Marie Arana

He had business owners supporting him all the way down to the poor.

He cultivated himself as a 21st century Simón Bolívar.

The new constitution was really a mix of progressive human rights and at the same time

giving more power to the president.

When he comes back, though, he is very shaken by this because he didn't know what was going to happen to him.

He didn't know if he was going to be killed or put in jail the rest of his life or what was going to happen.

He was so fortunate to be in office during this incredible oil boom.

All of this blood had been spilled, all of this incredible sacrifice, whole cities wiped off the map.

Not only is he getting sicker, but there are whole forces that are against him.

He then is literally run out of Bogota and exiled from Colombia because they've had enough of Bolivar.

They don't want him anymore.

They want their little pockets of turf.

He has no friends, and he's penniless.

He's a pauper at this point.

He's given over all of his wealth.

No bells are rung, particularly.

Nobody makes any eulogies.

Then everything changes because everyone at that point begins to think, oh, by God, the revolution would not have been won except for this man.

And he started this revolution.

The sort of engagement with the Bolívar legacy begins at that point.