Introduction

At the beginning of the twentieth century, three major European powers - Germany, Great Britain, and Italy (hereinafter 'Allied Powers') - raised various claims against the government of Venezuela. When this South American state refused to satisfy their demands, its ports were blocked by the Allied Powers, and the German navy went even as far as to bombard the Venezuelan Fort San Carlos. Eventually, the dispute was referred to arbitration and resulted in an award rendered by the tribunal organized under the auspices of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA). This chapter gives ...