Guard Soldier
of the Liberator

Behind every great strategist, there is a human shield willing to defy death. This sculpture pays homage to the Liberator's Honor Guard, an elite unit conceived by Simón Bolívar in 1814 to safeguard his security. A highly disciplined corps that, by 1828, included veteran Irish and English soldiers from the British Legion. It was this guard that, on the tragic September Night of September 25, 1828, repelled the assassination attempt at the San Carlos Palace, where Colonel Guillermo Ferguson gave his life to allow the Liberator to escape.

The uniform worn by this figure holds a living legacy, maintained today by the 37th Infantry Battalion, the Presidential Guard, at the Casa de Nariño (Presidential Palace). Originally designed with the participation of Bolívar—who jokingly nicknamed it the "Parrot Uniform" for its striking yellow, blue, and red colors—each stitch is a mathematical metric of emancipation: its 33 gold buttons represent the pitched battles fought by the Liberating Army, while the thread cords symbolize the 22 years Bolívar dedicated to the independence campaign of the five American nations. More than just clothing, this uniform is a living chronicle of loyalty.