Simón Bolívar

B

The Jamaica Letter

It was in Jamaica in 1815 that Bolívar made one of his first public statements about his vision for the future of Spanish America. In the so-called Jamaica Letter (1815), he revealed himself to be a strong admirer of Britain’s parliamentary system of government (see Parliament, British). He also expressed his belief in the idea of balance of powers, the theory that political power should be divided among different branches of government to prevent any one branch from becoming too strong.

However, Bolívar also believed that popular democracies, in which people vote directly for all their political leaders, were not suitable to the character, customs, and political background of Spanish Americans. He was concerned that most citizens of the Spanish colonies had never participated in elected governments and therefore would be unprepared for the responsibilities involved. Instead, Bolívar believed that individuals with more political experience should guide the people until they learned how to participate fully in the political process.

Again, he expressed his dislike of federalism and his preference for strong centralized republics. He felt that Venezuela and New Granada should unite into a centralized republic, which would be called Colombia. This new republic would have an elected executive and a legislature consisting of an elected lower house and a hereditary upper house. Lastly, he spoke about the need for a union of all the countries in Spanish America to ensure prosperity and security after independence.

IV

Bolívar as Military Leader

In December 1815 Bolívar left Jamaica to begin what would be the long and arduous road to the final independence of Spanish South America. While sailing for Cartagena, he learned that the port had fallen to the royalists, so he changed course and landed in Haiti. On January 2, 1816, he met with Haitian president Alexandre Pétion, who agreed to support his efforts in return for a pledge that slaves would be freed in any colonies that might be liberated.

---

---

A

Liberation of Venezuela

In March 1816 Bolívar set sail with a small force, intending to gain control of Venezuela's most important river, the Orinoco. The Orinoco controls access to the colony's central plains that are rich in natural resources. However, he soon changed his plan and sailed west in an attempt to capture Caracas. Bolívar suffered a serious defeat and returned to Haiti, leaving some of his soldiers stranded on the mainland. This was a blot on his reputation that would stay with him the rest of his life.

In December 1816 Bolívar once more sailed for Venezuela, this time adhering to the plan to capture control of the Orinoco. Bolívar now demonstrated a keen sense of military diplomacy. Through flattery, strength, and reward, he won the allegiance of one after another of the various patriot leaders. Through their combined efforts the patriots captured the strategic river port of Angostura (today Ciudad Bolívar), giving them control of the great plains. The prospects for a successful independence effort had greatly increased. During 1819, Bolívar's campaign for independence gained momentum and strength.

B

Congress of Angostura

In February, a congress convened in Angostura and created the Republic of Colombia (also known as Gran Colombia). This new nation included the colonies of Venezuela, New Granada, and Ecuador. In reality, royalist forces still controlled Ecuador and most of New Granada and Venezuela, with the exception of the inland plains regions along the Orinoco.

Bolívar addressed the Congress of Angostura and made suggestions for a constitution. He favored a republic with a strong executive subject to frequent elections and an independent judiciary. He suggested a hereditary senate, an elected lower house, and a fourth branch of government, an Areopagus (a body of censors to supervise the country's education and morality). He also pleaded for the abolition of slavery. The delegates at Angostura accepted many of Bolívar’s proposals, but they rejected the fourth branch—the Areopagus—and reduced his hereditary senate to one of life terms.

The congress named Bolívar president of Colombia. Concerned that the position would interfere with his military obligations, Bolívar at first refused the position. Later he and the congress arrived at a compromise under which Bolívar accepted the presidency but allowed the vice president to govern in his absence. Now Bolívar served as the president of a large country and commander-in-chief of a military that was steadily growing more powerful. In May 1819 he moved his forces toward New Granada, starting the final phase of the wars for independence.

C

Liberation of New Granada and Ecuador

Bolívar led his army on a difficult and dangerous trek across the Andes Mountains. The royalists, who did not believe a large army could accomplish such a journey, were caught unaware. Bolívar’s forces defeated them just north of Bogotá at the Battle of Boyacá on August 7, 1819. Three days later the Liberator entered Bogotá, a conquering hero.

By early December he was back in Angostura, where the new constitution for the Republic of Colombia was ratified on December 17. The signing of the constitution was the fulfillment of one of the Liberator's most important goals.

The land under the control of the Republic of Colombia expanded further in May 1822 when Ecuador was liberated. Antonio José de Sucre, one of Bolívar’s generals, defeated the Spanish forces in Ecuador at the Battle of Pichincha, just outside the capital of Quito. Bolívar arrived in Quito in June to celebrate this achievement.

	More from Encarta
	•  Presidential Myths Quiz •  Coffee break: Recharge your brain