History of bolivar. Biography

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Bolivar, Simon (Simon Bolivar) (07/24/1783-12/17/1830) - one of the leaders of the struggle for the independence of the Spanish colonies in Latin America. The most famous man in the history of Latin America, he received the proud title of "Liberator" (EL Libertador) for the victorious revolutionary wars he led against Spanish rule in New Granada (renamed Colombia or "Grand Colombia" in 1819, which included what is now Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador), Peru and "Upper Peru" (present-day Bolivia), Bolivar - President of Colombia (1821-1830) and Peru (1823-1829)

Simon Bolivar was born in Caracas into the family of a Venezuelan Creole aristocrat. At the age of 16, the young man was sent to Europe, where he lived and studied for several years in Spain, France, and Italy. There he became acquainted with the works of Locke, Hobbes, Voltaire, Montesquieu, Rousseau and other prominent figures of the Enlightenment. The idea of ​​​​independence for Spanish America captured Bolivar's imagination, and while in Rome, he vowed to liberate his country on the top of Monte Sacro. In 1807, he returned to Venezuela, stopping along the way in the United States, where he became acquainted with the life of a country that had recently won independence from the English metropolis. The liberation movement began a year after Bolivar's return to his homeland, when Napoleon's invasion of Spain weakened the position of local colonial authorities. Bolivar actively participated in the struggle, which ended with the resignation and expulsion of the Spanish governor from the country. Power in Venezuela passed into the hands of the revolutionary junta, which sent Bolivar to England to negotiate diplomatic recognition of the new government, supplies of weapons and equipment. Negotiations with the official authorities did not bring the desired results, but the envoy's important success was that he met with the prominent revolutionary Francisco de Miranda (who, after an unsuccessful attempt to liberate Venezuela from the colonialists in 1806, lived in European exile), and convinced Miranda to lead the liberation movement. movement in Venezuela. The country was in a state of ferment. In March 1811, the National Congress was held in Caracas, which adopted a draft constitution. On July 5, 1811, Venezuela was declared an independent republic. Bolivar stood at the head of the units defending Puerto Cabello, the most important port of the country, but as a result of the betrayal of one of the officers, the Spaniards broke into the fortress. The commander-in-chief of the revolutionaries, Miranda was forced to sign capitulation. He was handed over to the Spanish and spent the rest of his life in Spanish prisons.

Bolivar fled to Cartagena (present-day Colombia), where he published one of his famous documents, the Cartagena Manifesto. In it, he called on his fellow citizens to rally around the revolutionary forces and overthrow the Spanish colonial regime in Venezuela. Having led the revolutionary army, he defeated the Spaniards and on August 6, 1813, entered Caracas, where he was given the title of “Liberator” and transferred all powers over the “Second Venezuelan Republic.” However, in 1814, the Spaniards were able to win over the "llane ros" (local cattle breeders), who formed the backbone of their cavalry, and defeated Bolivar. Bolivar managed to escape and moved to Jamaica. In exile, he wrote a second historical document, “Letter from Jamaica,” in which he unfolded a grandiose plan to unite all the countries of Spanish America, creating a single state following the example of the constitutional monarchy in Great Britain. In it, legislative power should be exercised by a parliament of two chambers - the upper, formed on the hereditary principle (like the House of Lords) and the lower, elected by citizens. The state will be ruled by a president elected to this post for life.

), in 1819 -1830. was the president of Gran Colombia, liberated it in 1824, and headed the Republic in 1825. In 1813 he was proclaimed “The Liberator” (El Libertador) by the National Congress of Venezuela.

Childhood and youth

Simon Bolivar was born on July 24, 1783 in the capital of Venezuela, into a wealthy Creole family of Basque origin (based on their skin color and wealth, they were called “Gran Cacao”), whose ancestors settled in America since the 16th century. The boy lost his parents early; the inheritance inherited from his father was later useful to Simon in the formation of the liberation army.

Simon did not attend school or university. Two mentors, Andres Bello and Simon Rodriguez (an outstanding Latin American scientist and teacher), were involved in his upbringing; they showed fatherly care for the boy, giving him brilliant knowledge, which Simon multiplied by voraciously reading books, traveling around Europe and communicating with outstanding people of his time. .

In Madrid, Simon studied law, in Paris he witnessed the last days of the Great French Revolution. In 1801, Bolivar married in Madrid, the couple intended to return to Caracas, but a year later his wife died of yellow fever, and the young man remained in Europe.

