Dissolution of the New Granada

Tensions and regionalisms within the Gran Colombia led to its final dissolution. Bolivar's
dream of a great nation which achieved an outstanding international place was foiled.
The military confrontation between civilians and deepened with the struggle between New
Granada and Venezuela. These clashes took characteristics of differences of class and
culture. While most civilians in government leadership were educated people in
universities, most lawyers, many of the senior military officers - many of them Venezuelan
- were men who came from the popular classes. On the other hand, civilian leaders sought
to govern in accordance with the law. For them it was essential to follow the Constitution
if they wanted to make the government work properly. A military leaders, accustomed to
quick and command decisions, despaired legalism of them civilians and were more
inclined to warlordism and dictatorship, which were vertical and authoritarian forms of
government.
Confrontation with the Church
Clashes with the Church began since the Creole elite attempted to introduce liberal ideas
and institutions. These initiatives threatened the role occupied by religion in the field of
education and ideology. Decisions such as closing monasteries and convents inhabited
by less than eight clergymen, and raise to 25 years of age taking votes for the priesthood,
they helped to increase the discontent of the Church. The clergy led to a feeling of hostility
among the people towards the liberal educated elite, and therefore, to the Bogota
government. The opposition of the Church came to work in the weakening of the Gran
Colombian unit.
The rupture of the Republic
With all these developments, the end of the Gran Colombia was consummated.
Venezuela and Quito disavowed any central authority outside its territorial entities. In
January 1830, Paez formally proclaimed the separation of Venezuela, and Ecuador, with
Juan Jose Flores in the lead, followed suit a few months later. Bolivar died of tuberculosis
in December 1830, after the government resigned. With his death, definitively they ended
attempts to preserve the unity of Gran Colombia. They arose the republics of New
Granada, Venezuela and Ecuador.