While Spain was planning its new tactics to recover control of the colonies, Carlos stood in the middle of making a decision that might place his name in history—either as a hero and liberator or as a sinner and traitor. Inside the government office of Medellín, his father-in-law stood before him, pressing Carlos to declare independence at once.
Krugger said, "It is time to take the initiative yourself and force those elite families to choose a side. Now that my men are training the mestizos, and those people have only a rabble, this is the best moment. If you wait until Spain decides to contact them and they betray you, you will have no good path left."His tone carried a severity that sent a chill through everyone present.
