The Battle of Ayacucho led to the official surrender of the Spanish viceroy of Peru.  However, history does not stop when the war is won…

In the aftermath of the surrender of the Spanish viceroy of Peru, Simón Bolivar quickly organized his forces to finish off the remains of loyalist forces deeper into South America’s interior.  Upon his victory he created the country of Bolivia, naming it ever-so-humbly after himself.

Meanwhile, a group of Spanish loyalists continued to hold out in Lima’s major port of Callao.  In those days, the port of Callao was some kilometers separated from the city, not enveloped by it like it is today.  Loyalist refugees had gathered there in Real Felipe Fortress as the war began to take a turn for the worse for the Spanish.

Pictured in the cover photo with the location of the fortress identified on the peninsula, independence forces attacked from both sea and land.  The Loyalists responded with cannons and all the firepower they had and the majority died before the end.  The siege was finally broken in 1826 and the garrison surrendered.  Those who remained were allowed to return to Spain unharmed.

Simón Bolivar now appeared to hold unquestionable power in South America.  He drafted an authoritarian constitution that included a lifetime presidential term and very limited voting rights.

The Aftermath

Bolivar also began to pursue his greater vision; he created a system of United South American Provinces with autonomous powers but essentially unified under his rule.  He believed that South America would be better off as a united federal system.

However, his vision did not last and the united South America fell apart within the next 5 years.

The provinces divided into civil war.  He went to Colombia with plans to retreat to Europe in exile like his counterpart San Martín.  When he learned that Antonio José de Sucre (the general who won the battle of Ayacucho) had been assassinated, Bolivar was left grieving and canceled the trip. He died of tuberculosis in 1830.

Bolivar’s dream of a united South America persists to this day and has been channeled by self-described “anti-imperialist” and nationalist leaders like Hugo Chavez of Venezuela in the modern era.  The legacy of his vision lives on as the same plague of Latin American dependence on foreign powers continues.

On a related note – was the Independence movement really in the best interest of Peruvians?

Some today would argue that no, it was not.  In Peru, they argue that conditions actually became worse for marginalized peoples such as indigenous and Afro-Peruvians, now that the Peruvian elite had no crown to answer to, no accountability beyond themselves and their corrupt self-serving politicians.  Perhaps the sad truth of the matter is that Peruvian independence was one imposed by foreign powers.

With Bolivar gone, divided political factions in Lima did not assume social responsibility for indigenous or Afro-Peruvian slaves who fought in the revolution.  The feudal society continued.

There is no doubt that England wanted the Latin American states to be independent, not only to see their rival Spain fall but to commercially exploit the colonies themselves.  They did not support Simón Bolivar and San Martín out of goodwill and a sense of justice.

In fact, England would go on to have an incredibly powerful economic presence in South America after the wars of independence.

The War of the Pacific was essentially decided by England’s support of Chile against Peru and Bolivia, and it was England who took nearly all the economic benefits that Chile gained from the territory won.

The invasion of Europeans into South America has considerably disrupted the autonomous indigenous development that the Incas synthesized.  Since then, the cycle of dependence has continued, despite the so-called Peruvian War of Independence.

Please don’t get upset yet, because there is one piece of good news that even 500 years of trauma cannot erase.  Here it is:

Peru’s story is one of over 15,000 years of human survival and ingenuity in Peru’s coastal deserts, high mountains, and tropical rainforests.  Few other countries, if any, can claim the incredible diversity of cultures, food, and landscapes that make up the marvelous country it is today.

In Peru, we live in a confused, socially and economically unequal reality amid an incredible wealth of cultural and natural resources.  You can see it in the food, the traditions, and the people.  Those who fought in the revolution for the promise of a better life were betrayed by their leaders in the end.

That should not make us cynical, it should make us wiser. It should make us ready to fight again for justice and progress wherever in the world we may be.

This is the end of Peru’s War of Independence Series.  We hope you enjoyed and are inspired to learn more; we have obviously only scratched the surface of the story.  If you didn’t see the first parts of the series, we have posted them below.  Let us know if you are interested in seeing more of these kinds of articles and which parts of Peru’s history interest you the most.

Thanks for reading and Feliz 28 de Julio!

Previous Episodes:

Part 1: The Campaigns of San Martin

Part 2: The Proclamation of Independence

Part 3: The Battles of Ayacucho and Junín