in also many different month's. Rudy commented that the independence from the UK started with the thirteen colonies declaring their independence; they put the task of drawing up a Declaration of Independence in the hands of a five man committee. Rudy had brought with him a copy of the original declaration which was circulated among the members and guests. 

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Personally I would like to add (Ton vd S.) that the ideas in that declaration follow quite closely the basic ideas of liberal democracy  in the Act of Abjuration ( Plakkaat van Verlaetinghe), signed on 26 July 1581 (also July !) , which was the formal declaration of independence of the Dutch Low Countries from the Spanish king, Philip II . The same ideas are also found in the Déclaration des droits de l'homme ET du citoyen, fundamental document of the French révolution.

(The new independence of USA was first recognized by the canons on the fort of St Eustatius[i])

Papi Yessurun spoke at length about Venezuela and its significance and affiliation to Curacao that is bound by history. He indicated that Simon Bolívar lived in Curacao during his depression when he was no longer in favor in Venezuela. His two sisters were at that time living in Curacao at the “Octagon” which now forms part of the Avila Hotel.