Esteban Huertas facts for kids
Esteban Huertas López (1876–1943) was a brave military leader from Colombia who later became a key figure in Panama. He played an important role in Panama gaining its independence.
Early Life and Military Career
Esteban Huertas was born in Boyacá, Colombia, in 1876. He was very young when he decided to join the army. At just 8 years old, he ran away from home to become a soldier.
Huertas fought in a civil war in Colombia. He showed great courage and earned many medals for his bravery. In 1900, he was in a battle when he fired a cannon. Sadly, he lost his left arm in the accident. A wooden arm was made for him to use instead.
By 1902, Huertas had become a general. This was a very high rank in the army.
Role in Panama's Independence
In the early 1900s, there was a lot of talk about Panama becoming independent from Colombia. A man named Manuel Amador Guerrero wanted Panama to be its own country. He convinced General Huertas to support the idea. Rumors were spread that Huertas might lose his important position if he didn't help.
In 1903, General Huertas and his soldiers took part in the revolution. This uprising led to Panama becoming an independent nation.
However, after Panama gained independence, things changed. On October 28, 1904, General Huertas asked two important government officials to resign. The leader of Panama, Manuel Amador, worried that Huertas might try to take control. To prevent this, Amador decided to get rid of the army completely. Because there was no longer an army, General Huertas had to resign from his position.
Esteban Huertas lived the rest of his life in Panama City. He passed away in 1943.
Esteban Huertas in Stories
Esteban Huertas appears as a character in a Scrooge McDuck comic book story. The comic is called The Sharpie of the Culebra Cut and was created by Don Rosa. The story takes place in Panama in 1906.
In the comic, Huertas is shown as "General Esteban." He is a bad guy who wants to take over Panama. He dreams of renaming the Panama Canal after himself and becoming very rich and powerful. The comic shows him wanting to use ancient gold to hire soldiers and build a navy. However, he is stopped by a local chief and sent back to Colombia.
Don Rosa, the comic's creator, said he couldn't find any real-life villains from Colombia or Panama for his story. So, he based his fictional "General Esteban" on the real Esteban Huertas, but made sure to change enough details so it was clear the character was not exactly the same person.
