How would a Gran Colombia survive intact?

Recently I have been reading on Sim Bolivar and his revolutionary wars in South America. Also I have been watching the Cop America football tournament(Brazil fan sorry:D).
Gran Colombia is a very interesting subject. To me it is one of the biggest what ifs in history. My question is how would Gran Colombia survive the instability and separatism? Also what style of government would have been better for the nation. A centralized government with a dictator(Bolivars' idea)? Or a decentralized federal union with a sembalance of democracy? And how would that better government come into place?
 
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