Bolivar's oath and the beginning of his political career

When in 1805 Bolivar and Simon Rodriguez, his mentor, traveled through Italy, in Rome, on the Sacred Mountain of Monte Sacro (Italian: Monte Sacro), on August 15, 1805 Simon took an oath:

“I swear by my ancestors, I swear by their God, I swear by my honor, I swear by my Motherland that I will not give rest to my hands. I will not give peace to my soul until the chains that hold my people under the yoke of Spanish rule fall.”

In 1808, when Napoleon invaded Spain and King Ferdinand was arrested, a situation of dual power arose in the colonies: under the previous, displaced king, a new one appeared - Bonaparte's protege.

The Creoles of Venezuela created the “Patriotic Junta” to defend the interests of King Ferdinand, which soon transformed into an independent government. The Bolivar brothers were appointed ambassadors of the new government: Simon in London, his brother in the USA. The ambassadors attracted allies and supporters and looked for weapons. At this time, in London, Simon met (Spanish: Francisco de Miranda), his compatriot, a former colonel in the Spanish army and a participant in the Great French Revolution, who traveled a lot. Bolivar invited the professional military man to return to his homeland.

Simon Bolivar - Liberator

In 1810, with the active participation of patriots led by Bolivar and Miranda, the Congress of Venezuela declared the establishment of a Republic independent from Spain. However, the first Venezuelan Republic, headed by Miranda, did not last long.

The powerful and professional Spanish army dealt with the rebellious detachments of young revolutionaries. After the suppression of the revolution, Miranda ended up in a Spanish prison, where he died after several years of imprisonment. And Bolivar emigrated from the country, settling in New Granada (today's Colombia) by 1812. In May 1813, he returned to his homeland with an armed detachment of volunteers (about 500 people), at the head of which, by August, he fought his way to Caracas and occupied it!

Simon Bolivar created the second Venezuelan Republic, and the Venezuelan Congress proclaimed him Liberator.

Triumphant return

However, Bolivar’s army was small, and he was opposed by a corps of soldiers sent from Spain (10 thousand people) and detachments of dissatisfied “llaneros” (landowners). “Order” began to be restored in the country: those who supported the rebels were killed, their houses were robbed and burned. Having lost up to 1.5 thousand supporters, Bolivar, having suffered another defeat, fled to the island of Jamaica. Almost the entire South American continent was again under Spanish rule.

In 1814, Bolivar moved to Haiti, where he was supported by the first president of the Republic of Haiti, Alexander Petion(Spanish Pétion), having received a promise from Simon to free the slaves in an independent Venezuela.

From this island in the center, Bolivar launched several landing expeditions to the north of South America, but the Spanish garrisons on the coast repelled all attempts by the rebels to gain a foothold there.

Bolivar tried to organize a liberation army, uniting disparate rebel groups. In addition to the “local” forces, he created a corps of European volunteers: Germans, French, British, Irish and even Russians. He decided that only professionals could fight a professional army. Simon Bolivar returned to his homeland again in 1816.

He immediately issued a decree abolishing slavery, which contributed to the fact that his support among the population increased significantly. Bolivar sought to liberate not only his country, but also the masses of ordinary people. Later, he issued decrees on the confiscation of the property of proteges of the Spanish crown, on the allocation of land to the soldiers of the liberation army. The general was determined, declaring that freedom must be won, there would be no mercy for the aggressors.

His army captured the Angostura area and then returned to Venezuela.

In February 1817, a decisive battle took place nearby. One of the decisive reasons for the military successes of the rebels was that Spain was tormented by internal contradictions. There was a bourgeois revolution there, and at that moment she was unable to send military units to her South American colonies.

Bolivar and the Spanish commander, General Morillo, negotiated a truce. Soon Morillo was recalled to Spain, and Bolivar's troops liberated the capital of Venezuela, the city of Caracas, and then New Granada.

At the beginning of 1819, in Angostura, the capital of regions independent from Spanish rule, the National Congress convened by Bolivar opened, where the independence of Venezuela was again proclaimed. In the speech that Simon Bolivar delivered to the participants of the Congress, he outlined his plans for the state structure, spoke about the difficulties awaiting liberated peoples, about the principles of the rule of law, about the political and legal doctrine based on the principles of separation of powers. A new Constitution was adopted in August. In December 1819, he was elected president of Gran Colombia, which included New Granada and Venezuela (and Ecuador joined in 1822). The Republic became the largest Latin American state, which existed until 1830.

Bolívar's Liberation Army

Victory! What's next?

