In 1810, Simón Bolívar, a wealthy Venezuelan Creole, joined the revolution against Spain. After a defeat in 1814, he escaped to Jamaica, where he wrote La Carta de Jamaica (The Letter from Jamaica), in which he called for the establishment of British-styled republican government throughout South America. Bolívar continued his military campaigns until the present countries of Perú and Bolivia had also achieved independence, in 1821 and 1825, respectively. Yet in 1828 he proclaimed himself dictator, resulting in his near-assassination and the secession of Venezuela and Ecuador from Greater Colombia. Bolivia was named in honor of Bolívar.

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