Bolívar was the revolution. Why others?
By: Luis Beltrán Guerra G. - 09/03/2025
Share:
In the book Las Penurias del General (The Life and Death of Francisco de Paula Santander) by the sociologist from the University of Colombia, Victor Paz Otero, Pablo Morillo is credited with having said Bolívar is the revolution! A lapidary expression that has not been respected throughout history, however, we perceive the appearance of more than one who has tried to be configured as a “revolutionary”. The difference is that in these cases it has been the same pretender who has described himself as such. And the acolytes incurring in “redundancy” (repetition and excessive use of a word or concept).
The 415-page work is critical of Santander's actions, who is accused of an ancestral hatred of the Venezuelan, for some because of the differences with respect to the political regimes in the countries liberated from Spain. It is read that the most determining conflict consisted of Bolívar's inclination for a Magna Carta for Colombia similar to the one promulgated for Bolivia, in principle, the work of the liberator himself, once he had freed this country from the Crown, a text in which broad power was attributed to the President, in this case Bolívar himself, providing Santander with a "monarchy." The latter, despite having been appointed by Bolívar to the vice-presidency of Colombia, apparently feared that the regime established in Bolivia would also be imposed in his country, and consequently with the Caracas native as Head of State and for life, that is, as "emperor." The sociologist Paz Otero seems to be inclined, rather, because the animosity had its source in the atypical personality of General Santander, who wanted to ascend from the vice presidency that he occupied by the Venezuelan, to the leadership of the Nation, that is, to the presidency, whose holder was the Caracas native. Paz Otero in another passage of his interesting compendium, perhaps, seeking definitive evidence of his assertion, notes that "General Santander enjoyed days of joy, revelry and plenitude, after the army guided and commanded by Bolívar sealed, with the triumph of Boyacá, the process that would culminate with the independence of New Granada (We think that of the Viceroyalty of New Granada, instituted in 1717, suppressed in 1723, but reestablished in 1739, with Santa Fe de Bogotá as capital and jurisdiction regarding Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador and Panama). An extremely attractive area: a) for its gold production and b) its location between two oceans, gateway to South America and c) the largest concentration of population. Quite attractive for governing and in an exclusive manner, as seems to be the intention of General Santander, as can be inferred from the considerations of Victor Paz.
The sociologist adds, in order to corroborate his assessment, that Santander would later write “that he would have knelt down to kiss Bolívar's hand as the main author of the good that he was beginning to enjoy.” Another of the assessments concerning the General's personality.
The maximization of the “jarana” by Santander, following the reestablishment of New Granada, ended up being much more exciting that it led him particularly to ecstasy, as the professor tells, when he identified Nicolasa Ibañez on a balcony, a lady he had always dreamed of, which altered his soul. Promoted to Major General, together with Jose Antonio Anzoátegui, the latter described as one of the most important military men of the Liberation Army in the War of Independence, a responsibility he shared as Chief of the Honor Guard of Simon Bolivar. From his horse, Victor Paz Otero notes with sympathy, that Santander said to himself “Nicolasa Ibañez will be mine. It doesn’t matter if she is married and has three children.” A prolific personality of the General, source for the unjust atrocities against Bolivar, a comrade in arms who distinguished him. But the latter also had the medals of the man who was to be “the Liberator of America”. Yes, the one who would free us from the yoke of Spain. The flag of Santander for the sociologist? “The civil power of the republic that the latter brandished as a position. For the sake of independence? Difficult answer.
Bolívar's feat, as universally accepted, was written in documents that are the object of analysis in research centers, not only in Latin America, but in prestigious universities in a considerable part of the world. The following are usually collected as determinants, among others: 1. Cartagena Manifesto, 1812, 2. Letter from Jamaica, 1815, 3. Angostura Speech, 1819, and 4. Message to the Congress of Colombia, 1830. All reveal knowledge, fighting spirit and love for freedom. It is read, and rightly so, that "one of his great hopes was the great confederation of all the former Spanish colonies in America, whose inspiration was the model of the United States. However, he did not achieve his goal, and perhaps from there comes the phrase: "I have plowed the sea and sown in the wind," concluding that his desire would not be fulfilled due to the differences between the new nations." Simon Bolivar, likewise, is read as “standing out among his contemporaries for his intelligence, will and selflessness.” Evidence? “Captain General Pablo Morillo receives instructions from Spain to negotiate with Simon a cessation of hostilities. They meet and the Armistice between the Republic of Gran Colombia and Spain is soon signed in Trujillo, Venezuelan soil, (November/1820).”
It must be remembered that history describes Pablo Morillo as “the peacemaker”, as Javier Figueroa draws him on a canvas that rests in the National Museum of Colombia. The expedition entrusted to him seeks to pacify the Captaincy General of Caracas, to reconquer Cartagena de Indias and New Granada and then Peru and Mexico. And with the same ends. The Spaniard, aware that Bolívar's advance towards Caracas had to be stopped, resorted to the strategies derived from his training and experience, achieving his goal. The end of the fight, however, occurs in Carabobo with Bolívar victorious. “The peacemaker” as a result of the conflict went on to enjoy his longed-for retirement in the Peninsula. Two generals in conflict came to an understanding, as they should, in search of the best way to benefit their causes.
Let us finally turn to the final pages of the distinguished sociologist Victor Paz, who ends by stating that General Francisco de Paula Santander, already out of the government, founded the “Partido Civilista” through which he came to occupy a seat as senator. The Republic was presided over by José Ignacio Márquez, described as “the Cicero of Gran Colombia, opposed to Santander, who after proposing the elaboration of a Military Code retired from parliament to dedicate himself to writing “Notes for the memoirs on Colombia and New Granada”, for the academic Paz “an extensive and heavy document”. The vicissitudes to which he was subjected and to which he was subjected do not cease to be a few sources of disenchantment, to the point that if we understand the distinguished sociologist well, there were disappointed people who ended up pondering “Long live Fernando VII”. This, in the face of a precarious stability of a republic still under construction.
This long account that we have entitled Bolívar is the revolution. For what else?, borrowing the first sentence from Pablo Morillo, leads us to ask ourselves if it is perhaps true that politics is “a folklore”, for linguistics “A set of customs, beliefs, crafts, songs, and other similar things of a traditional and popular nature”, contrasting with the scientific definition, which, referring to Aristotle, so as not to confuse so much, “is a way of keeping society organized with norms and rules”.
The reader has the floor. Perhaps you can read Víctor Paz Otero with a more optimistic viewpoint.
In our opinion, it is not a question of revolution, or of being right or left. At this point, it is a truism. It is rather a question of human sincerity.
«The opinions published herein are the sole responsibility of its author».