However, the young state, as before, is threatened by the Spanish army (about 20 thousand soldiers in neighboring Peru), which is being fought by Argentine-Chilean-Peruvian formations under the command of General San Martin, although their forces are small.

In the summer of 1822, two commanders, Bolivar and San Martin (Spanish: José Francisco de San Martín), met in Guayaquil (Spanish: Guayaquil, the city of modern Ecuador), but they could not agree on joint activities: San Martin’s task was to liberate Peru, he needs help, Bolivar had forces, but there was no resolution of the Congress of Gran Colombia on military assistance to San Martin. The Chileans liberated by San Martin offered him to become head of state, but he refused.

The Peruvians, having declared independence, declared General San Martin their “protector” (Defender).

But who will lead a free country and who will command the troops? The commanders talked in private, after the negotiations were completed, San Martin left Peru, units of Bolivar’s army entered the battle with the Spaniards and a few years later liberated the entire country. As a result, two new independent states emerged - Peru and Bolivia.

Simon Bolivar became President of Gran Colombia, Dictator of Peru (1824), and in 1825 headed the independent Republic of Bolivia, named after him.

When the victorious euphoria subsided a little, Bolivar began to try to create a unified state. On his initiative, the Latin American Congress was convened in Panama (1826), but Bolivar’s ideas about creating a single powerful Latin American state did not find support due to opposition from Great Britain and the United States. Neither London nor Washington wanted Latin America to be strong and independent. Personal factors also played a significant role: Bolivar’s authoritarian rule frightened potential political allies.

His ideas on economic development and education, the need to ensure the rights of indigenous Indians, establishing relations with the church, reform of the judicial system and nationalization of natural resources were not approved. South American latifundistas (landowners who exploit slave labor) did not like Bolivar's concern for the poor; The concept of separation of church and state and the prohibition of the Inquisition was alien to the clergy; slave owners did not need Bolivar's zeal for Indian rights.

When Simon Bolivar argued about the need to introduce a lifelong presidency and proposed the creation of a 3rd chamber of the “Moral Authority,” he was accused of seeking to usurp power. His attempts to find support from the church led to some complications with his former comrades.

A group of young officers plotted against the “national liberator,” but the conspirators were executed, which did not strengthen Bolivar’s position.

Resignation, illness, death

In the War of Independence, Bolivar had many comrades with him. But after his victory, he failed to unite groups of different beliefs. In 1827-1828 in Bolivia and Peru, Bolivar's power was overthrown; over the next 2 years, Ecuador and Venezuela separated from Gran Colombia. A heavy blow for Simon was the murder of his devoted military comrade-in-arms, the general (Spanish Antonio de Sucre), in whom Bolivar saw his worthy successor.

Bolivar decided at the beginning of 1830 to leave the post of President of Colombia, resign and leave New Granada, but he was crippled by a serious illness - tuberculosis. Before his death, he wrote his political “testament”, where he did not name the successor, but indicated the qualities that the future leader of the state should have and what he should strive for.

Great Legacy

• No other Latin American hero has been written about as much as S.B.
• Of course, there is a kind of “cult” of S.B., because in almost every city in Latin America there is certainly a square and a monument to the national idol. Today S.B. is not only a national hero and legend, but to this day he remains a teacher for most Latin American political figures.
• In the legacy of S.B. some highlight his words about the need for strong rule and dictatorship in developing countries; for others, his ideas about state justice and equality of free citizens of a free country, regardless of their nationality, wealth or titles, became fundamental.
• Today's world has changed and moved forward largely thanks to patriots and heroes like Simon Bolivar.

Simon Bolivar was born in Venezuela in the city of Caracas, into the family of a Spanish aristocrat. At the age of nine he lost his parents.

In his youth, Bolivar visited several European countries and became imbued with the revolutionary ideas that were then hovering over the Old World. In 1805, on the top of the Avignon hill in Rome, Bolivar takes a solemn oath to free his homeland from the Spaniards.

In 1808, Spain was occupied by Napoleonic France and the colonies in America received a unique chance to gain freedom. In 1810, the Spanish governor was removed from Venezuela, and in 1811 the country was formally declared independent from Spain. That same year, Bolivar joined the rebel army as an officer.

In 1812, Spanish troops reoccupied Venezuela, restoring colonial order. Bolivar fled the country.

