5 VEF #571

Front

Pedro Camejo (c. 1790–1821), known as 'Negro Primero' ('The First Black'), a Venezuelan llanero of indigenous and African descent who served as a soldier in Simón Bolívar's army during the Wars of Independence. He is celebrated as a national hero for his bravery at the Battle of Carabobo (1821) where he was mortally wounded; his legendary last words to General José Antonio Páez—'I came to tell you goodbye, because I am dead'—made him an enduring symbol of Afro-Venezuelan and indigenous contributions to independence. The front also features the Venezuelan coat of arms at left and the text 'Parque Nacional Henri Pittier - Valle de Aragua' near the center.

Back

Sabana de Arauca, the vast tropical grassland plains (llanos) of the Arauca River region in western Venezuela, a landscape central to Venezuelan identity and llanero culture. The back depicts stylised imagery of the llanos flora, including palm trees and native vegetation, symbolising the natural heritage and agricultural importance of the plains. The number '2' appears prominently, along with the text 'República Bolivariana de Venezuela' and 'DOS BOLÍVARES'.

History

This note belongs to the Bolívar Fuerte ('Strong Bolívar') series introduced on 1 January 2008 as part of a monetary reform that redenominated the Venezuelan bolívar at a rate of 1,000:1 (removing three zeros from the old bolívar). The reform aimed to simplify transactions amid inflation. The series was issued 2007–2018 and featured Venezuelan independence heroes and natural landmarks. Pedro Camejo, an Afro-indigenous llanero who fought at Carabobo, was chosen for the 5 bolívares note to honour marginalised communities' role in independence. Henri Pittier National Park (Valle de Aragua), referenced on the front, is Venezuela's oldest national park (1937). The Bolívar Fuerte was replaced by the Bolívar Soberano on 20 August 2018 at a rate of 100,000:1 as hyperinflation rendered the currency unworkable. Serial number F87796418 visible on the back; no documented serial-year encoding identified for Venezuelan notes.