Final answer:
The 1812 earthquake in Caracas was leveraged by the royalists and clergy to reinforce colonial ties with Spain, intensifying the civil war in the Venezuelan independence movement.
Step-by-step explanation:
The 1812 earthquake in Caracas had a significant impact on the Venezuelan independence movement. This natural disaster was interpreted by the Catholic clergy, who supported the royalist cause, as divine punishment for Caracas's rejection of the king's authority. As a result, the royalist members of the government were able to exploit these sentiments and reinstituted colonial control by reestablishing political ties with Spain. This turn of events intensified the ongoing civil war between the royalists and the patriots.