Francisco de Paula Santander
April 2, 1792 – May 6, 1840
Man of the Laws
Place of birth	Cúcuta, Colombia
Place of death	Bogotá, Colombia
Rank	General
Battles/wars	Battle of Boyacá

Francisco de Paula Santander (April 2, 1792 - May 6, 1840), was one of the military and political leaders during Colombia's (then known as New Granada) independence struggle (1810-1819). April 2 is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 273 days remaining. ... 1792 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... May 6 is the 126th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (127th in leap years). ... 1840 is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Nickname: City without borders Motto: More progress! Location of Cúcuta in North Santander Department Country Colombia Department North Santander* Foundation June 17, 1733 Mayor Ramiro Suarez Corzo Area    - City 2150 km² Elevation 360 m Population    - City (2005census) 742,689 [1]  - Metro 721,794 [2] Website: www. ... Nickname: Athens of Latin America Motto: Bogotá, 2600 metros más cerca de las estrellas Bogotá, 2600 meters closer to the stars Municipalities of Bogotá Country Colombia Department Bogotá, D.C.* Foundation August 6, 1538  - Mayor Luís Eduardo Garzón, PDA Area    - City 1,587 km²  (Expression error: Unrecognised... Colombia, then known as New Granada, acquired its definitive independence from Spain at the Battle of Boyacá. Brigadier Generals Francisco de Paula Santander and José Antonio Anzoátegui led a combined republican army of Colombians and Venezuelans, complemented by a small British Legion made up of mostly Irish volunteers (including... April 2 is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 273 days remaining. ... 1792 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... May 6 is the 126th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (127th in leap years). ... 1840 is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... New Granada can mean: the English rendering of any Spanish geographical or administrative name Nueva Granada, always named after the deep southern Spanish port city Granada, as in: the Spanish American colonial Viceroyalty of New Granada the post-colonial Republic of New Granada (1831 to 1856), which included modern Colombia...

Military career

A law student, he began his military career at the young age of 18 after the events of 1810, as a soldier in the federalist faction of New Granada's independence movement, later joining the centralists. Lady Justice or Justitia is a personification of the moral force that underlies the legal system (particularly in Western art). ... The term federalist refers to several sets of political beliefs around the world. ... New Granada can mean: the English rendering of any Spanish geographical or administrative name Nueva Granada, always named after the deep southern Spanish port city Granada, as in: the Spanish American colonial Viceroyalty of New Granada the post-colonial Republic of New Granada (1831 to 1856), which included modern Colombia... Centralization is the process by which the activities of an organization, particularly those regarding decision-making, become concentrated within a particular location and/or group. ...

Santander received the rank of colonel in 1812. After the Spanish Invasion of New Granada, as a series of defeats led to the exile or retreat of many of New Granada's officers, Santander himself retreated to the eastern plains, near the modern Venezuelan border. Operating from there, Santander was promoted to Brigadier General in 1817 under Simón Bolívar. Colonel (IPA: or ) is a military rank of a commissioned officer, with the corresponding ranks existing in nearly every country in the world. ... Spanish Invasion of New Granada in 1815-1816 was part of Bolívars War in South America. ... A Brigadier General, or one-star general, is the lowest rank of general officer in the United States and some other countries, ranking just above Colonel and just below Major General. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ...

By 1819, he was given command of the republican army's vanguard by Simón Bolívar, as the invasion of New Granada was initiated from the New Grenadine-Venezuelan border. Santander was one of the battlefield commanders during the republican victory at the Battle of Boyacá in August 7 of that same year. After the battle, he was promoted to Division General, the equivalent of Major General. This article does not cite its references or sources. ... New Granada can mean: the English rendering of any Spanish geographical or administrative name Nueva Granada, always named after the deep southern Spanish port city Granada, as in: the Spanish American colonial Viceroyalty of New Granada the post-colonial Republic of New Granada (1831 to 1856), which included modern Colombia... Colombia, then known as New Granada, acquired its definitive independence from Spain at the Battle of Boyacá. Brigadier Generals Francisco de Paula Santander and José Antonio Anzoátegui led a combined republican army of Colombians and Venezuelans, complemented by a small British Legion made up of mostly Irish volunteers (including... August 7 is the 219th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (220th in leap years), with 146 days remaining. ... Insignia of a United States Air Force Major General German Generalmajor Insignia Major General is a military rank used in many countries. ...

