Since the earthquake occurred on Maundy Thursday, while the Venezuelan War of Independence was raging, it was explained by royalist authorities as divine punishment for the rebellion against the Spanish Crown.
Eftersom jordbävningen ägde rum på skärtorsdagen, medan Venezolanska frihetskriget rasade, förklarades den av rojalistiska myndigheter som ett gudomligt straff för upproret mot den spanska kronan.