History of the Ecuadorian–Peruvian territorial dispute nature, but was meant only for ecclesiastical and military jurisdiction. During the first 10 years of independence, Gran Colombia, under the leadership of Simon Bolivar, had continually protested Peru's occupation of Tumbes and Jaen; Maynas had not been militarily occupied yet. Peru ignored Simon Bolivars ultimatum to return Tumbes and Jaen or face war. Bolivar then declared war and Peru responded by successfully invading and occupying southern Ecuador with a force of 8,000 soldiers. Simon Bolivar sent Jose Antonio de Sucre to Ecuador who lead 4,000 Gran Colombian soldiers that defeated the Peruvian invaders in the Battle of Tarqui in
Sucre family a lieutenant in the provincial armed forces of the Venezuelan republics, serving under General Santiago Marino. Sucre later became the first lieutenant to the liberator Simon Bolivar and was widely touted to replace Bolivar as the leader of the newly independent Latin American nations before his untimely death in the hands of royalist rebels in 1830. While Bolivar is described as the charismatic leader who rallied the independence forces to fight, historians recognize Sucre as the military genius behind him. Under Bolivar, he was involved in the purchase of armaments, issuing military orders, recruitment, and personnel assignments. Sucre also run