One of the main Causes of the dissolution of the Great Colombia Was that each of the regions that conformed it sought its own autonomy.
The Great Colombia, of present name Republic of Colombia, was a republic of short life that took place between 1819 and 1930. Previously, this territory was known as the Viceroyalty of New Granada and included what are nowadays the nations of Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador.
This republic was created as part of the wars of independence of the region against Spain. These wars, led by Simon Bolivar Gave rise to that in 1819, in the congress of Angostura, the bases were established for a regular government.
The republic of Great Colombia was organized definitively in the Congress of Cúcuta in 1821. This government had as president to Simón Bolívar and to Francisco de Paula Santander As vice president.
Gran Colombia lasted only 8 years because, as will be seen later, although at first the different territories were united against Spain, once the independence of colonization was achieved, each of the regions sought its own government.
You may also want to see the Causes of the independence of Colombia more important .
Reasons for the dissolution of the Gran Colombia
The republic of Gran Colombia was an experimental federalist government on the part of Bolivar in his desire to free the inhabitants of the north of South America from Spanish rule. Based on Bogota , The central government of Gran Colombia consisted of a presidency, a two-chamber congress and a high court.
To understand what were the reasons that led to the dissolution of this region, it is first necessary to understand how it was formed and the role played by Simon Bolivar.
New Granada: What was life like before Colombia? ( 1740-1810)
What is known today as the nations of Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador were grouped in the same territory from 1740 and named by the Spanish as the Viceroyalty of New Granada. Its capital was Bogota.
In the second half of the eighteenth century, the Spaniards relaxed their power over the territories of South America. This led to local growth in the region. A social class of criollos appeared - educated and professional - that soon resented the fact of being a colony.
That is why it is in this territory that the first rebellions against the established power of Spain and the movement led by Simon Bolivar to liberate the entire Viceroyalty of New Granada and - ultimately - to create Greater Colombia.
Bolivar and the Great Colombia: 1810 - 1822
In 1910, Simon Bolivar, Venezuelan by birth and central figure in the history of the Latin American independence movements, is a young officer in Caracas.
Its intervention begins that same year, being part of a conspiracy through which the junta expels to the Spanish governor of the province of Venezuela (19 of April) to take control.
From this moment and during the next 12 years, all the efforts of Bolivar will be concentrated in liberating all New Granada from the Spanish domination. To do so, he will face many defeats and difficulties:
- In 1811, the national assembly declared the independence of Venezuela in Caracas, but in 1812 the Spanish authorities returned to control the province.
- Bolivar escapes and writes an important political text known as the"Manifesto of Cartagena"that inspired the inhabitants of New Granada in their efforts for independence.
- In 1813, it gains 6 battles against the Spaniards in Venezuela and 6 of August enters in Caracas. They welcome him as El Libertador and assume the power.
- It is a short success because for July 1814, Bolivar has lost Caracas again. He then decides to march and take Bogota who wins, and then loses, and then flee in exile to Jamaica and Haiti.
- In 1819, Bolivar had devised an ingenious and daring plan, and with 2,500 men and a new route, he took Bogota again.
- Finally, on December 17, it is declared the Republic of Colombia that covers the present territories of Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela.
It will take Bolivar a few years to realize the liberation of Venezuela and Ecuador, but in 1822 the last bastion of Ecuador falls and the region is free from the domination of the Spaniards. It is then that the Republic of Colombia becomes reality and - to distinguish it from other later republics - is known by the name of Great Colombia.
Gran Colombia: 1822-1830
Gran Colombia will only function as a state for 8 turbulent years. At this time, Simón Bolívar will remain as president although he was physically in Peru in a military campaign.
During his absence, he will entrust the presidential chair to one of his trusted commanders, Francisco de Paula Santander.
Within the territories, another of the companions of Bolivar, Jose Antonio Paez was in disagreement with the government of the whole region from the capital of Bogota. He will be responsible for the rebellion of 1826 that demanded the independence of Venezuela.
This crisis will force Bolivar to return from Peru to Gran Colombia to calm Paez and negotiate with him a greater degree of autonomy for Venezuela. This decision will generate opposition in Colombia, of which he will become dictator in 1828, the same year in which he undergoes an assassination attempt.
Meanwhile, Ecuador - representing a third of Gran Colombia - was in political turmoil since independence in 1823, being one of the points to resolve the dominance of its important southern port of Guayaquil (in dispute with Peru).
By 1830, Bolivar is isolated, without so much power and increasingly sick. Santander has been exiled after the attempt on Bolivar of 1828, in which he was not directly involved. In 1829, Paez again launches a separatist movement calling for the independence of Venezuela.
In May 1830, Bolivar decided to leave Bogotá, resigned his position as president and planned to retire in Europe. He will not get any further from Santa Marta - on the Atlantic coast of Colombia - where he dies of tuberculosis. In September of this same year, both Ecuador and Venezuela formally separate from Gran Colombia.
Causes of the dissolution of Gran Colombia
Discrepancies about the system of government
Unfortunately, Bolivar's dream of achieving a united federation separate from the Spaniards was a short experiment marked by the conflict between those who supported a centralized government in the figure of a strong leader and the federalists who supported a form of decentralized government.
Tensions between territories disappeared in the early 1920s to focus their energy on defeating Spain. When the war was over, in the middle of these years, nationalist sentiments returned strongly.
Tensions between Ecuador and Venezuela
Ecuador had political and economic grievances, and in Venezuela the liberals expressed strong federalist sentiments and desire to separate from Gran Colombia. It was the beginning of the end for the republic.
It was the internal disagreements between the states that ended up exploding with the separation of Ecuador and Venezuela in 1830. Gran Colombia was officially disbanded in 1831.
References
- Editors of the Encyclopædia Britannica. 03/20/2012. Gran Colombia Encyclopedia Britannica. Recovered from: Global.britannica.com.
- Since 2001."History of Colombia": Retrieved from historyworld.net.
- Editors History Channel. Consulted on 03/21/2017. Bolivar establishes the Republic of Gran Colombia : Retrieved from historychannel.com.au.
- Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress. Consulted on 03/21/2017. History of Colombia . Retrieved from: motherearthtravel.com.
- 10/01/2017. Gran Colombia . Retrieved from: en.wikipedia.org.
- Global Security. Consulted on 03/21/2017. Peru War with Gran Colombia (1828-1829) : Retrieved from globalsecurity.org.
- Consulted on 03/21/2017. What if Gran Colombia had become federalist? Recovered from: quora.com.