President of Colombia. He is remembered for the part he played in gaining the independence from Spain of what is now the South American country of Colombia, and serving as the first president. He held leading governmental positions several times through his life time. The original South American country of Colombia went through much unrest, borderline changes, rewritten constitutions, and several name changes until it became Republic of Colombia in 1886. Although the country of Columbia celebrates its independence from Spain on July 20, 1810, it was recaptured by Spain in 1816, thus the war of independence continued for another nine years. Born of a mixed ancestry of aristocratic Spanish and Colombian indigenous, his father was the governor of the rural province of San Faustino de los Ríos and owned a coca plantation. Before graduating, he left law school in October of 1810 to fight for his country's independence from Spain. He joined a battalion in the National Guard, serving as a soldier in the army of the Federalist United Provinces of New Granada. By 1812, he held the rank of colonel. When Spain recaptured the rule of the country, he was forced to retreat to the borderline of the neighboring country of Venezuela. At that point, he joined forces with Venezuelan patriots and operated under the strong command of General Simón Bolívar. After many battles, often serving on the frontlines, he reached the rank of a general when he was only 24 years old, but rising political tension and unhappiness with the role itself led him to resign within a few months. After the nation's independence from Spain and the founding documents were proclaimed in October of 1821, elections followed with Bolivar being elected president and he as Vice President of Gran Colombia, which included Venezuela and Ecuador. With Bolivar returning to Venezuela, the new nation's day to day management was left to him. Eventually, he was given the position of acting President. After the nation's many years of war, the country was in a turbulent economic situation, yet other countries around the world were beginning to recognize New Granada as a nation. Bolivar's plans for South America were to make one country with states, yet Santander wanted the portion of what was to become New Granada to be an independent country. While in the governing position, he executed most of the Spanish officers that were prisoners of war, fearing that they would rally if released. This displeased Bolivar, who wanted to give them amnesty. He supported a secular state while Bolivar wanted the state to be Roman Catholic, which impacted what could be taught in schools and universities. He wanted to abolish slavery, protecting "civil liberties and freedom" for all. Although the two men were considered good friends and political allies for many years, their differing ideologies eventually pushed them apart. In August of 1828, six years after he had been elected Vice President, his position was abolished when Bolivar declared himself dictator. One month later with the assassination attempt of Bolivar on September 25, 1828, he was arrested, found guilty with little evidence, and sentence to death, but Bolivar pardoned him, sending him into exile. While in exile, he traveled to Europe where he informally studied governmental law and economics. Historians do not agree on the part, if any, he actually played in this assassination attempt. With the death of Bolivar in December of 1830, there was a coup d'état with two presidents that had less than sixth-month terms. After returning home from exile, he was initially as a provisional president starting on March 10, 1832. He actually became president in 1833, serving until April 1, 1837 for five years and 22 days. A new constitution was written. He was very respected by the people of the country. In his first term, he established trade with the United States and kept taxes low. On July 23, 1833, he had the remaining Spanish prisoners of war executed. With the knowledge that he had acquired in Europe, he attempted to establish a society based on constitutional law instead of dictatorship. While in office, there was an attempted assassination of him by Bolivar supporters. After leaving office, he remained a very respected man in the country and served as a Senator to Congress. In 1840, he died a painful death from an infected gall bladder that was a complication of cholelithiasis or gall stones. His death was followed by a two-year civil conflict of major proportions. A larger-than-life full statue of him is on exhibit in Medellin, the second largest city in Colombia. After his death, it would be another forty years before the country was called Colombia, yet even with the name changes, it is the oldest democracy in South America. He is given credit for establishing the political party of the Colombian Liberal Party, which was in opposition of Bolívar's Conservatives. These two political parties remain into the 21st century. The Escuela General Francisco de Paula Santander, a training academy for police, was founded in 1940 in his honor. In his last will, he stated, "I wish I would have loved God as much as I loved my country."