Greater Colombia

OTL, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Panamá have a great potential together, and they once were a single republic.

This is an exploration on how that republic, then know as Colombia (today as Great Colombia to diferenciate it from the current Republic of Colombia), would have survived and maximized her potential.

OTL Venezuela resigned the union in 1828, giving the revalry between Caracas and Bogotá and triggered by the Bolivarian Constitution that Bolívar wrote for Bolivia. The POD begins in Guayaquil, in 1822. Boolivar meets San Martin and they decide to co-operate in freeing South America from the Spanish. With this support in the Peruvian campaign, Bolívar is freer to keep Colombia together and prevented to write his Bolivarian Constitution.

This timline is proposed by Chlewey.

Timeline
(The following content was translated by Babelfish, and has not been checked)

In meeting maintained with Simón Bolivar in Guayaquil, the 26 of 1822 July, San Martín manages to convince Bolivar that with its support in Chile and the United Provinces of the River of the Silver the idea of a united Hispano-America can be impelled, nevertheless remembers that San Martín will give via free to Bolivar in Peruvian the $andes and the Peru Stop.

San Martín returns to Lima where he resigns to his position of protector and returns to Buenos Aires, where he tries to convince president Rivaravia to be part of a Hispano-American union.

Bolivar reunites I exercise to cross Peruvian the $andes and to defeat the last realistic army in South America. After the battle of Junín, in which the bolivarianas troops overcome the Spaniards, Bolivar is called to return to Colombia to reassume their paper like president. In Lima, he makes a call to the congress of Panama before returning to Bogota. The 6 of December of 1824, liberating troops to the control of Antonio Jose de Sucre, win to the last realistic army in Ayacucho.

After the capitulation of the realistic army, these are committed to retire definitively of South America, nevertheless still are left Spanish troops dispersed, thus Sucre is arranged to persecute them.

Sucre and San Martín meet in Pools, Peru Stop, where the inhabitants propose the creation of a new nation, independent of the United Provinces and Peru and they decide to call it San Martín.

In Colombia the divisions between the neogranadinos and the Venezuelans, outstanding mainly in vice-president Santander and the commander of the ejercitos of Venezuela begin to become evident Jose Antonio Páez. Adding the disagreement of Quito who see in the decision of Santander to include the North Mountain range (Popayán or the Cauca) like part of the department of the New Granada, not knowing historical nexuses with the hearing of Quito, an insult to its integrity. One summons the congress of Santa Marta, in who the union of Colombia must be defined.

The Congress of Santa Marta takes place in January of 1826, before the congress of Panama. Between the agreements that are arrived is to establish different a territorial division, giving greater autonomy to the departments and to unify the control of the army.

The departments of Orinoquía, separated of Venezuela, and Panama and Popayán, separated of New Granada are created therefore. A parliamentary regime settles down, by means of as, the bicameral parliament chooses the President, who exerts like government and Chief of State, and to the vice-president, who replaces permanently to the president like head of government when this she cannot fulfill his obligations temporary or. Also the Senate ratifies the appointments of the high military cupolas.

Bolivar is ratified like president and Santander like vice-president. Páez is named commander of the Troopses, Sucre is chosen like commander of the infantry, Cordova like commander of the cavalry and? Like commander of the Navy.

In June the congress of Panama with delegates of Mexico meets, Central America, Colombia, Peru, San Martín and United Provinces and with observers of Great Britain and the United States. The treaties of alliances are ratified and mutual defense and sets out the liberation of Cuba and Puerto Rico of Spanish hands and Santo Domingo, of Haitian hands. Colombia and Mexico are the only countries that are interested in venturing itself in the Caribbean, although Colombia leaves in clear that, given its gratitude with Haiti, the case of Santo Domingo would be posponed indefinitely.

In 1828, Mexico and Colombia are ventured to the liberation of Cuba and Puerto Rico, nevertheless the Navies of the United States and Spain block the colombo-Mexican efforts and the few troops who manage to disembark soon are defeated. Shortly after this insolvent adventure, Spain makes its last attempt retake the lost territories in the American continent and sends an expedition to reconquer to Mexico. The Mexicans defeat the Spaniards, nevertheless the Mexican hero Antonio Lopez of Santa Anna, is disabled in the battle.

On the other hand, Peru invades to the south with the objective to annex itself to Guayaquil. Bolivar soon sends to Sucre and Juan Jose Flórez to repel the invasion, simultaneously that moves to Quito. The invasion finally is contained in earth but the blockade to Guayaquil determined that in the negotiation it leaves from the territories of the south were yielded to Peru in exchange for the important port.

After the failure in the Antilles and the war against Peru, a plan of modernization of Colombia settles down which must attack three crucial points: to maintain united to the republic, to assure its existence and to have the capacity to defend its interests. This is reflected in the road construction and a modernization of the Navy and the ground forces.

In April of 1830, due to problems of health, Bolivar it resigns to the presidency. The parliament accepts the resignation and chooses to Francisco de Paula Santander like president and to Antonio Jose de Sucre like vice-president. The presidential period of 6 years begins to count itself.