In subsequent years, at the head of rebel detachments, Bolivar either won victories or suffered crushing defeats. But in 1819, he led his small army through the supposedly impenetrable Andes and launched a surprise attack on Spanish forces in Colombia. On August 7, 1819, Bolívar won the Battle of Boyaca, which became a turning point in the Colonial War of Independence. Venezuela was completely liberated in 1821, and Ecuador a year later.

In the summer of 1822, in the city of Guayaquil in Ecuador, Bolivar met with the Argentine rebel general José de San Martin to agree on joint action to liberate Peru. But Bolivar’s ambition played a bad role in the negotiations and San Martin, in order not to conflict with the like-minded revolutionary Bolivar on the issue of power, turned his troops back.

By 1824, Bolivar's army had completely liberated Peru, and by 1825, Upper Peru (now Bolivia).

Bolivar dreamed of creating one federal state modeled on the United States on the territory of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru. The first three countries did unite for a time to form Gran Colombia. Bolivar became its president. However, soon trends towards secession from Gran Colombia began to appear in the policies of the participating countries. The situation was extremely tense; in 1828 there was even an attempt to kill Bolivar. In 1830, Gran Colombia disintegrated. Bolivar, realizing his burden of responsibility and the fact that he was an obstacle to achieving peace in the region, resigned. Bolivar died soon after.

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Simon Bolivar (Spanish) Simon Jose Antonio de la Santisima Trinidad Bolivar y Ponce y Palacios y Blanco) , born July 24, 1783 in Caracas, Venezuela, and died December 17, 1830 in Santa Marta, Colombia. Born into a noble Creole family of Basque origin (they were called “Gran Cacao” for their skin color and wealth), whose ancestors came to America back in the 16th century. His father was one of the richest people in the country and the inheritance was later useful to Simon when creating a liberation army. He lost his parents early, lost his sister, and at the very beginning of the war for independence, his brother.

Simon never attended school or university, but his two teachers - Simon Rodriguez and Andres Bello (and, of course, books - his favorite was "The Social Contract" by Jean Jacques Rousseau) gave him knowledge, which Simon Bolivar multiplied during his travels around Europe, meeting outstanding people and witnessing important events. He studied law in Madrid, in Paris he saw the last days of the Great French Revolution, and in London he met his compatriot Francisco de Miranda - in the recent past, a colonel in the Spanish army, a participant in the Great French Revolution, who fought for the independence of the United States and traveled a lot (including in Russia).
In 1801, in Madrid, Bolivar got married and was about to return to Caracas to take care of his household, but his wife (just a year after their marriage) died of yellow fever, and Bolivar remained for several more years in Europe.

In 1805, Bolivar, together with his teacher and mentor Simon Rodriguez (one of the outstanding Latin American scientists, teachers and educators), traveled to Italy. There, on August 15, 1805, on the hill of Monte Sacro in Rome, he took an oath: “I swear by my ancestors, I swear by their God, I swear by my honor, I swear by my homeland, that I will not give rest to my hands, I will not give peace to my soul, until the chains fall. who keep us under the yoke of Spanish domination."

In 1808, after Napoleon’s invasion of Spain and the arrest of King Ferdinand, a situation was created for the colonies that can be compared to dual power: there is a new king, Bonaparte’s protege, and there is the old king, but displaced. Venezuelan Creoles create a Patriotic Junta to protect the rights and interests of the now “former” King Ferdinand, but soon transform it into an independent government. Simon Bolivar and his brother become ambassadors of the new government - Simon in London, his brother in the USA, looking for allies, supporters and weapons. It is in London that Simon Bolivar meets with his compatriot, Francisco de Miranda, who has both political connections and military experience and invites Miranda to return to his homeland.

The Spanish government (already new) is trying to restore its influence in the colonies and then, with the active participation of Bolivar and Miranda, who led the patriots, the Venezuelan Congress in 1810 announces separation from Spain and the establishment of a republic. Miranda heads the leadership of the country and the army. However, the first Venezuelan republic would not last long. The Spanish army is more powerful and more professional than the detachments of young revolutionaries and deals with the rebels and those who sympathize with them. The revolution is suppressed. Bolivar ends up in exile, and Miranda ends up in a Spanish prison, where he will die in a few years. Moreover, Miranda falls into the hands of the Spaniards largely thanks to Bolivar. Historians interpret this episode in the biography of Simon Bolivar in different ways (more about this in the biography of Francisco de Miranda).

