Villavicencio, the vibrant heart of llanero culture, stands as a bastion of isolation in the Colombian landscape. Nestled at the gateway to the eastern plains, it is a solitary outpost in the vast expanse of the Orinoco basin. While its precise founding remains shrouded in mystery, historical records indicate that Villavicencio was officially established as a municipality by the provincial assembly of Bogotá in 1840, solidifying its status as a republican city, since in colonial times it was marked just as a hub for Jesuit missions, connecting surrounding estates and facilitating the transportation of agricultural goods to larger towns.

Situated to the east of the majestic Andean range and propelled by a thriving petrochemical industry, Villavicencio found itself shielded from the grotesque scenes that unfolded during La Violencia. The devastating conflict that raged to the west and north, sparing the city from the brunt of the war. Nonetheless, it became a rallying point for revolutionary leaders like Guadalupe Salcedo and Isauro Yosa, who marshaled their loyalists from the city and its environs.