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Bolivar

As one of the biggest entertainment companies in the entire world, Netflix brings in new releases from pretty much everywhere. That means subscribers here in the U.S. can stream original content produced on practically every continent (we’re waiting on you, Antarctica). That includes South America, which has provided Netflix with plenty of riveting Latin American series via Caracol Television.

The latest collaboration between Netflix and Caracol is Bolivar, a drama detailing the rise of South American liberator Simon Bolivar. But what is it about, and who is in it? If you’ve got questions about Bolivar, you can find the answers below.

**What is Bolivar on Netflix about?**

Bolivar is a biographical drama series about the rise of Venezuelan liberator Simon Bolivar (1783-1830). Referred to as El Libertador, Bolivar led the secession of a group of South American countries from the Spanish Empire in the early 19th century. The land he helped liberate from Spanish rule includes modern-day Venezuela and Colombia.

Bolivar is a Netflix co-production with Colombian network Caracol Television, which is also where it will air in Colombia. This is the same partnership that brought The Mafia Dolls to Netflix earlier this year. And just like The Mafia Dolls and lots of Caracol programming, Bolivar will debut with a whopping 60-episode Season 1!

**Who is in the Bolivar cast?**

Luis Geronimo Abreu, born in Caracas like Bolivar, plays the titular hero. He previously had the lead role in telenovelas Corazon esmeralda, La viuda joven, and Un esposo para Estela. Jose Ramon Barreto, also of Venezuela, plays young Simon Bolivar. The rest of the cast includes Irene Esser and Shany Nadan.

**Where was Bolivar on Netflix filmed?**

Bolivar was filmed in a number of locations throughout Colombia, including Cartagena, Villa de Leyva, Mongui, Popayan, Los Nevados Natural Park, El Paramo de Oceta, and the Eastern Plains. Parts of the series were filmed in Toldeo, Spain. There is, of course, the fact that this series about a Venezuelan-born hero didn’t film in Venezuela… well, more on that below.

**What does Venezuela’s president Nicolas Maduro think of Bolivar?**

He’s not a fan! The Venezuelan political leader voiced some concerns about the series before it debuted. Part of this seems to be the fact that a Colombian TV network is telling the story of a Venezuelan-born hero, even filming primarily in Colombia instead of Bolivar’s neighboring birth country.

“How many lies, deformations and trash will they put into the miniseries of Bolívar?” said Maduro during a government ceremony, translated by Google. “We have to come out in defense of Bolívar against the lie of the Colombian oligarchy.” I definitely don’t have the bandwidth to get into it here, but let’s just say that Maduro has a lot more to be worried about than a Netflix series.