Provenance studies applying LA-ICP-MS U-Pb geochronology in detrital zircons and petrography were performed in Early Cretaceous passive margin and Paleogene turbidite sequences in northern Venezuela and Curacao, in hopes to understand the early Cenozoic history of the southern Caribbean and northern South America plates. The mature sediments of the passive margin deposits yielded ages between Late Proterozoic and Paleozoic and were primarily derived from the Guayana Shield. Grains with Grenville ages suggest an Andean source probably located in Colombia (Santa Marta and Santander Massifs). The detrital zircon data of the Maastrichtian-Miocene turbidite deposits record important magmatic events related to the Caribbean Large Igneous Province and its subduction below the South American margin. The petrographic and detrital zircon data indicate mixed continental and volcanic sources potentially located to the south (passive margin, Guayana Shield), north (Caribbean volcanic arc), and west (Colombian terranes and Perij) of a foredeep basin.