Simon Bolivar at The Jardin des Tuileries, Paris

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Simón Bolívar, a Venezuelan military leader and politician, played a crucial role in establishing Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, and Colombia as independent states free from Spanish rule. Born into a wealthy Creole family on July 24, 1783, Bolívar was educated in Europe at a young age, where he was exposed to the ideas of Enlightenment philosophers that inspired him to liberate his native Venezuela from Spanish control. Taking advantage of Spain's turmoil during the Peninsular War, Bolívar launched his campaign for independence in 1808 and established an organized national congress within three years. Despite challenges like a massive Spanish expeditionary force, the revolutionaries ultimately triumphed at the Battle of Carabobo in 1821, securing Venezuela's freedom. Following this victory over the Spanish monarchy, Bolívar helped form Gran Colombia, the first union of independent nations in Latin America, serving as its president from 1819 to 1830. Through military conquests, he also liberated Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia, assuming leadership of each new nation. At the height of his power, Bolívar controlled a vast territory stretching from Argentina's border to the Caribbean. Historians today view Bolívar as a complex figure, with criticism focused on his belief in a strong presidency for life as essential to a state's survival. Nonetheless, most Latin Americans praise him as a heroic liberator whose revolutionary ideas and reforms continue to shape their region's legacy.