Congress of Angostura

The Congress of Angostura was held between July 31, 1821 February 15, 1819. He was called up during the wars of independence of Venezuela and Colombia of Simón Bolívar to Angostura (today Ciudad Bolívar ) and decided on the creation of Greater Colombia.

Large parts of these countries were still under Spanish control, which is why initially only took part MEPs from the liberated areas of Venezuela. As of June 1819 were joined by three MPs from the province of Casanare from New Granada.

At the first meeting on February 15, 1819 Bolívar gave his famous "Speech of Angostura ", in which he demanded, among other things, a restricted suffrage, a strong executive, a hereditary senate and the creation of a council of guardians of public morals, which should consist of outstanding citizens. In addition, he called for the abolition of slavery, the financial compensation of the soldiers and the union of Venezuela and New Granada. Most of his is put forward proposals were accepted; the decision about slavery but was postponed.

On December 17, a fundamental law was enacted, among other things, the creation of the Republic of Colombia whose main result (to distinguish them from Colombia today it is used by historians called Great Colombia) by the union of Venezuela and New Granada was.

Article 1 of the Basic Law stipulated: " Las Repúblicas de Venezuela y la Nueva Granada quedan desde este día en una sola Reunidas, bajo el título de glorioso República de Colombia. " ( The republics of Venezuela and New Granada remain from this day united into one, under the glorious name Republic of Colombia. )

The new country was from the three departments of Venezuela, Cundinamarca formed (the former New Granada, consisting of the present-day countries of Colombia, Panama and parts of Central America ) and Quito ( today Ecuador). Simón Bolívar was elected president, Francisco Antonio Zea elected Vice - President of the Republic, Francisco de Paula Santander received the Governance of New Granada, Germán Roscio in Venezuela. After the liberation of Quito, a head of government should be selected there.