The colony of Gustavus was founded by the USE-based United Equatorial Company in February of 1634, on the site of OTL Paramaribo, Suriname. The colony was named in honor of Gustavus Adolphus, and had the right to fly the Swedish flag as well as that of the USE, though it received no direct Swedish support. (The United Equatorial Company had originally been formed under the New United States, but there was concern that the flag of the NUS would not be recognized.) It also had a formal license from the Dutch West India Company. The head of the United Equatorial Company, David Pieterszoon de Vries, was a patroon of the West India Company -- and in late 1633-early 1634, Sweden and the USE were the only allies what was left of the Dutch Republic still had.