The life and work of General Francisco de Paula Santander is intimately tied to the great feats that gained the complete independence of what became the Republic of Colombia today, and to its configuration as a State of Rule of Law. Santander was a full-time military man from the 26th of October of 1810 to the 7th of August of 1819, when, in the Battle of Boyaca, he was crowned in glory as the Commander of the vanguard of the triumphant liberating army. To become familiar in some detail with Santander’s military trajectory will allow us to observe more closely the strength of character and personal dignity of someone who abandoned the possibility of becoming an attorney to dedicate himself entirely to the struggle for his homeland; first, he did so in the battle fields, and then, as the one responsiblefor the affairs of the recently liberated State. In this work, the little-known history of the many battles in which General Santander participated is brought forth: at first, in the fratricidal conflicts during the First Liberal Republic, and then, against the royalist troops. This is recounted with detail of how he rose rapidly through the ranks along the way. The actions of then General Santander in Casanare are of utmost interest, as is his repeat encounter with Bolivar in the Venezuelan Guyana; in recognition of the way in which Santander caught his attention, the Liberator entrusted to him the Supreme Command of Casanare, with the mission to group the vanguard of the liberation army. These were to be the troops that would invade New Granada; due to his organizing capacity, Santander stood out and excelled in accomplishing the task. The supposed Pore Proclamation, which some have turned into a Constitution attributed to Santander, is discussed and discredited in this article, with support from well-known historians and with the discovery of the original document in theGeneral’s archives. The document turns out to be simply a draft of a decree that was to have been issued in a meeting of Casanare leaders which never took place. In this article, Santander’s qualities as a statesman heading the government of the Republic of Colombia are highlighted, as is the divergence that arose with the Libertador Simon Bolivar as a result of their differing conceptions for the future direction of the State. The latter eventually led to the definitive break in their political relationship, with all the grave consequences that ultimately derived from it. Finally, the concept of Rule of Law is covered, to point out that it was –no more, no less– that which served as Santander’s guide. His unfailing civil vocation, his permanent defense of legality, and his actions coherent with his principles, created in the New Granada a State truly governed by Rule of Law; he saved the Republic from falling in the hands of the military caudillos and the tropical dictators, as occurred in the large majority of Latin American countries. In closing, the author vigorously rejects the black legend that paints the eminent New Granadian as a mediocre pettifogger, which has turned the word “santanderista” into a disqualifying and pejorative term.