July 26: Jose de San Martin arrives in Guayaquil, Ecuador, in 1822 for his only encounter with Simon Bolivar. That meeting was also known as “Guayaquil Conference”.

San Martin and Bolivar meet each other.

The interview in Guayaquil (Ecuador) on July 26, 1822 between Jose de San Martin and Simon Bolivar, has been one of the most studied and analyzed ones by historians of South American historical events. The interview of the two Liberators was closed, and therefore, there is no testimony of the topics treated there for more than two hours of talks.

The conference between Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín. The real conference took place inside an office, and not in the countryside as the portrait suggests.

San Martin was an Argentine general who, after studying in Spain, offered his services to the United Provinces of the Rio de la Plata (now Argentina). Jose de San Martin freed Argentina and Chile from Spanish rule; then, he sailed across the Pacific to Lima to face off against the Viceroyalty of Peru and his victory made him Protector of Peru.

The South American wars of independence are barely known outside its borders: a bloody, twelve year conflict – spanning the entire continent.

The resources of the General San Martin were also damaged and political situation. So he turned to Bolivar, who already presided over Colombia, with great political and military support. Bolivar agreed to commit himself with Peru, and San Martin resigned to all his posts.

The interview of the two Liberators was closed.

British offered support for the two liberators to found two constitutional kingdoms in South America, with the model of constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, to take advantage of them over Spain and France.

At the meeting in Guayaquil (1822), San Martin gives Bolivar the command of the Liberation Army.

Jose de San Martin was the first president of Peru. His government lasted from August 3, 1821 until September 20, 1822.

On a hot day in July 26th of 1822 in the Ecuadorean port city of Guayaquil, the two men who did more to shape the borders of modern Latin America than anyone else met in a small room in Guayaquil’s city hall for a meeting where both egos and political philosophies clashed.