The year is 1832, and Francisco de Paulo Santander has returned from exile to act as the first President of the Republic of New Granada. Only two decades have passed since the revolution that brought independence to the Spanish Viceroyalty of New Granada, however, political turmoil has shown no signs of easing. Composed of present-day Colombia, Panama, and small sections of Venezuela and Peru, the Republic of New Granada is a fragment of the recently-dissolved Gran Colombia and a representation of the failed effort of Simon Bolivar to produce a united South and Central American state.

As Santander steps in to govern for his second term, with renewed ideas for economic reform and enlightenment-inspired political policy, delegates in Santander’s Cabinet must reckon with the political future of the state. As the liberalist-loyalist divide grows and the state contends with economic recession amid high tariffs and a loss of Spanish trade relations, delegates must utilize any resources available to shape the social and political landscape of post-independence Colombia. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.