Libertadores

Libertadores (Spanish pronunciation: [liβeɾtaˈðoɾes] ^ⓘ, "Liberators") were the principal leaders of the Spanish American wars of independence from Spain and of the movement in support of Brazilian independence from Portugal. They are named that way in contrast with the Conquistadores ("Conquerors").^[1]

They were largely local-born men of European descent (criollos), in most cases part of the bourgeoisie and with military training in the motherland, who were influenced by liberalism and led colonial subjects in their struggle for independence against the metropole.

Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Contributed to the independence of	Took part in	Refs
	Francisco Burdett O'Connor (1791–1871)	Bolivia, Peru, Venezuela, Colombia	Spanish American wars of independence War of the Confederation	[2]
	Pedro Santana (1801–1864)	Dominican Republic	Dominican War of Independence
	José de San Martín (1778–1850)	Argentina, Chile and Peru	Argentine War of Independence Crossing of the Andes Chilean War of Independence Peruvian War of Independence	[3]
	Simón Bolívar (1783–1830)	Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Panama and Bolivia	Venezuelan War of Independence Admirable Campaign First Republic of New Granada Ecuadorian War of Independence Peruvian War of Independence Bolivian War of Independence	[4]
	Augustin I of Mexico (1783–1824)	Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica	Mexican War of Independence design of the Plan de Iguala	[5]
	Manuel Belgrano (1770–1820)	Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay	British invasions of the River Plate May Revolution Paraguay campaign Argentine War of Independence Bolivian War of Independence	[6]
	Bernardo O'Higgins (1778–1842)	Chile and Peru	Chilean War of Independence Argentine War of Independence Peruvian War of Independence	[7][8]
	Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla (1753–1811)	Mexico	Grito de Dolores Mexican War of Independence	[9]
	José María Morelos (1765–1815)	Mexico	Mexican War of Independence wrote the Sentimientos de la Nación	[10]
	Ramón Castilla (1797–1867)	Peru	Peruvian War of Independence	[11]
	Andrés de Santa Cruz (1792–1865)	Bolivia and Peru	Bolivian War of Independence Argentine War of Independence Peruvian War of Independence Ecuadorian War of Independence War of the Confederation	[11]
	José Gervasio Artigas (1764–1850)	Argentina and Uruguay	British invasions of the River Plate Portuguese invasion of the Banda Oriental Portuguese conquest of the Banda Oriental Argentine Civil Wars	[11]
	Juan Antonio Lavalleja (1784–1853)	Uruguay	Cisplatine War Thirty-Three Orientals	[11]
	Thomas Cochrane (1775–1860)	Brazil, Chile	French Revolutionary Wars Napoleonic Wars Chilean War of Independence Peruvian War of Independence Brazilian War of Independence Greek War of Independence	[5]
	Francisco de Miranda (1750–1816)	Venezuela	American Revolutionary War French Revolution Venezuelan War of Independence	[12]
	Mariano Moreno (1778–1811)	Argentina	May Revolution Argentine War of Independence Paraguay campaign	[13]
	Antonio José de Sucre (1795–1830)	Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela	Venezuelan War of Independence Ecuadorian War of Independence Bolivian War of Independence Peruvian War of Independence Gran Colombia–Peru War	[14]

Pedro I of Brazil became known as "o Libertador" ("the Liberator") in Brazil for his role in the country's independence.^[15] Sporadically, the term has also been applied to other figures such as José Bonifacio (known as the "patriarch for independence"), Maria Leopoldina de Austria, and Joaquim Gonçalves Ledo.^[16]

Emilio Aguinaldo, the first Filipino President and Generalissimo who liberated the Philippines from the Spanish Empire in 1898, is widely recognized as "El Libertador de la Patria" (The Liberator of the Homeland) ^{[17] [18]}

The flags of Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador follow Francisco de Miranda's design of 1806. Also, Bolivia was named after Símon Bolívar, who in turn was president of Colombia, Peru, Bolivia and twice of Venezuela. San Martín served as "President Protector" of Peru.

In what today is part of Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica, Agustín de Iturbide, a military leader revolted against the Viceroyalty of New Spain, founded an independent Mexican Empire where he ascended as Emperor Agustín I.

The names of libertadores are used all over South America to name anything from towns and places to institutions and sports clubs. Also, the most prestigious international club football competition in South America is named the Copa Libertadores in their honour.

• List of national founders
• Father of the Nation
• Founding Fathers of the United States
• Statues of the Liberators

• Robert Harvey. Liberators: Latin America's Struggle for Independence. Woodstock, The Overlook Press, 2000. ISBN 1-58567-072-3
• James Higgins (editor). The Emancipation of Peru: British Eyewitness Accounts, 2014. Online at https://sites.google.com/site/jhemanperu
• Marion Lansing. Liberators and Heroes of South America. Boston, L. C. Page & Co., 1940.
• Irene Nicholson. The Liberators: A Study of Independence Movements in Spanish America. New York, Frederick A. Praeger, 1968.
• Pigna, Felipe (2010). Libertadores de América. Buenos Aires: Planeta. ISBN 978-950-49-2420-3.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Libertadores.

• (in Spanish) "Sucre, Bolívar y San Martín" Argentine Ministry of Economy
• Copa Libertadores