Diary of a Colombian Revolution Leader

When these revolutions began in the early 1800’s, I was still in Europe. It was there that I got the idea for a free South America. I saw the disorganized revolutions there, and though the people wanted freedom, there was no one to unite them as one. In 1810, the real revolution started. I helped as much as I could, trying to get support from foreign countries and helping Venezuela become independent. We won against the Spanish and set up a government in Venezuela. Unluckily, that new country didn’t last long. As I wrote in my first great political statement, El Manifiesto de Cartagena, the fall of the Venezuelan republic was due to a weak government. Soon after, I led the remaining revolutionary forces to retake Venezuela. We created a second republic. Unluckily the Spanish defeated our small army and retook the country. I was able to flee, and went to Jamaica. There, I wrote about how we should retake South America from the Spanish, and how we should organize the new government. Today it’s considered the greatest of all my writings. Soon after, I decided it was time to try again to liberate South America from the Spanish. I went to Haiti for help. They had been liberated a few years earlier from the French, and were happy to help our cause. They gave us money and weapons to help.

I immediately left for South America to defeat the Spanish. I set up my base, and recruited thousands of European soldiers and officers. We spent three years fighting with little progress. For each time they were defeated, we were defeated somewhere else. After the Battle of Boyacá, things began to turn in our favor. We went through the mountains, to catch the enemy by surprise. The enemy thought the mountains were impossible to pass, and didn’t think we could possibly have gone through that way. They were wrong. We were able to attack their army’s camp, and they surrendered. After this, we set up our government. All of northern South America was united as a single country. Even though most of it was still controlled by Spain, it showed that we had power, and would claim those lands from the Spanish. Than in 1820, we had another piece of good news. There was a revolution in Spain. I saw it was time for my army to rest, so we signed a 6 month piece treaty with the enemy. When the fighting began again, we easily defeated them at every battle. By that time, our army was significantly larger than theirs. Than I expanded the war, to free all of South America. By 1822, the Spanish had retreated to the highlands of northern Peru. It was considered an unconquerable position. But, after assembling a massive army, we were able to win the battle. It was then that the rest of the Spanish army finally surrendered. By 1825, I had defeated Spain in South America. It took me 8 years to build an army and defeat the Spanish. I was never worried during the war. I saw how committed these soldiers were to defending the land. But, now that we have one, I am worried. We were united under the idea of supporting me to defeat the Spanish. Now that I am no longer important, each separate territory of our country will want to break off. Venezuela has showed signs of planning for a civil war already. Even if this does come true, it does not matter. We have succeeded in liberating our continent from the Spanish. No matter what happens now, our main goal has been completed, and we will be able to lead ourselves.