Simon Bolivar
Simon Bolivar was a Venezuelan general and politician, becoming the first president of a united Gran Colombia. Bolivar was born in 1783 to wealthy Venezuelan aristocrats. He became instrumental in the liberation of the South American Nations from Spanish control. Bolivar drew inspiration from the American and French Revolutions and the ideas of republicanism. However, he became disillusioned as both nations returned to different forms of monarchy.
In 1815, Bolivar befriended Haitian President Alexandre Petion. Bolivar respected Haiti for being a sustainable republic, though spoke against the American influence. Bolivar accepted Haitian mercenary support for Venezuelan independence if he agreed to end slavery in the area.
In 1822, Bolivar liberated the area of Quito, where he declared the unification of the region with Venezuela and New Grenada into the republic of Gran Colombia. While fighting in Peru, he met with jose de San Martin while the latter was attempting to liberate the region. Bolivar attempted to offer Colombian support for the independence effort if San Martin agreed to make Peru a republic to join Gran Colombia. San Martin, who held monarchist ideologies, refused to do so and used America as an example of a successful monarchy.
Bolivar returned to Gran Colombia to solidify his power, diminishing the size of the military in peacetime. Tensions began to rise between Bolivar and his ministers as the consolidation of power began to bring suspicions of attempted monarchism. Matters were made worse as Bolivar attempted to rewrite the constitution to make himself President for life and calls for his resignation began.
In 1825, Bolivar hosted the Congress of Panama to discuss the direction that the American nations should progress. The Congress was attended by representatives of Mexico, Brazil, and Peru, as well as Crown Prince William of America. The emerging Great Powers of America were not impressed by the high amount of republican expressions that Bolivar spoke of, though his manner of speaking won him favors from most of the delegation.
Bolivar's charisma helped keep the government of Gran Colombia together as the Federalist and Centralist parties began to rise in turmoil. His charismatic demeanor ended a possible civil war between the two before it began. However, his mismanagement of the economy lost him much political support. While he maintained positive relations with even his opposition, the calls for his resignation became too loud. In 1828, Bolivar stepped down from the presidency, and used his influence to have his supporters agree to a new Constitutional Convention. There, the federalization of Gran Colombia was implemented to the chagrin of the Bolivarian faction. His vice president, Francisco de Paula Santander, became the first President of the new republic. Bolivar stayed on board as a political advisor until his death in 1830.
Life
1783
1830
47 years old
Children
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