Alla Borzova

• Affiliation: Peoples Friendship University of Russia
  
• Address: Russian Federation, Moscow

Natalia Ivkina

• Affiliation: Peoples Friendship University of Russia
  
• Address: Russian Federation, Moscow

Great Britain had significant colonial possessions in Africa and Asia, but after the loss of the colonies in North America intensified its policy regarding the Spanish and Portuguese possessions in the New World. Since the second half of the XVIII century England smuggled trade with Spanish America and used the British ports on the islands of the West Indies. But in the first quarter of the XIX century the situation is changing, which was caused by three factors: the growth of industrial production in the UK, the continental blockade of British goods in Europe and the emergence of independent states in the New World, which could create opportunities for expanding British exports. Argentina, Brazil and Chile become the main trading partners of England, and a politically unstable, underdeveloped Venezuela represented a difficult alternative for London. However, a convenient geographical position along the Atlantic coast, a good navigation system gave significant advantages to this territory, which was located near the British island of Trinidad and British Guiana. The discovery of gold, copper, and later oil increased the attention of England to Venezuela, which subsequently led to a territorial conflict and blockade of the Venezuelan territory by England, Germany and Italy in order to collect debts. The United States acted on the side of Venezuela in the framework of the "Monroe Doctrine". The resolution of these conflicts by the arbitration has become an important precedent in international relations.