My favourite Venezuelan

SIMÓN BOLÍVAR was born in Caracas, Venezuela, in 1782. He was the charismatic leader of the South American struggle which resulted in six nations obtaining independence from Spain in the 19th century. This military genius was a fearless freedom fighter.

Bolivar, fondly known as "El Libertador," once stated that “unidos seremos invencibles” (united we will be invincible). These words should echo across the region in the 21st century. Indeed, the Caribbean must unite with our Latin American and South American neighbours. Let us learn from the ambitious Bolívar who was the mastermind of the Panama Congress in 1826. This alliance helped protect the newly formed republics.

When Bolivar was 16 years he departed Venezuela and went to Spain for education. While in Europe he was exposed to intellectual writings, cultural and social movements and ideologies. This shaped his political ideas when he returned to Venezuela in 1807. Bolivar’s republicanism evolved from also analysing the ancient Roman republic. He sought to adapt these into Spanish America and one of the tenets of this republicanism was a representative electoral system.

In February 1819, Bolivar candidly addressed the National Congress of Venezuela, “If a people perverted by their training, succeed in achieving their liberty, they will soon lose it…happiness consists in the practice of virtue; that the rule of law is more powerful than the rule of tyrants, because, as the laws are more inflexible, everyone should submit to their beneficient austerity; that proper morals, and not force, are the bases of law; and that to practise justice is to practise liberty.”

Recent Venezuelan leaders have sought legitimacy through Bolivar. Last month during a civic-military march in Caracas, President Nicolás Maduro spoke while holding a sword that once belonged to Bolivar. And, in 2010, former president Hugo Chavez exhumed the body of Bolivar that was in the National Pantheon in Caracas. Chavez sought to determine if Bolivar, who survived an assassination attempt in 1828, was murdered or had died from tuberculosis in 1830. The final forensic results were inconclusive.

Chavez occasionally invoked the vision and legacy of Bolivar. Chavez, in 1999, produced a new constitution (Asamblea Nacional Constituyente, Constitucíon Bolivarina de Venezuela) in which Article 1 reads: “The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is irrevocably free and independent, basing its moral property and values of freedom, equality, justice and international peace on the doctrine of Simón Bolívar, the Liberator. Independence, liberty, sovereignty, immunity, territorial integrity and national self-determination are unrenounceable rights of the Nation.”

Do we in the Caribbean and Latin America have true "sovereignty," "liberty" and "independence?" In our region many countries are not truly independent. What about "national self-determination?" The relatively high number of murders and abuse in TT are indicators of this country’s regression. It cannot be denied that constitutional reform is urgently needed in the Caribbean where our petty politics still has a foul colonial scent.

Bolivar’s impact was not confined to the mainland. For instance, on two occasions he landed in Haiti seeking military assistance. In 1815, Bolivar needed support in his fight against Spain and went to Haiti, the former slave colony, where he sought support from president Alexandre Pétion.

At first, Pétion refused to support Bolivar but eventually agreed on the condition that Bolivar would abolish slavery. Bolivar accepted and despite a delay he eventually kept his promise. Fortunately, Bolivar was given ships, men and ammunition.

This is an overlooked but significant aspect of Caribbean history. Yes, the assistance of Haiti directly contributed to the heroic battles of Bolivar and freedom of most of South America.

Bolivar, armed with a vision of sovereignty and justice, was able to inspire thousands across Latin America, the Caribbean and South America. This is an important lesson for our region. The legacy of Bolivar is significant but also remember his defeats and other heroes and heroines who crushed imperialism These include brave souls as Jose de San Martin, who was known as the Knight of the Andes, the Liberator of Chile and Protector of Peru.

There are two busts of Bolivar in TT. One is on Harris Promenade in San Fernando and the other in the Alma Jordan Library at UWI, St Augustine. I wonder if these inspire our citizens and students. Caribbean leaders and citizens can learn from the people-friendly vision of the liberator.

José Martí, the Cuban poet and statesman, once said, “What Bolivar left undone is still undone today. Bolivar has things yet to do in America.” This statement is still relevant in the 21st century.