A hero is an individual who contributed to the greatness or liberation of a nation.
From the Latin procer , hero is an adjective that indicates the elevated, high or eminent . As a noun, a hero is a distinguished, courageous person of high dignity who contributed to the aggrandizement or liberation of his community .
For example: "The general was a hero of the entire continent in the 18th century" , "This country needs new heroes who are willing to sacrifice their lives for the national cause" , "A new intellectual current tries to demystify the hero and demonstrate that “I had mistakes like any human being.”
Hero of each country
Each country has its heroes, according to the cause they have served and the scope of their achievements. But the work of some of these people has transcended their borders, as is the case with those who fought to free various nations from colonialism and oppression.
Such is the case of José de San Martín ( 1778 – 1850 ), one of the main heroes of South America . He was born in what is currently the province of Corrientes ( Argentina ) and died in Boulogne-sur-Mer ( France ) after leading military campaigns that were key to the independence of Argentina , Chile and Peru .
Simon Bolivar (1783–1830) es otro prócer sudamericano muy importante. Nació en Caracas (Venezuela) y luchó por la independencia de Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia y Peru antes de fallecer en Saint Martha (Colombia).
Nelson Mandela is considered a hero.
Other examples
The heroes are often considered Fathers of the Country . This name arises from the relevance of their actions to found an independent and sovereign nation. For this reason, today, the heroes are still present in the daily lives of many countries by appearing on banknotes, stamps, names of avenues, etc.
Below, the lives of other heroes whose legacy is indelible are reviewed:
Nelson Mandela
One of the most prominent figures in the fight against racism, Nelson Mandela was born in South Africa in 1918 and died in 2013. His cause cost him numerous sacrifices , such as having spent almost 30 years in prison for opposing Apartheid. It should be noted that he was one of the presidents of his country and that he won the Nobel Peace Prize.
José Martí, the Apostle
He was born in Cuba in 1853, and died there at the age of 42. He studied law and also dedicated himself to writing. He considers himself an independentist with deep convictions , who fought with his life to liberate his homeland, and to ensure that the humanity and spirituality of its inhabitants were respected. His work laid the foundations for the Cuban Revolution and the search for independence of other Latin American countries.
Ernesto Guevara, "Che"
This icon of humanism, considered by many a rebel hero, was born in Argentina in 1928 and died in Bolivia in 1967. He graduated as a doctor and, as a guerrilla, joined Fidel in the Cuban Revolution.
Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla
He was a priest, patriot and humanist born in Mexico in 1753, where he also lost his life in 1811. He kicked off the fight for the independence of his Nation in 1810, with his Grito de Dolores .
Augusto Cesar Sandino
He lived in Nicaragua between 1895 and 1934. He was a great patriot and guerrilla, who fought to defend his homeland from intervention and invasion by the United States. He left his life in his cause, and his legacy reached its culmination with the Sandinista Revolution, almost half a century after his death.
Joaquín García Monge
His long list of occupations included journalism, education and publishing. He was born in Costa Rica in 1881 and worked for four decades in the magazine called Repertorio Americano . Given his fight for the integration of Latin American countries, to improve their relations and achieve freedom , this man of letters was considered one of the most important heroes of Costa Rica. After a life dedicated to his convictions, he died in 1958.