After the defeat of the Venezuelan army by Spanish troops (if, of course, it can be called an army, they were rather rebel troops), Bolivar in 1812 settled in New Granada (now Colombia), but in 1813, he returned to his homeland again at the head of an armed team of volunteers. His detachment (initially numbering about 500 people) by August fights to the capital - Caracas - and occupies it! The 2nd Venezuelan Republic is created. The Venezuelan Congress proclaims Bolivar the Liberator. However, Bolivar’s forces are small, and he is opposed by detachments of landowners - “llaneros” and a ten-thousandth corps of soldiers who arrived from Spain. They restore “order” in the country - they kill those who resist, rob and burn the houses of those who supported the rebels. Having lost about one and a half thousand supporters, Bolivar suffers another defeat and is forced to flee to the island of Jamaica. He will write about how the military operations took place, how cruelly and treacherously the Spaniards behaved, in his “Address to the Nations of the World.” The entire continent, with the exception of a few provinces of Argentina, is again under Spanish rule.

From Jamaica, in 1814, Bolivar moved to Haiti, where Alexandre Pétion (a mulatto who served in the French army, who joined the rebel slaves in Haiti in 1802 and became president of the independent Republic of Haiti in 1807) provides him with support in return for a promise to provide freedom for slaves in liberated Venezuela. Bolivar is trying to organize a liberation army, to unite the leaders of different groups, each of whom is ready to consider himself the most important. Convincing someone, promising something to someone, punishing someone with an iron fist (this happened with the mulatto General Piar, who tried to remove Bolivar from power and was shot by a military tribunal). In addition to uniting his own “local” forces, Bolivar also creates a corps of volunteers from Europeans - the British, Irish, French, Germans and even Russians. Patriotism is wonderful, but professionals must fight a professional army.

In 1816, Bolivar again landed on the continent. He issues a decree abolishing slavery and this contributes to the fact that popular support during his new landing in Venezuela is much higher than before. He truly brings liberation - and not only to the country, but also to many ordinary people. Later, he would issue decrees on the confiscation of the property of the Spanish crown and royalists, on the allocation of land to the soldiers of the liberation army. And he will announce that he will not mess around with his enemies. The war of liberation is a war. And if the enemy commits atrocities, then there will be no mercy for him. Bolivar captures the Angostura region, then marches through the Andes Mountains to Bogota (Colombia) and captures it, then returns to Venezuela. It’s easy to say “captures” and “returns” - through the mountains, the jungle, and in the army there are no cars or planes - only cavalry and infantry, and artillery pieces. Even for a tourist, such a transition is not so easy. And here there is war - constant skirmishes and battles with the enemy.

Meanwhile, a bourgeois revolution is taking place in Spain. Bolivar concludes a truce with the commander of the Spanish troops, General Morillo, but Morillo will soon be recalled to Spain. And then Bolivar liberates Caracas, the capital of Venezuela. Then his troops liberate New Granada. In February 1919, in the city of Angostura, the capital of the provinces liberated from Spanish rule, the National Congress, convened on the initiative of the Bolivar, opened. The independence of Venezuela is proclaimed again (now finally). Bolivar gives a speech in which he outlines his views on the structure of government, speaks about the difficulties that await peoples who have won freedom, and about the principles of separation of powers. In August, the Constitution proposed by Bolivar was adopted, and in December 1819, he was elected president of the Republic of Gran Colombia proclaimed by the National Congress, which included Venezuela and New Granada, and in 1822 Ecuador. Gran Colombia - becomes the largest state in Latin America, which existed until 1830.

However, the new country is still threatened by Spanish troops (about 20,000 soldiers) in neighboring Peru. The Argentine-Chilean-Peruvian army under the command of General Jose de San Martin is fighting them. San Martin has already liberated Chile and is fighting in Peru, but his forces are small. In July 1822, Bolívar met in Guayaquil with José de San Martín. Much of what happened at this meeting remains shrouded in mystery, but one thing is clear: the great commanders cannot agree on joint action. General San Martin has orders to liberate Peru. And he needs help. Bolivar has an army, but there is no decision from the Gran Colombia Congress to help San Martin. And even if two great men win freedom for the countries of the continent, they need to think about what will happen later, after the victory. What will happen to a liberated Peru? Where will it go? Will it become independent like Chile, which was just liberated by San Martin? Or how will Ecuador become part of Gran Colombia, led by Bolivar?

