Sucre, Antonio José de

(1795–1830) was a close friend of Simon Bolivar and a Venezuelan independence leader. He was the first constitutionally elected leader of the country. Sucre was very popular due to his reputation as hero and leader in the battles of Pichincha, Tarqui and Ayacucho. He was assassinated in 1830, most probably on the initiative of Juan José Flores, who wanted to separate the District of Ecuador from Gran Colombia and feared that de Sucre would thwart his plan.