In October 1821, after the constitution of Cúcuta was proclaimed, Santander was elected by the newly gathered Congress as vice president of Gran Colombia, in a heated election, where he overcame another strong candidate for the post, Antonio Nariño, by a 38 to 19 vote margin. Nickname: City without borders Motto: More progress! Location of Cúcuta in North Santander Department Country Colombia Department North Santander* Foundation June 17, 1733 Mayor Ramiro Suarez Corzo Area    - City 2150 km² Elevation 360 m Population    - City (2005census) 742,689 [1]  - Metro 721,794 [2] Website: www. ... A vice president is an officer in government or business who is next in rank below a president. ... Map showing Gran Colombia The Republic of Gran Colombia, or Greater Colombia, was a short-lived republic in South America consisting of present-day Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama. ... Antonio Nariño was a precursor and one of the early political and military leaders of the independence movement in Colombia, then known as New Granada. ...

Acting Executive

Sword of Francisco de Paula Santander

Since Bolívar, the president of the new republic, decided to continue leading the republican forces towards Ecuador and Peru, the constitution mandated that Santander remain in Bogotá and act as the representative of the executive branch of government. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 1. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Nickname: Athens of Latin America Motto: Bogotá, 2600 metros más cerca de las estrellas Bogotá, 2600 meters closer to the stars Municipalities of Bogotá Country Colombia Department Bogotá, D.C.* Foundation August 6, 1538  - Mayor Luís Eduardo Garzón, PDA Area    - City 1,587 km²  (Expression error: Unrecognised...

As acting ruler, Santander had to deal with the grave economic crisis that was one of the direct consequences of almost a decade of constant warfare, as well as with surviving Royalist sentiments, the requirements of continuing military operations (including recruitment, training and supply), administrative and legislative reactivation, and internal political divisions.

Economically, while Santander was running Colombia for Bolívar, he made a concerted move toward free trade. First of all, he removed and reduced many taxes which had been left in place from the Spanish rule, and opened ports to all foreign nations. He also created incentives for immigrants, including expedited naturalization--one could even leave the country for up to six months without interrupting his required stay--and land grants. Naturalization is the act whereby a person voluntarily and actively acquires a nationality which is not his or her nationality at birth. ...

Bolívar undid many of Santander's actions after he returned and assumed his position as president.

Political Differences

House of Francisco de Paula Santander

Statue of Francisco de Paula Santander en Medellín.

Initially, Santander and Bolívar were considered as close friends and allies, but gradually political and ideological differences emerged. It is considered by modern scholars that Santander believed in the sanctity of constitutional government and in the rule of law, perhaps to a greater degree than Bolívar, who would have allegedly thought that those concerns were secondary to what he perceived as the actual needs and solutions that historical circumstances demanded, and thus could be subject to flexibility. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 403 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (619 × 920 pixel, file size: 198 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Francisco de Paula Santander Metadata This... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 403 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (619 × 920 pixel, file size: 198 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Francisco de Paula Santander Metadata This... Nickname: The City of Everlasting Spring, Mountains Capital, City Of The Flowers, Orchids Capital, Beautiful Village, Little Silver Cup, Medallo Coordinates: Departamento Antioquia Region Valle de Aburrá Alcalde Sergio Fajardo Valderrama Area    - City 382 km² Elevation 1495 m Population    - City (2006) 2,223,078  - Density 5320. ...

In 1826, when the first Venezuelan uprising occurred, Santander and Bolívar came to disagree about how to handle the situation. Santander believed that the rebels, led by José Antonio Páez and federalist sympathizers, should be punished or at least made to openly submit to the established constitutional order. When Bolívar, who had returned from Peru and reasumed his executive powers, arranged for an amnesty and placed Páez as supreme military chief of the department of Venezuela, Santander felt that the central government's authority and the rule of law were being undermined by the constitutional President himself in a personalist manner. José Antonio Páez José Antonio Páez (June 13, 1790 - May 6, 1873) was the first President of Venezuela. ... The term federalist refers to several sets of political beliefs around the world. ... Look up Amnesty in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Santander also disagreed with Bolívar's attempt to promote a reform of the 1821 constitution before it was legally permitted (the constitution stated that ten years had to go by), and especially with Bolívar's attempted nationwide implementation of the constitution that he had previously drafted for Bolivia, which among other provisions called for a lifelong presidency with the ability to select a direct successor. In Santander's opinion, this could place the country dangerously close to monarchism. Monarchism is the advocacy of the establishment, preservation, or restoration of a monarchy as a form of government in a nation. ...

Water Color of General Santander by Master Santiago Martinez Delgado.

