El Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho

Today my city (Cumana) is celebrating, because it is the birth of General Antonio José Francisco de Sucre and Alcalá, better known as El Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho, was born in Cumaná on February 3, 1795. It is considered as one of the more complete military among the heroes of South American independence, also promoted causes related to the abolition of slavery and a better treatment of indigenous people.

In 1812 he was promoted to lieutenant. During that period he helped organize the Army of the East being promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel. For the next year he witnessed the union of the forces of the West and East in the valleys of Aragua. In 1818 he went to Angostura, there he became one of the best and closest friend of Bolivar, initiating among them a lasting friendship.

In 1820, he drafted the Treaty of Armistice and Regularization of War. This document was of vital importance because it put an end to the cruelty of the War to Death, which is why it is considered a pioneer of human rights. In 1821, he was appointed Chief of the Army of Southern Colombia, where he achieved independence from the provinces of Ecuador. He won the battle of Ayacucho in 1824, with which he achieved the title of Grand Marshal of Ayacucho.

In 1825, he occupied the territory of Upper Peru, which became independent from the government of Buenos Aires, adopting the name of Bolivia. The congress of the newly founded country, commissioned Bolívar to prepare its constitution.

As the historian Tomás Polanco Alcántara expresses very well: Respected by Argentines, Chileans and Peruvians, admired by Bolivians and Quitons, without enemies in Venezuela and New Granada and with all their antecedents, Sucre was destined to be the natural successor of Bolívar ".

However that would not happen, was killed on June 4, 1830 in the Sierra de Berruecos, located in Colombia. Upon hearing the news of his death Bolívar said: "They have killed him because he was my successor."