Final answer:
Simón Bolívar made the abolition of slavery a goal of his independence movement to gain the support of slaves and free mixed-race people, securing a broader base of support for his fight against Spanish rule and aligning with global anti-slavery sentiments.
Step-by-step explanation:
The abolition of slavery became a goal of Simón Bolívar’s independence movement primarily due to the need to win support and secure the loyalty of different racial and social segments of the population that formed the colonial society. As Bolívar fought against Spanish control, he needed to amass forces that would aid in the liberation struggle against royalist loyalists. One strategic move was promising to abolish slavery, which would give a compelling reason for slaves and free people of mixed race to join his movement, thereby undermining the social structure that supported the European colonial power in Venezuela.
Bolívar received support from Haiti's president, Alexandre Pétion, who aided the Venezuelan patriots on the condition that slavery would be abolished. Additionally, Bolívar relied on the mixed-race llaneros, offering them a stake in the future of a free Venezuela. By embracing abolition, Bolívar also addressed a broader moral concern and the demand for emancipation from the enslaved and mixed-race people, aligning the movement with increasing global sentiments that recognized the moral injustice of slavery.