The Chileans, freed by San Martin, proposed that San Martin become head of state. He refused and “recommended” his comrade-in-arms, General O’Higgins. The Peruvians declared their independence and declared San Martin "protector" - Protector. But who will lead the country after the final liberation? Bolivar or San Martin? But all this comes later, after the victory, and now is the most difficult thing: who will command the troops? The true content of the negotiations between Bolivar and San Martin, their thoughts, doubts, remain unknown to this day; they negotiated in private. However, after their completion, San Martin leaves Peru. Soldiers of Bolivar's army enter into battle with the Spaniards and within a few years liberate the rest of the country. The last battles are brilliantly carried out by the young General Sucre, whose biography for historians will be written by Bolivar himself.

Two new states are proclaimed - Bolivia and Peru. The decisive Battle of Ayacucho, December 9, 1824, in which the Liberation Army under the command of General Sucre defeated the Spanish troops. Bolivar becomes not only the President of Gran Colombia, but also the Dictator of Peru (in 1824), and a year later he heads Bolivia. Bolivar speaks of the need to introduce lifelong positions of president and vice president, and proposes the creation of a third chamber - “moral authority”. He is accused of monarchical aspirations and attempts to usurp power. He is trying to rely on the church and conservatives, but this creates new complications with his former supporters. An anti-Bolivarian conspiracy is brewing among a group of young officers. The conspirators are arrested and executed. But support for Bolivar is not growing. Venezuela and Colombia secede from Gran Colombia. Bolivar managed to win independence, and many were with him in this struggle. But after the victory... It was not possible to reconcile and unite the different interests of different groups.

Bolivar's dream of creating a Spanish-American Confederation also collapsed. On his initiative, the Continental Congress was convened in Panama (June 22 - July 25, 1826), which was attended only by representatives of Colombia, Peru, Mexico and Central America. The Congress turned out to be a purely formal act, since none of its decisions were ratified by national parliaments.
Soon after this, infighting began within the government of Gran Colombia. It became obvious that Bolivar's absence and the impracticality of his ideas were leading to the disintegration of the state. In November 1826, Bolivar arrived in Bogota, and in early 1827, after a five-year absence, he returned to Caracas to suppress an anti-government rebellion. In September 1828, he announced elections for a constituent assembly, which began work in April of the following year. Bolivar's desire to approve constitutional amendments to strengthen and centralize power encountered fierce resistance from Colombian Vice President Francisco de Santander and his federalist supporters. Convinced of the impossibility of achieving his goal by legal means, Bolivar carried out a coup d'état and declared himself a dictator, which, however, could no longer stop the collapse of Gran Colombia. In January 1830, he resigned, a few months later he briefly took up the presidency again, and on April 27, 1830, he finally abandoned government activities.
Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador became independent states. Bolivar, tired, disappointed and sick with tuberculosis, headed to Cartagena, intending to emigrate to Jamaica or Europe. On the way, he was overtaken by the news of the murder of an old comrade, Marshal Sucre (June 4, 1830). Bolivar died near the Colombian city of Santa Marta on December 17, 1830. Since 1822, Bolivar’s faithful friend and inseparable companion in life, despite all the vicissitudes of his fate, was the Quito-born Creole Manuela Saenz.

Cult of Simon Bolivar in Venezuela

The recently formed United States of America was seriously afraid of him, because a new and very influential state was about to arise next to them - the United States of South America, or Gran Colombia, which was almost in no way inferior in area or potential capabilities. would be the USA. Simon Bolivar led the fight for the independence of the Spanish colonies of South America after he surrendered Francisco Miranda to the Spaniards. Under his leadership, not only Venezuela, but also New Granada (modern Colombia and Panama), and the province of Quito (present-day Ecuador) were liberated from Spanish rule. For 11 years (from 1819 to 1830) Bolivar was president of Gran Colombia, created after the unification of these countries.

Therefore, Venezuelans suffer from a kind of original illness called “bolivaromania.” Almost everything in Venezuela is named after this national hero. The highest peak in the country - five thousand meters - is Bolivar Peak. The climbers who conquered it carried a bust of Bolivar during their ascent in order to install it as high as possible. And they succeeded - the bust became the highest mountain Bolivar in the world. The central squares of all, even the tiniest, cities in Venezuela are named after Simon Bolivar. There must be a monument to him on them. The installation of monuments is carried out by city authorities with the obligatory observance of a number of conditions: if Bolivar won a battle directly in the vicinity of a given city, his bronze statue must sit astride a horse with his weapon drawn. The same cities through which or near which he at least once passed should be limited only to the bust of the hero.
True, sculptors from different provinces of Venezuela depict Bolivar in different ways, so that sometimes it is even impossible to believe that all these numerous monuments are dedicated to the same person.

