Francisco José de Paula Santander y Omaña (April 2, 1792 – May 6, 1840) was a Neogranadine military and political leader who served as Vice-President of Gran Colombia between 1819 and 1826, and was later elected by Congress as the President of the Republic of New Granada between 1832 and 1837.

In 1805 he left his home to continue his education in the Viceregal capital of Santa Fe de Bogotá, while finishing his studies on July 20, 1810 he joined in the revolutionary fervor that would be movement for New Granadan Independence.

At the age of 18 Santander abandoned his studies to begin his military career fighting for the Patriot cause against the Royalists initially with the Centralists but switched sides and became an officer in the army of the Federalist United Provinces of New Granada.

In 1813 he would be wounded and captured during the civil war between the Federalists and the Centralists, but was released to serve under Manuel del Castillo y Rada and Simón Bolívar in the defense of the Cucuta Valley from the Royalists.

[6] He received his primary education in a private school in Villa del Rosario, and upon learning how to read became a voracious reader combing through the various books his father's library possessed.

This left a lasting impact on Santander who later in life as President would implement a policy of promoting creating public schools with trained teachers operated by the government for the general population.

"[14] Santander would remain in captivity for just a month as he was later exchanged in a prisoner swap when the Centralists and Federalists signed a truce ending the conflict as both sides became alarmed by the Royalist threat in the south and north of the country.

Santander later participated in a cross-border incursion into Venezuela on April 13 when he and his men under Castillo y Rada attacked the remaining Royalist forces that had been repelled in the Battle of Cúcuta at La Grita.

[16]This account coincides with the that of Colombian historian Jose Manuel Restrepo who wrote that: To defend the valleys of Cúcuta, he left two hundred and ninety men commanded by Sergeant Major Francisco de Paula Santander, of the militias of Cartagena, who had been claimed the Government of that province.

In Cúcuta, for the defense of this strategic border city 21-year-old Sergeant Major Santander had been officially left with 80 soldiers, 72 working muskets, and 1800 paper cartridges, this force would be later augmented to around 200 with troops recruited from the area.

He fought off these attempts at Loma Pelada on August 13, San Faustino on September 30, and Limoncito and Capacho on October 6 and 10, however due to his small force and limited number of munitions he was unable to pursue these attackers allowing them to regroup in Venezuela.

To make matters worst Colonel Calzada invaded New Granada entering the Casanare Province and defeating general Urdaneta's defense forces there allowing him to march north towards the Cúcuta valley on November 25 and quickly took the provincial capital of Pamplona on the 26.

One group was led by Venezuelan Colonel Miguel Valdés, commander of the Casanare troops or army of the East, whose main operations center was located in the town Guasdualito.

In September 1816, Lieutenant Colonel José Antonio Páez would end up taking control of the army, despite his inferior rank, Santander agreed with this decision and followed his orders.

[34][32] Santander was able to eventually impose his authority over the two as "his presence inspired confidence, as well as his emphasis in unity in order to solve the situation" his officers began the arduous task of recruiting and training this new army.

News of successful defense of the province was sent to Bolívar with Santander stating in his letter dated April 21.Barreiro, general commander of this expedition, has seen with his own eyes that it is not with three or four thousand men that Casanare is conquered, and that it is not with terror that he can erase the feelings of patriotism that her own troops have for freedom of their homeland.

Bolívar considered calling the campaign off, however Santander responded by stating he preferred "a certain death in the planned operation against the enemy then retreating back to the llanos" this sentiment was also supported by the officers of the vanguard division as well as General Anzoátegui.

"[51][52] Over the next few days elements of Santander's Vanguard division were deployed to take the surrounding towns of Corrales and Gameza, there they skirmished with the forces of Barreiro's royalist army on July 10.

On July 25 he participated in the Battle of Vargas Swamp leading his Vanguard Division on the left flank trying take Picacho Hill, the fight was difficult as they were pushed back 3 times by Spanish King's 1st infantry battalion.

Santander marching down theCamino Real with the rest of the patriot vanguard upon seeing this unfold ordered Lieutenant Colonel Joaquín París commander of the "Cazadores" Battalion to attack the Royalist forces at the Casa de Teja.

Santander attempted to justify the executions by stating that the presence of these prisoners in the capital presented a threat as the city was lightly defended as Bolívar had taken the rest of the army with him to Venezuela and other units had been deployed to the Caribbean coast where the Spanish still had control.

As acting ruler, Santander had to deal with a grave economic crisis—that was one of the direct consequences of a decade of constant warfare—pockets of royalist sentiment in Gran Colombian society, supplying the logistics of the continuing military operations, administrative and legislative reactivation, and the establishment of internal political divisions.

When Bolívar, who had returned from Peru and reassumed his executive powers, arranged for an amnesty and placed Páez as supreme military chief of the department of Venezuela, Santander felt that the central government's authority and the rule of law were being undermined by the constitutional President himself in a personalist manner.

On December 19, he was transferred to the castle of San José de Bocachica where his health worsened and his access to paper and ink were also restricted by order of Montilla, in addition his letters were also censored.

After a while he moved to Brussels where he met the Liberator of Argentina General José de San Martín, the two spoke for several hours about the state of affairs in South America, this would not be the only time the two would meet while in Europe.

When he arrived in Florence on October 13, he was received by Grand Duke Lepold II and Princess Maria Ana Carolina of Saxony in his palace who took a certain interest in the Colombian general, asking him about his life, Colombia, and if he was thinking of returning to South America.

Santander left the city on Monday, December 6 in a rented carriage, accompanied by Francisco García, a native of Havana, traveled to Rome where he had the opportunity to visit the Vatican, the monuments, and the Roman ruins.

He set up economic contacts in eleven United States cities, hoped that by creating strong ties with them, he would promote industrial development in New Granada while avoiding the use of high tariffs, which he inherently disliked.

Santander's legacy has long been controversial, although his administrative importance in the vice-presidency of Gran Colombia has always been recognized, as well as his military leadership alongside Bolívar and Anzoátegui during the Liberation campaign.

[83] Colombian political divisions did not permit that, as he was often vilified by ultra hard line Conservatives, such as former President Laureano Gomez, due to his opposition to the church and their influence over public education.