COLOMBIA
In 1538 the Spaniards established the colony of New Granada, the area's name until 1861. After a 14-year struggle, in which Simón Bolívar's troops won the battle of Boyacá in Colombia on Aug. 7, 1819, independence was attained in 1824. Bolívar united Colombia, Venezuela, Panama, and Ecuador in the Republic of Greater Colombia (1810-1830), but lost Venezuela and Ecuador to separatists. The country was re-named after Christopher Colombus. Historically and politically, Colombia has been quite unstable for most of its history. Colombia in the 20th sentury has been mostly democratic. There was one revolt in which several thousands died, in 1948, known as the "Bogotazo". Problems, however began in the 1950's as the country was not growing fast enough, and it began a transformation in politics, since people started demanding faster changes, to improve their lives. Colombia remained peacefull till 1960's when extreme leftist guerrilla groups began to appear and challenge democracy. This problems were not immediately stopped and the guerrilla's power grew little by little. The guerrillas soon started trafficking in drugs to have an income for its fighters and grew in inportance. The military soon started a war to stop the guerrillas and they were able to hold them at bay.
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