BARQUISIMETO, a city of western Venezuela, capital of the State of Lara, on the Barquisimeto river, Ioim. by rail S.W. of Tucacas, its port on the Caribbean coast. Pop. (census of 1926) 23,109. It is built in a small, fertile valley of the Merida Cordilleras, 1,985ft. above sea-level, has a temperate, healthy climate with a mean annual temperature of 78°, and is surrounded by a highly productive country from which are exported coffee, sugar, cacao and rum. Barquisimeto was founded in 1552 by Juan de Villegas, who was exploring the neighbourhood for gold, and it was first called Nueva Segovia after his native city. On March 26, 1812, it was totally destroyed by an earthquake, and with it I,5oo lives, including a part of the revolutionary forces occupying the town.