Bolivar is named ambassador of Colombia before Great Britain where she has two main tasks: to obtain that Spain recognizes Colombia like independent nation and to promote the aid from Great Britain to Colombia.

In 1833, the new Spanish government, recognizes the independence of Colombia and the other Hispano-American nations.

In April of 1836, the congress chooses to Sucre like president and Jose Maria Obando like vice-president. From a principle the relations between Sucre and Obando are tense.

In 1838, Sucre decides to support the separatist movements of Cuba and Puerto Rico, after reaching an agreement with Great Britain and the United States, which included commercial privileges in the released islands and the continent in exchange for the obstruction to the Spanish actions. I exercise, of 10000 men and 600 horses, are embarked. 4000 men disembark in Puerto Rico and 6000 in Cuba, where they meet with the independentistas groups. Colombian navy takes positions as well to bomb the realistic fortifications. The Spanish reinforcements do not arrive, part by the carlista civil war that frees in house and part by the blockade British and estadinense. Finally Santiago is taken in January from 1839, San Juan in February and Havana in April. The independence of Puerto Rico and Cuba is proclaimed and the Colombian armies retire to a large extent. The Navy remains nevertheless patrolling.

In the armistice between Spain and Colombia, in which Great Britain serves as I arbitrate, Spain recognizes the independence of Puerto Rico and Cuba, nations that are under the protection of Colombia.

In October of 1839, Simón Bolivar dies in London.

In May of 1840, a group of caucanos and neogranadinos landowners, led by vice-president Obando, the government of Sucre and his policies are declared in revolt against, including expansionism, the commercial agreements with Great Britain and the reformist appearances. Some regiments of I exercise and private military services compose the forces of Obando but Páez, maintaining the control of most of the army, easily manages to contain the rebellion. Obando is demoted and the parliament chooses to Vicente Rocafuentes like new vice-president.

In September, the governor of Panama declares the independence of Colombia, but a blockade in the Caribbean and pacific coasts obtains the resignation of the governor and the loyalty of the new regional government.

In August of 1841 a territorial division is approved and the provinces of New Granada are elevated to the category of departments thus: Magdalena and Cartagena in the north, Boyacá and Cundinamarca in the east and Tolima in the West. Panama also is divided in Chiriquí and Darién; Venezuela in Venezuela and Zulia; Orinoquía divides in Bolivar and Apure and the South in Guayaquil and the Mountain range. Also the Senate reforms and lowering the number of senators from three to two.

In 1842, the new parliament chooses to the governor of the South Juan Jose Flórez like president and to Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera like vice-president. Once Flórez posesiona in Bogota group of the Quito aristocracy is rebelled with the intention to escindir themselves of Colombia and to form the republic of Quito with the historical provinces. Nevertheless the lack of support of its coterráneos and the people of Guayaquil and Popayán, as well as the opportune intervention of I exercise Colombian choke the rebellion. After the rebellion, the Mountain range divides in the departments of Quito and River basin.

The separatist movements of Santo Domingo finally begin to render their fruits and in 1843 they declare its independence of Haiti, for which they have asked for to the government of Colombia its protection. Colombia quickly sends a contingent of 600 men and several boats to help to expel the Haitians from Santo Domingo. Colombia offers to its protectorates in Puerto Rico, Cuba and Santo Domingo the voluntary annexation to the Republic of Colombia in exchange for fortifying the investments in the islands. This supply is accepted in 1845 by Puerto Rico and Cuba, nevertheless the United States is against when feeling that Colombia is becoming a regional power in the Caribbean. The American Navy blocks to Cuba until Cuba stops of the annexation. Puerto Rico nevertheless is admitted like a new department, whereas Santo Domingo maintains its state of protectorate.

In 1848 Rocafuentes is chosen as president of Colombia and Jose Hilario Lopez is chosen vice-president. The state of health of Rocafuentes is precarious and in February of 1849 it dies. Lopez assumes as president and Jose Tadeo Monagas are chosen like his vice-president. The Lopez and Monagas initiate a series of reforms that include a greater autonomy to the departments, the abolition of the slavery in 1851 and the definitive elimination of the charges.

Several of these reforms produce rises in the population, nevertheless the army remains loyal to the government and quickly the rises are controlled. The greater anti-slavery movement happens in Puerto Rico, nevertheless the great mercantilista population and craftswoman supports to the Colombian government against the elites of landowners.

The administration of Lopez also initiates the construction of the railroad of Panama in 1850, which will finish being constructed in 1854.

In April of the 54, Monagas is chosen president and Mosquera returns to assume like vice-president. Before the possession a rebellion of craftsmen led by Melo raises and takes several cities, including Bogota. Melo, that was general of the army has to several troops under its control, in addition to the military services of craftsmen and obtains the power de facto and president self-proclaims itself. Melo tries to impose a series of protectionistic measures besides to propose an Earth redistribution. In June the main body of the army swears loyalty to the government of Melo and the parliament ratifies its position, under pressure.