Okay, So here it goes. This is my first TL, so please be kind
. All constructive criticism welcome.
The Shot Heard 'Round the Continent
“
Colombians! My last wish is for the happiness of the fatherland. If my death contributes to the end of partisanship and the consolidation of the Union, I shall be lowered in peace into my grave. ”
- Simon Bolivar
For many nations, the death of a leader is a pivotal moment. Made ever-so worse if said leader is also the father of your nation. On August 6th, 1824, shortly after the Battle of Junin, one of the final strokes of the war for Peruvian independence, and the the downfall of the Spanish empire's hold in South America. The leader of the the independence movements of the Andean countries, Simon Bolivar was shot through the chest by a bullet from a Royalist soldier who had been cut off of his retreat from his fellow soldiers. He would last no more than a few moments before dying, many historians say that he never made it back to camp alive, the information was kept hidden from the rest of the troops until daybreak the next morning. Needless to say, the troops were going to write about this in their letters home. And with less than a month later, almost all of the Northern Andes region knew about the death of their beloved liberator.
Battle of Junin
Reaction in Bogota
The reaction in Bogota was, to say the least, frantic. Francisco de Paula Santander, Vice President of the Colombia, upon receiving the news was reportedly shocked not just at the fact a dear friend and colleague had died, but at the fact that he was now president of the nation. Within a few days, on September 23rd, 1824, Santander was sworn in as President of the Republic of Colombia[1], many entries into the diary's of those who attended especially noting his “hazy-like expression, and his blank eye's upon receiving the presidential sash”. His speech to the crowd of solemn people was short and rushed, as he planed to make a speech before Congress.
“
It should be said that on August 6th, 1824, that a brave man gave his life. He fought not only for his country, but for all of South America, we must stand beside one another, united and strong! We cannot allow ourselves to sink into a defeatist mood, I refuse to allow this great Republic to crumble. No, not under my rule. I promise the Colombian people, Federalism, equality between all the departments, from Quito, to Venezuela and everything in between. We shall stand united, or fall.”
When Santander left, it was at first assumed he was merely pausing. It was not until he left the stage, and walked to his carriage was it truly understood that he was finished. At the moment, it seemed like a strange gesture, Bolivar, when elected walked amongst the crowds at Bogota before arriving at the Casa de Narino [2]. Perhaps looking back it could be a case of “actions speak louder then words”?
Regardless, his address to Congress, which had met that morning in an emergency session, was slightly longer, not by much however.
“
Its not as if we are walking into a valley of shadows and death, as long as we hang together, its not over yet. Just because out leader is dead, does not mean its the end of his dream. Simon managed to do what many men spend their lives attempting to do, he left his legacy, his dream behind. And that my compatriots, is greater than any victory over an already defeated foe, greater than any kind word or exchange, and greater than any campaign to the depths of the continent. As you all may have known, I didn't agree with Simon's idea of an overly strong, centralized government. He once wrote to a correspondent that 'Among the popular and representative systems of government I do not approve of the federal system: it is too perfect; and it requires virtues and political talents much superior to our own'[3]. I know we can prove him wrong, ever so wrong.”
In the dawn of the new administration of Colombia, there were several threats, both exterior and interior (mostly so). From separatists to royalists within the nation, an unclear border dispute with the newly independent Peru and the looming threat of a resurgence of Royalist volunteers in the exterior the odds were stacked against the nation.
Separatists, Royalists, Federalists, Oh My!

Colombian Departments, before the new constitution
In the dawn of the new regime many groups smelled blood in the water, the ones with the strongest sense of smell? The separatists. It was a well known secret that there were several groups that opposed the union in Venezuela. At first, they were a vocal minority at best, attending rallies pushing for freedom to their fatherland, mostly just seen as a minor annoyance by the government. It had only been as of late that with diffusion to the public of Bolivar's anti-federalist views was it that they began to gain traction amongst federalists. Unfortunately for the separatists, with President Santander in power, a dedicated federalist who before the end of his first term in 1828 he created the Partido Federalista de Colombia otherwise known as the Federalists , did they begin to lose popularity amongst the general population in Venezuela. It was a general consensus that Colombia must stick together in this rough time, if not just for the sake of peace and sanity, but to keep Bolivar's dream alive. Now unfortunately for the government, this did not stop the separatists from their continued radicalization. By 1825, just a few months later, the separatists experienced a huge schism between the radicals and the more moderate of their flock. The radicals aptly called themselves the Radicalistas (Radicals) while the remaining members continued on using Separatists. When at first confronted with the problem, President Santander stated, he would deal with it “sooner or later, preferably later”, to be fair, at the time President Santander was busy drafting Colombia's new constitution.

José Antonio Páez, leader of the Venezuelan uprising.
The inaction by the executive branch of the nation left many of the separatists indignant, how dare the president simply brush them aside to deal with other issues. This only sought to continue to radicalize the radicals and gain sympathy amongst the moderates and the population of Venezuela to their cause. By mid-1825, and stalls in the constitutional process many Venezuelan officers began a rather large defection to the separatist movement, it would be only days before the Venezuelan uprising occurred [4]. The Venezuelan uprising, lead by José Antonio Páez, General in Chief of the army fighting Spain during the Venezuelan Wars of Independence was one of the most vocal of the defected men. He personally led several hundred men to riot in the streets of Caracas, capital of the Department of Venezuela. Upon hearing about the riots, President Santander had several options, either ignore their demands and arrest them, use the excuse of the already declared martial law to order the army to shoot on sight or negotiate. Santander chose to negotiate. He invited the separatists to visit him and the rest of Congress to observe the new constitution. They would be some of the first men to see the constitution outside of Congress and the president. The moderates gleefully excepted the offer and sent two delegates to Bogota, the Radicals on the other hand did not. General Jose Paez declared “Let them place that wretched piece of paper where...” I don't believe I need to elaborate anymore. The president was infuriated at their refusal to cooperation, and to add insult to injury the riots continued. Santander ordered the arrest of any participating in the riots and called the army in to help the local police gain control of the situation. By the end of July, 30 radicals laid dead and many more arrested, including General Paez. The leaders of the movement were at first found guilty of high treason, and sentenced to death by firing squad. In what is seen as a moment of great restraint, President Santander, ordered the seven men to be exiled, many fled to Brazil or British colonies. General Paez ironically fled to Spanish Cuba. The finalizing touches to the new constitution were added by August, and it was symbolically finished on Bolivar's death date,whether or not he would have liked to see his nation united this way or rather see it separated is still up for debate.
Colombia, after the newly written constitution.
President Santander managed what many analysts around the world though impossible. He kept Colombia together, wrote a constitution with one hand and brought down an insurgency with the other. His belief in a united Colombia under federalism is to this day held true, it could even be said that while Bolivar is the Father of Colombia, Santander was the nations caring Uncle, healing the wounds left by the death of its Father. Santander won his re-election, and ruled another four years before retiring from politics at the end of his second term in 1830. The latest decade in the 19th century seemed bright for the Federalist party, with its founder one of the founders of the Colombian republic and the creator of its Constitution, as well as with the defeat of Royalist forces in South America. The Federalists would hold both Houses and the Presidency until 1837, when a general mindset change swept through the nation.
--------
[1] - It wasn't until the dissolution of the Union between Ecuador, Venezuela and Colombia that the name "Gran Colombia" was used, because, you know, it was greater then.
[2] - House of the Executive Branch, its like the White House
[3] - That was actually one of Bolivar's quotes, except he said it in 1815 from Jamaica.
[4] - In OTL the uprising actually occured a year later, however, I imagine with Bolivar dead the separatists would have taken advantage of the instability.