Antonio Ambrosio Nariño
Nariño, Antonio Ambrosio
Born Apr. 9, 1765, in Bogotá; died Dec. 13, 1823, in Leiva. Fighter for the independence of Colombia from Spanish rule; orator and publicist.
Nariño translated the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen into Spanish and published it. For his revolutionary activity, he was sent to Spain in 1795 and was confined in a prison in Cádiz. In 1796 he escaped from prison, returned to his homeland, and led the struggle for the independence of Colombia. In 1811, Nariño was elected president of the provisional ruling junta. After a defeat in battle against the Spanish colonialists in 1814, he was taken prisoner and once again was sent to Spain. In 1821 he returned to his homeland and was elected to the Senate and also served as vice-president of Gran Colombia.