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Encyclopedia—Simón BolívarDisillusionment and TributeIn 1826, he furthered his vision of a united Spanish America by convening representatives of the new republics at Panama; although little was accomplished, it marked the beginning of Pan-Americanism. Separatist movements continued to undermine the union and there was much dissent against his power and his high-handed methods. Bolívar declared himself dictator in 1828, and the next night, Sept. 24, 1828, he barely escaped assassination by jumping from a high window and hiding with the help of Manuela Saenz. He could not halt the crumbling of Greater Colombia, and Venezuela and Ecuador seceded. In poor health and disillusioned (“We have ploughed the sea,” he said), he resigned the presidency in 1830. Shortly thereafter, he died of tuberculosis near Santa Marta. He died poor and bitterly hated, yet it was not long before South Americans began to pay tribute to the hero of their independence. Today, monumental statues of Bolívar adorn the central plazas of cities and towns throughout the Andean region. Sections in this article: The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
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