Venezuelan soldier and statesman, 1783-1830
Fishburn and Hughes: "A military and political leader, the liberator of northern Spanish America, regarded as South America's greatest political genius. After freeing his native Venezuela from Spanish rule in 1813, and Colombia in 1819, Bolívar was elected in 1821 President of a conglomeration of Andean countries known as Gran Colombia. In 1822 with the help of his officer General Sucre, he defeated the Spaniards in Ecuador. He then marched on Peru, the stronghold of Spanish power, and in 1824 achieved South America's final victory over Spain at the battle of Ayacucho.
Guayaquil: during his long campaign Bolívar wrote a great many letters, which were edited in twelve volumes by Vicente Lecuna (1929-1959). The letters to San Martín concerning preparations for the meeting at Guayaquil are both deferential and effusive.
A letter dated 13 August 1822 is stated as the cause of the rivalry between the two scholars in 'Guayaquil': the existing letter of that date is unlikely to be the one meant. It is addressed to General Santander, and in it Bolívar declines Santander's invitation to return to Bogotá to take charge of the government. The only mention made of San Martín is of the possibility of his army's defeat, which was another reason why Bolívar had to remain in the south. A letter allegedly written by San Martín to Bolívar, on the existence of which the legend of Guayaquil appeared partially substantiated, was found in 1939 to be a forgery, causing a furore in the Academy of History." (28-29)