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1525
Spain begins conquest of Colombia
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Simon Bolivar defeats Spanish at Boyaca. Republic of Gran Colombia formed with Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela.
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Gran Colombia dissolved when Venezuela and Ecuador split off, leaving present-day Colombia and Panama a separate state known as Nueva Granada.
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Conservative and Liberal parties founded.
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Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc, the current largest guerrilla grouping) set up.
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Campaign against drug traffickers stepped up following assassination of justice minister.
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Eleven judges and 90 other people killed after M-19 guerrillas force their way into the Palace of Justice; Patriotic Union Party (UP) founded. Nevado del Ruiz volcano erupts. An estimated 23,000 people are killed in four Andean towns.
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Pablo Escobar shot dead while trying to evade arrest.
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Andres Pastrana Arango - a Conservative - elected president, begins peace talks with guerrillas.
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Colombian army rescues the country's highest-profile hostage, Ingrid Betancourt freed
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Congress approves a law setting up guidelines for peace talks with left-wing rebels. Previous governments have refused to negotiate with FARC.