Their goal was to occupy the towns of Angostura and Old Guayana , which would allow them to dominate traffic along the river Orinoco .
The Republican forces had been campaigning against Guayana from late 1816 , though hindered by lack of a navy .
Their goal was to occupy the towns of Angostura and Guayana   , which would allow them to dominate traffic along the river Orinoco .
The Republican forces had been campaigning against Guayana from late 1816 , though hindered by lack of a navy .