The 5 countries that Simón Bolívar liberated correspond to the current Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia and Venezuela. These independence processes were carried out between 1819 and 1830.
Bolívar was a Venezuelan military leader who played a fundamental role in the revolutions against the Spanish Empire during the 19th century. He was born on July 24, 1783 in Caracas, Venezuela.
Background
During the 18th century, relations between the Spanish and Portuguese monarchies, and their respective colonies in the Americas, had been strained by the modernist reforms, rebellion, and wars occurring in Europe at the time.
The liberalization of the trade monopoly had created much prosperity for most of the colonies, however the resident population there did not benefit much from these advances.
On the contrary, the money went directly to the coffers of the Iberian monarchies and the Spanish latifundistas. The Creole population in Latin America was also frustrated by the subordination they owed to the Spanish.
Napoleon's invasion of Spain in 1808 was the event that finally began the struggle for Latin America's independence from Spain. Napoleon appointed his brother José Bonaparte as monarch of the empire, which caused uprisings within Spain itself.
This appointment also produced a crisis in the Americas since it was not clear who had command over these lands. In this way the criollos formed together, coming to assume the provisional sovereignty of La Nueva Granada, Venezuela, Argentina and Chile.
Venezuela
Simón Bolívar, upon his return from Spain in 1808, led the Patriotic Society of Caracas which was responsible for the numerous revolts that eventually led to independence.
In April 1810 the governor of the colony was deposed, forming an independent board of Cádiz. On July 5, 1811, the Society declares independence and forms the first Republic of Venezuela.
However, on March 12, 1812 a small group of Spaniards from Puerto Rico fight and subdue the forces of the Republic. Bolívar manages to escape to Nueva Granada where he manages to regroup.
In 1813 Bolívar entered Venezuela again and managed to declare a second Republic, assuming a role as military dictator. This second phase only lasts for a few months and Bolívar again returns to New Granada before going to Jamaica in 1815.
In 1814 the throne of Spain is returned to Fernando VII and, among his measures, he decides to send an army of 10,000 men to America in 1815 to regain control over the colonies. By 1816 both Venezuela and La Nueva Granada returned to control of the empire.
In 1817, Bolívar along with José de San Martín decided to start new independence campaigns both in the north and south of the continent. Bolívar begins his journey again in Venezuela to the east, with the capture of the strategic town of Angostura.
The New Granada
After several unsuccessful attempts to seize northern Venezuelan territory, Bolívar embarks on a more ambitious plan with the idea of crossing the central plains and the Andes mountains to carry out a surprise attack on Bogotá.
His march began on May 26, 1819, and many men died of hunger, disease, and exhaustion.
On August 7, they found the royal forces in Boyacá on their way. The Patriots were outnumbered, but still managed to win this decisive battle. After this fact, the Spanish leave Bogotá and Bolívar assumes command.
The victory in the Battle of Boyacá initially liberated the territories of New Granada. For December of that same year, independence is proclaimed for all the provinces and Gran Colombia is created with Simón Bolívar at its head.
The territory was comprised of the current states of Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela, and portions of Brazil, Peru, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Honduras subsequently ceded.
In June 1821, Bolívar won the Battle of Carabobo and, with the subsequent fall of Caracas, Venezuela was completely declared free from Spanish rule.
Later 'El Libertador' moved south and conquered the province of Quito. On July 27, 1822, Bolívar met José de San Martín in the city of Guayaquil. The latter was in trouble because of his campaigns in Peru and Chile.
Peru
After his meeting with San Martín, Bolívar undertook a new march through the Andes. This time towards Peru, with the ultimate goal of developing the definitive offensive against the empire. Around 1824, he achieved a strategic victory in Junín, which would open the way to Lima.
Bolivia
After his victory in Ayacucho, Commander Antonio José de Sucre began to legalize the state together with pro-independence groups that were in Peruvian territory. The territory of Bolivia decides to maintain its independence from the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata as well as from Peru.
In 1825 the act of independence was drawn up and it was decided that the new state would have the name of the liberator, Bolívar. This same declines the possibility of being president of the newly formed republic and in his place appoints Commander Sucre to carry out said work.
Post-campaigns
From 1824 to 1830, Bolívar served as president of Venezuela. The newly independent nations in South America did not operate as planned and many revolts were to ensue.
Bolívar finally gives up his job as president due to disunity and latent opposition. On December 17, 1830, at 47 years of age, he died in the city of Santa Marta in Colombia.
In 1831, shortly after his death, La Gran Colombia was legally dissolved after continuous political fights that fragmented relations between the three territories.
The leadership of New Granada passes to Francisco de Paula Santander, from Venezuela to José Antonio Páez and from Ecuador to Juan José Flores.
References
- Beck, S. (2006). Bolivar and South American Liberation. Retrieved on February 23, 2017, from san.beck.org.
- bio.com. (March 11, 2016). Simón Bolívar Biography. Retrieved on February 23, 2017, from biography.com.
- Biography Online. (February 11, 2013). Simon Bolivar Biography. Retrieved on February 23, 2017, from biographyonline.net.
- Lynch, J. (nd). History Today. Retrieved on February 23, 2017, from Simon Bolivar and the Spanish Revolutions: historytoday.com.
- Saylor Foundation. (sf). Simón Bolívar and José de San Martin. Retrieved on February 23, 2017, from saylor.org.