Jun 30, 2004
Venezuelan government buys Simón Bolívar's letter at auction
(AP Online) - "Venezuela's government bought a letter written by 19th century South American independence hero Simón Bolívar at an auction in Britain.

The Venezuelan embassy in Britain bought the letter from Bonhams auction house in London.

The government did not disclose how much it paid for the letter. On its Web site, Bonhams said the letter was valued at between 4,000 and 6,000 pounds (US$7,200 and US$10,800).

Bolivar wrote the letter on Feb. 21, 1819, to a Trinidadian friend, Guillermo White. In it, he describes the outcome of the recently finished Angostura Congress and the progress of campaign that a few months latter would liberate Nueva Granada, current Colombia.

Bolívar also led the fight to liberate Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru and Panama".