Anita Arnon

They're not going back with a key ring after that kind of trip.

They are there to win.

And the news of the defeat spreads like wildfire and it reaches the heart of Spain.

Bolivar has liberated what has been known as New Granada.

You know, this sets him up.

If we can do this, if we can do this.

then just think of all the territories that we can grab, all of the territories, and merge them into this one new united nation.

Over half the size of the whole of Europe, Willie.

And you can look at this map and you will see that it is, you know, the territories in the north of South America closest to the isthmus of Panama.

And that's important as well because it is the Panama Strip.

There's this thin strip of land linking the two American continents.

So strategically, he is getting dangerously close with his ambition to even be able to cut off Western Europe from its own interests.

It's an appealing thought and it's an increasingly appealing thought to those people living in South America that, you know, maybe, maybe, just maybe we could make something that's big and powerful.

But the way in which it is going to run, not everyone shares Bolivar's vision.

I'm going to introduce you to another character because he has a really turbulent relationship with Bolivar and it will determine the fate of Gran Colombia.

His name is Francisco de Paula Santander.

So Santander is, again, one of, you know, all of these men are sort of portrayed as, you know, these shiny epaulettes, dignified.

He looks a bit like young Prince Albert to me, you know.

Yeah, he is.

But he's not just a military man because he is actually known as the man of laws.