Colombia Independence Day – July 20, 2024

History of Colombia Independence Day

Spanish explorers arrived in Colombia in 1499. They established their first permanent settlement in 1510. Resentment among the colonies rose under King Charles III’s rule (1759–1788) as the Spanish demanded that the colonies only trade with Spain, restricting their ability to develop. Spanish taxation grew because they supported the U.S. during the American War of Independence, which sparked a series of ineffective revolts.

Criollos (natives born of Spanish heritage) who desired independence grabbed the opportunity after the Napoleonic wars in Europe. There were uprisings and declarations of juntas (Military governments) in the months preceding July 20, and similar occurrences occurred in Bogota. The Criollos devised a plan to ensure that the rebellion began. They intended to enrage José González Llorente, a well-known local businessman, to agitate the community. They went to see him on the morning of July 20; they fully expected him to say no when they asked to borrow a flowerpot to offer to a fellow Criollo. It is not entirely clear how he declined if the flowerpot got shattered and who was responsible for it. The visit was effective and fuelled the riots in Bogota; the People’s Junta got established that afternoon. The location of the flowerpot incident, Llorente’s house in Bogota, is now the “July 20 Museum” and a well-liked destination on July 20.

On this day, people eat Bandeja Paisa, a popular national dish comprising minced meat, white rice, red beans, fried egg, plantains, pork, and avocado. This dish gets served on a platter because of its size. People assemble to play the game Tejo, in which players toss metal disks towards explosive targets while listening to traditional folk music. People believe that Tejo began with the central-Colombian indigenous groups.