WORCESTER, Mass. - A day after Americans celebrated their independence, the people of Venezuela did the same.

July 5 or "Cinco de Julio" is Venezuelan Independence Day. It commemorates the day in 1811, when the Venezuelan Declaration of Independence was enacted, making Venezuela the first colony of Spain to celebrate its independence in South America. Tuesday, members of the city's Venezuelan community joined city leaders at a flag-raising ceremony outside of city hall. 

"Worcester is making history," said Worcester resident Guillermo Ivegui. "We were planning this for many years, and we finally made it possible. So, we hope that this ceremony is going to be the first step for the Venezuelan community to celebrate our independence and our feeling of being Venezuelan."

Organizers said this was the first time the Venezuelan flag was raised at city hall.