Last Walk is the Fastest
The year was 1830. Sucre, the worthiest of his generals, would be assassinated as a result of political conspiracies, wihtin a month or so. Most of his deputies were against his presidency/dictatorship. Finally, Rafael Urdaneta, an upright man who dared to tell the Don on his face what he did not want to hear, conveyed the message to him: The Don had done enough for Colombia. Now he could do a last favor: he could leave Colombia forever and go away.
The Liberator, the title Simon Bolivar earned after liberating 5 (6 at present!) of the Latin American countries at a lightning speed, was a broken man by then. His plan for Gran Colombia had already failed. He was already suffering from tuberculosis and his most trusted general, Antoni Jose de Sucre, had decided to take a break and go home. General Santander was waiting to revolt, and there was none to support him.
"The General in His Labyrinth" is centered around the last few months of Don Simon Bolivar and his final, fateful journey. Of course, since was written by Gabo, the "grand Magdalena river" would occupy, as usual, a central place. But he would also describe the savannas and other things in detail.
What impressed me most about this book was Gabo's description of how the General was passing though landscapes that he would never see, and people he would never meet again.
Who knows when he makes his last journey? Does one know that it is one's last journey when the journey is in progess and one is making it? Do we ever know when we meet a friend for the last time? Can we ever imagine that this is the last time ever in our life that we would talk to this person? We may even make many plans with that person in question for the future, talking about meeting again, while in reality, we may never again meet that person.
The Liberator, the title Simon Bolivar earned after liberating 5 (6 at present!) of the Latin American countries at a lightning speed, was a broken man by then. His plan for Gran Colombia had already failed. He was already suffering from tuberculosis and his most trusted general, Antoni Jose de Sucre, had decided to take a break and go home. General Santander was waiting to revolt, and there was none to support him.
"The General in His Labyrinth" is centered around the last few months of Don Simon Bolivar and his final, fateful journey. Of course, since was written by Gabo, the "grand Magdalena river" would occupy, as usual, a central place. But he would also describe the savannas and other things in detail.
What impressed me most about this book was Gabo's description of how the General was passing though landscapes that he would never see, and people he would never meet again.
Who knows when he makes his last journey? Does one know that it is one's last journey when the journey is in progess and one is making it? Do we ever know when we meet a friend for the last time? Can we ever imagine that this is the last time ever in our life that we would talk to this person? We may even make many plans with that person in question for the future, talking about meeting again, while in reality, we may never again meet that person.
History, however, offered a chance to the Don to meet his deputies once again. Urdaneta, upright as ever, sent him an invitation to come back and reaccept the Presidency. Nevertheless, fate would play a cruel game! Don Simon Bolivar, the Liberator, would pass away on 17th December, 1830 during his return journey, without ever becoming the President of Colombia again.
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