Simón Bolívar was a leader.
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios ( [ siˈmon boˈliβar ] ; 24 July 1783 -- 17 December 1830 ) , known as El Libertador , was a Venezuelan military and political leader who played a leading role in the establishment of Venezuela , Bolivia , Colombia , Ecuador , Peru and Panama as sovereign states , independent of Spanish rule . Following this triumph over the Spanish monarchy , Bolívar participated in the foundation of the first union of independent nations in Latin America , Gran Colombia , of which he was president from 1819 to 1830 . He was simultaneously president of Gran Colombia ( current Venezuela , Colombia , Panamá and Ecuador ) and Peru , while his second in command Antonio José de Sucre was appointed president of Bolivia .