 In Hispanic America, what in particular was meant by “conservatism” varied across the region depending on what was politically at stake. In Chile, where the conservatives had been successful in maintaining order and economic prosperity (1831–1861), “conservatism” primarily meant authoritarian and centralized rule. Correspondingly, liberals pressed for the full protection of individual freedoms, parliamentary limits to executive power, and wider political participation. The 1833 Chilean conservative Constitution, which established a strong presidency, official religious intolerance, and a highly centralist system, remained in force for almost a full century and was often praised as a model for neighboring republics. Though Chilean liberals were anti-clerical while conservatives were not, the religious issue was not as divisive in view of the relative weakness of the Catholic Church. By contrast, in Colombia, where the Catholic Church had deeper roots, conservatism also meant, in addition to authoritarian and centralist rule, a strong pro-clericalism that advocated a central place for Catholicism and the Catholic Church in the republican order. Thus, the identity of Colombian liberals correspondingly centered on a combination of profound anti-clericalism with a defense of individual liberties and federalism. The Colombian 1853 liberal constitution abolished slavery and established religious freedom and the right to divorce. The more radical Rionegro constitution of 1863 confiscated Church property, established absolute freedom of the press, took federalism to the extreme (more so than any other constitution in the Americas; Bushnell 1993: 181), and limited the presidency to a two year term without the possibility of immediate reelection. Chilean liberals took control of government in 1870 and were able to deepen the process of secularization. By contrast, Colombian conservatives won out in 1885 and remained in power until 1930. The 1886 conservative Colombian constitution remained in force until 1991 with its strong centralism and privileging of the Catholic Church.