Dissolution of the Great Colombia

Tensions and regionalisms within the Gran Colombia led to its final dissolution. Bolivar's
dream of a great nation which achieved an outstanding international place was foiled.
The military confrontation between civilians and deepened with the struggle between
New Granada and Venezuela. These clashes took characteristics of differences of class
and culture. While most civilians in government leadership were educated people in
universities, most lawyers, many of the senior military officers - many of them
Venezuelan - were men who came from the popular classes. On the other hand, civilian
leaders sought to govern in accordance with the law. For them it was essential to follow
the Constitution if they wanted to make the government work properly. A military leaders,
accustomed to quick and command decisions, despaired legalism of them civilians and
were more inclined to warlordism and dictatorship, which were vertical and authoritarian
forms of government.
Confrontation with the Church
Clashes with the Church began since the Creole elite attempted to introduce liberal
ideas and institutions. These initiatives threatened the role occupied by religion in the
field of education and ideology. Decisions such as closing monasteries and convents
inhabited by less than eight clergymen, and raise to 25 years of age taking votes for the
priesthood, they helped to increase the discontent of the Church. The clergy led to a
feeling of hostility among the people towards the liberal educated elite, and therefore, to
the Bogota government. The opposition of the Church came to work in the weakening
of the Gran Colombian unit.
The rupture of the Republic
With all these developments, the end of the Gran Colombia was consummated.
Venezuela and Quito disavowed any central authority outside its territorial entities. In
January 1830, Paez formally proclaimed the separation of Venezuela, and Ecuador,
with Juan Jose Flores in the lead, followed suit a few months later. Bolivar died of
tuberculosis in December 1830, after the government resigned. With his death,
definitively they ended attempts to preserve the unity of Gran Colombia. They arose the
republics of New Granada, Venezuela and Ecuador.