Simon was born on July 24, 1783 into the noble Creole family of Juan Vincente Bolivar (1726-1786) of former Basque origin. The Bolivar family came from the town of La Puebla de Bolivar in Vizcaya, Spain, then located in the Marquina district, and with the beginning of colonial life the family took an active part in the life of Venezuela. The boy lost his parents early. The upbringing and formation of Bolivar’s worldview was greatly influenced by his teacher and older friend, the prominent educator Simon Rodriguez. In 1799, Simon's relatives decided to send him to Spain, to Madrid, away from the restless Caracas. There Simon Bolivar studied law, then went on a trip to Italy, Switzerland, Germany, England and France. While living in Paris, Bolivar attended the Ecole Polytechnique for some time. In 1805, Bolivar visited the United States of America and here he conceived his plan for the liberation of South America from Spanish rule.

Venezuelan Republic

He took an active part in the overthrow of Spanish rule in Venezuela (April 1810) and the proclamation of its independent republic (1811). That same year, Bolivar was sent by the revolutionary junta (people's assembly) to London to seek support from the British government. The latter, however, chose to remain neutral. Bolivar left agent Louis-Lopez Mendez in London to conclude an agreement on behalf of Venezuela for a loan and the recruitment of soldiers and returned back with the transport of weapons. The Spaniards turned to the semi-wild inhabitants of the Venezuelan steppes (llaneros) for help. The war took on the most brutal character. Bolivar decided to respond in kind, ordering the extermination of all captives. After the latter was defeated by Spanish troops, in 1812 he settled in New Granada (now Colombia), where he wrote the “Manifesto from Cartagena”, and at the beginning of 1813 he returned to his homeland. In August 1813, his troops occupied Caracas; The 2nd Venezuelan Republic was created, headed by Bolivar. However, not daring to carry out reforms in the interests of the lower classes, he failed to gain their support and was defeated in 1814. Forced to seek refuge in Jamaica, in September 1815 he published an open letter there, expressing confidence in the imminent liberation of Spanish America.

Education Colombia

Finally realizing the need to free slaves and solve other social problems, Bolivar convinced Haitian President A. Petion to provide military assistance to the rebels and in December 1816 landed on the coast of Venezuela. The abolition of slavery (1816) and the decree issued in 1817 on allocating land to the soldiers of the liberation army allowed him to expand his social base. After an unsuccessful attempt to gather all the leaders of the revolution around him in order to act according to a common plan, Bolivar, with the help of Brion (a Dutch merchant), took possession of Angostura in May 1817 and raised the whole of Guiana against Spain. Bolívar then ordered the arrest of his former associates Piara and Marino (the former was executed on October 16, 1817). In February 1818, thanks to the sending of soldiers from London, he managed to form a new army. Following successful actions in Venezuela, his troops liberated New Granada in 1819. In December 1819, he was elected president of the Republic of Colombia proclaimed by the National Congress in Angostura (now Ciudad Bolivar), which included Venezuela and New Granada. In 1822, the Colombians expelled Spanish forces from the province of Quito (now Ecuador), which annexed Colombia.

Liberation of South America

On June 24, 1821, near the settlement of Carabobo in Venezuela, the volunteer army of Simon Bolivar inflicted a crushing defeat on the Spanish royal army. In July 1822, Bolivar met in Guayaquil with Jose de San Martin, whose army had already liberated part of Peru, but was unable to agree with him on joint actions. After the resignation of San Martin (September 20, 1822), he sent Colombian units to Peru in 1823, and in 1824 (August 6 at Junin and December 9 on the Ayacucho plain) the last Spanish forces on the American continent were defeated. Venezuela, which declared independence in 1811, was completely liberated from the colonialists only in 1824. Bolivar, who became the dictator of Peru in February 1824, headed the Republic of Bolivia, created in 1825 on the territory of Upper Peru, named after him.

Collapse of the Colombian Federation

According to Bolivar's plan, the Southern United States (Sur de Estados Unidos) was formed, which was to include Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, La Plata and Chile. On June 22, 1826, Bolivar convened a congress in Panama from representatives of all these states, which, however, soon collapsed.

Soon after Bolivar's project became widely known, he began to be accused of wanting to create an empire under his rule, where he would play the role of Napoleon. Party strife began in Colombia. Some of the deputies, led by General Paez, proclaimed autonomy, others wanted to adopt the Bolivian Code.

