From Colombia

In 1821, two years after their independence from Spain; Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama became La Gran Colombia (The Great Colombia), a whole nation that lasted less than two decades due to the disagreements of the two political trends, Federalism and Centralism, and the regional tension. In 1829 Venezuela became independent from Colombia followed by Ecuados in 1831. In 1903 Panama separated from Colombia, being backed by the United States who was concerned in the zone because it wanted to build up the Panama Canal there. Since then the diplomatic relations between Colombia and each one of the separated nations has been relatively good with some border brushes with Venezuela;but we Colombians consider Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama "Sister Nations". But things have changed in the last years regarding to Venezuela and Ecuador. They do not seem to be sisters of Colombia since their governments have moved away from ours. In 1999 Hugo Chavez, a Venezuelan Army colonel, be