Guayaquil conference
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The Guayaquil conference (Spanish: Conferencia de Guayaquil) was an interview that took place on July 26, 1822, in Guayaquil, Ecuador, between José de San Martín and Simón Bolívar, to discuss the future of Perú (and South America in general).
San Martín's hold on Peru was faltering[1] when he turned to Bolívar for help: by all appearances, Bolívar would be entering Peru with his army, and conflict between the two would (especially before the Spaniards) have been “a humiliating scandal” (San Martín's words). So San Martín arrived in Guayaquil on July 25, where he was enthusiastically greeted by Bolívar. However, the two men could not come to an agreement, despite their common goals and mutual respect, even when San Martín offered to serve under Bolívar. The interview was a short one, and there were no witnesses (we have only the two men's own testimony, in later letters). It is thought that one of the causes for divergence was that Bolívar was committed to the idea that the new states of South America should remain republics, whereas San Martín wished to call upon a European prince to rule there. The meeting, consequently, was a failure, at least for San Martín.
San Martín, after meeting with Bolívar for several hours on July 26, stayed for a banquet and ball given in his honor. Bolívar proposed a toast to “the two greatest men in South America: the general San Martín and myself” (Por los dos hombres más grandes de la América del Sud: el general San Martín y yo), whereas San Martín drank to “the prompt conclusion of the war, the organization of the different Republics of the continent and the health of the Liberator of Colombia (Por la pronta conclusión de la guerra; por la organización de las diferentes Repúblicas del continente y por la salud del Libertador de Colombia).[2][3]
After the conference, San Martín abdicated his powers in Peru and returned to Argentina. Soon afterward, he left South America entirely and retired in France. Bolívar completed the liberation of Peru.
The Guayaquil conference inspired a short story by Jorge Luis Borges, Guayaquil, in which he explores the possible psychological relation between San Martín and Bolívar.
