Spain presents historical documents to PM; new info about discovery of Trinidad

Newsday photo shows Spain's Ambassador to TT Joaquín de Arístegui Laborde looking on, while Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar accepts a framed 17th Century map of Trinidad from REPSOL regional manager Alvaro Racero yesterday at a luncheon at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann's. Author: ROGER JACOB

Spain's Ambassador to Trinidad & Tobago on Thursday presented to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar historical documents relating to the country, including a description of Trinidad by Christopher Columbus in 1498 and the Royal Charter appointing the island's first Spanish Governor Antonio Cedeño.

Ambassador Joaquín de Arístegui Laborde said Spanish company REPSOL was the main private sponsor of the historical documents. 

The donation was made to mark TT’s 50th anniversary of Independence and took place on the eve of Spain’s National Day. The diplomat said, “this archival donation clearly shows the islands of Trinidad and Tobago were important components of the hemispheric project for the construction of the Spanish Americas.” 

The Prime Minister said the Spanish influence has contributed to the TT lust for life, sense of humour and made TT different from other English speaking islands. 


Spanish documents challenge the British version of the history of Trinidad. Most Spanish sources confirm that Columbus used eight ships for his 1498 voyage in which he discovered Trinidad, not three as documented in British history books. 

He was accompanied by 226 men, among them, and for the first time in his life, the famous Bartolomé de las Casas. The names of the ships were:

1. Santa Cruz
2. Santa Clara
3. La Castilla
4. La Gorda
5. La Rábida
6. Santa María de Guía. (Not the Santa Maria that was used in his voyage of 1492. That vessel sank off the shore of Haiti in December of 1492. Columbus returned to Spain with only two vessels, the Niña and the Pinta). 
7. La Gaza
8. La Vaqueña. (It’s possible that this was the ship from which the Admiral first saw Trinidad)

Read the JYOTI feature: Spain's record of Trinidad's discovery differs from British account