Nationalism and the Spanish Civil War during Colombia’s República Liberal

Colombia’s so-called ‘Liberal Republic’ – the period of four successive Liberal regimes from 1930-1946 – is frequently examined in relation to the internal events that shaped the political, social, and cultural landscape. Indeed, the Liberal leaders during these years promoted a vision of Colombian nation-building that was free from external influence, both practical and ideological. Yet the vast media coverage of and popular interest in international events suggests that Colombians were aware of and engaged with what was happening outside their borders in a way that has received scant historical attention. This paper will use the case of the Spanish civil war to suggest an agenda for using international events as lenses to interrogate notions of Colombian nationalism.