Bolivar quickly arrived in Colombia and, having assumed dictatorial powers, convened a national assembly in Ocaña on March 2, 1828, to discuss the question: “Should the constitution of the state be reformed?” The Congress could not reach a final agreement and adjourned after several meetings.

Meanwhile, the Peruvians rejected the Bolivian Code and took away the title of President for Life from Bolivar. Having lost power in Peru and Bolivia, Bolivar entered Bogota on June 20, 1828, where he established his residence as ruler of Colombia. But already on September 25, 1828, the federalists broke into his palace, killed the sentries, and Bolivar himself escaped only by a miracle. However, the bulk of the population took his side, and this allowed Bolivar to suppress the rebellion, which was led by Vice President Santander. The head of the conspirators was first sentenced to death and then expelled from the country along with 70 of his supporters.

The following year the anarchy intensified. On November 25, 1829, in Caracas itself, 486 noble citizens proclaimed the separation of Venezuela from Colombia. Bolivar, whose business was completely collapsing, gradually lost all influence and power.

In his brief to the congress meeting in Bogotá in January 1830 to reform Colombia's government, Bolívar complained about the unfair accusations against him coming from Europe and America.

At the beginning of 1830, he resigned and soon died near the Colombian city of Santa Marta on December 17, 1830. Before his death, Bolivar renounced his lands, houses and even his state pension and spent whole days contemplating from the window the picturesque landscapes of the local “snowy mountains” - the Sierra -Nevada.

In 2010, Bolivar's body was exhumed by order of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in order to establish the causes of his death. For the new burial, Chavez presented a new coffin made of mahogany and inlaid with diamonds, pearls and gold stars.

Criticism

The USA, as a young state that relatively recently became sovereign, was interested in expanding its territories and spheres of influence. However, the path to this goal was blocked by French and Spanish colonial possessions. If the issue with Louisiana was resolved by purchase (1803), then with the Spanish Viceroyalties the situation was much more complicated. However, Washington found a way to solve this problem. The United States began to actively spread the ideas of the American Revolution among young members of the aristocracy, dissatisfied with their unfair conditions in the colonies. One of whom was Bolivar. The states actively helped with the necessary resources for the “noble” goals of liberating the Spanish colonies from the mother country. Soon England, which had its own interests, joined this process. The liberation movements quickly developed into fierce fighting between representatives of the same people, split into supporters of the monarchy and republicans. The shortage of new weapons encouraged both sides to purchase them from Britain and the United States. The disintegration of the Viceroyalties into small state entities began. The civil war led to sharp impoverishment of the regions, loss of life, epidemics, famine, constant rebellions and coups d'etat. This dealt a strong blow to the development of the regions and contributed to the start of British and American interventions. In many ways, the responsibility for these processes lies with the fiery revolutionaries themselves: Simon Bolivar and José de San Martin, who fought fiercely and actively promoted their plans. However, they were unable or unwilling to defend the integrity of the young states and prevent the expansion of the Great Powers in Latin America, preferring to retreat from politics in recent years.

Bolivarian

In Latin America, the name Bolivar is very popular. It is immortalized in the names of the state of Bolivia, provinces, cities, streets, monetary units (boliviano - Bolivia, bolivar - Venezuela), with the help of numerous monuments. Biographical essays, works of art, and historical works are dedicated to him. The strongest football club in Bolivia is called Bolivar.

Since 1822, Bolivar’s faithful friend and inseparable life partner, despite all the vicissitudes of his fate, was a native of the city of Quito, the Creole Manuela Saenz.

According to unofficial data, Simon Bolivar won 472 battles.

Bolivar is the main character in the novel The General in His Labyrinth by Colombian writer Gabriel García Márquez. Events develop in the last year of the general’s life. Biographies of Bolivar were written by Emil Ludwig and Ukrainian classicist Ivan Franko. Karl Marx gave a negative characterization of the Liberator in one of his articles. Therefore, in Soviet literature, Bolivar has long been characterized as a dictator who expressed the interests of the bourgeoisie and landowners. The famous intelligence officer and Latinist Joseph Romualdovich Grigulevich decided to break with this tradition and wrote a biography of Bolivar under the pseudonym Lavretsky for the ZhZL series. For his work, Grigulevich was awarded the Venezuelan Order of Miranda and accepted into the Colombian Writers Association.

Bolivar in Freemasonry

It is known that Bolivar was initiated into Freemasonry in Spain, in Cadiz. From 1807 he was a member of the Scottish Rite. In 1824, he founded Lodge "Order and Liberty" No. 2 in Peru.