In 1828, growing internal conflicts continued. Santander was elected as one of the delegates to the Ocaña constitutional convention, during which both his supporters and other opposition political factions blocked Bolívar's attempts at reform. This led to the sudden exit of many of the Bolivarian delegates, who disagreed with the Convention's potential outcome. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Master Santiago Martinez Delgado. ... Ocaña is a city in Norte de Santander, Colombia. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

These events eventually led Bolívar to declare himself dictator in August of that year, while the office of the vice president was abolished. Dictator is originally the title of a magistrate in ancient Rome appointed by the Senate to rule the state in times of emergency. ...

Santander and his political sympathizers felt that this act betrayed liberalism and the ideology of the Age of Enlightenment, some even comparing Bolívar to Napoleon or Julius Caesar. Liberalism is an ideology, philosophical view, and political tradition which holds that liberty is the primary political value. ... // The Age of Enlightenment (French: ; German: ; Polish: ) was an eighteenth-century movement in European and American philosophy, or the longer period including the Age of Reason. ... For other uses, see Napoleon (disambiguation). ... Gaius Julius Caesar [1] (Latin pronunciation ; English pronunciation ; July 12 or July 13, 100 BC or 102 BC – March 15, 44 BC), was a Roman military and political leader and one of the most influential men in classical antiquity. ...

In September 1828, Bolívar escaped an assassination attempt. Among those blamed was Santander who, in a quick military trial, was originally sentenced to die without specific proof of his participation in the event. Bolívar pardoned him and his exile was ordered.

Even today, the details are not totally clear and the evidence appears to be inconclusive. Some historians consider that Santander knew about the possibility of an assassination attempt and initially opposed it, but eventually allowed it to happen without his direct participation. This position was eventually assumed by Santander himself later in his life. Others consider that Santander may have been involved in the plan from the beginning as it would benefit him politically, though no direct proof of his role has been found.

Return to New Granada

Testament of Francisco de Paula Santander: I declare that I was born in Villa del Rosario de Cúcuta, of marriage legitimately contracted between my parents Mr. Juan Agustin Santander y Colmenares and Mrs Manuela de Omaña y Rodriguez, already deceased both as well as their ancestors of noble family, that under the Spanish government they obtained distinctions. I say this to contradict my enemies that have wanted to deny inclusively my birth.

After Bolívar died and Gran Colombia broke up, Santander returned from exile in 1832 and served as President of New Granada 1832 to 1836. Santander had spent a great deal of time in Europe studying the Enlightenment. When he returned, these concepts influenced his decisions to a great extent. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 583 pixelsFull resolution (1866 × 1359 pixel, file size: 964 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Francisco de Paula Santander House of... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 583 pixelsFull resolution (1866 × 1359 pixel, file size: 964 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Francisco de Paula Santander House of... New Granada can mean: the English rendering of any Spanish geographical or administrative name Nueva Granada, always named after the deep southern Spanish port city Granada, as in: the Spanish American colonial Viceroyalty of New Granada the post-colonial Republic of New Granada (1831 to 1856), which included modern Colombia... This article is 150 kilobytes or more in size. ... // The Age of Enlightenment (French: ; German: ; Polish: ) was an eighteenth-century movement in European and American philosophy, or the longer period including the Age of Reason. ...

His second period of control was quite different from the first, in that it stressed an alternate form of proteccionismo. He first reverted most of his original changes from Bolívar's undoing, although some were devalued somewhat. He then stepped up his quest for safety under the wings of industrialized nations, as opposed to discouraging trade with them, even going so far as to insert economic contacts in 11 United States cities. He hoped that by creating strong ties with them, he would avoid the high tariffs he inherently disliked. Protectionism is the economic policy of restraining trade between nations, through methods such as high tariffs on imported goods, restrictive quotas, a variety of restrictive government regulations designed to discourage imports, and anti-dumping laws in an attempt to protect domestic industries in a particular nation from foreign take-over... A tariff is a tax on foreign goods. ...

After his term expired, he remained an important and influential political figure. He died in 1840 and was eventually considered as one of the original historical representatives of the Colombian Liberal Party, which would be founded some eight years later. Politics of Colombia Categories: Politics stubs | Liberal related stubs | Colombian political parties | Liberal parties ...

References

• Huck, E. R. (1972). Economic Experimentation in a Newly Independent Nation: Colombia under Francisco de Paula Santander, 1821-1840. The Americas, 54, 2, 167-184. Retrieved December 1st, 2005 from JSTOR Journal Library.

Trivia

• SW 117th Ave in Miami Florida is named after this man.

Links

• Francisco de Paula Santander - Google Pages