Year: 2018
Type: article
Abstract: With Lima occupied by the Chilean army and the dictator Nicolás de Piérola on the run, a government of «notables» emerged in Lima, under the presidency of Francisco García Calderón.This government received the support of Chile, because it was believed that it would accept peace and the ceding of Tarapacá.But the new president, as a representative of those Peruvians with an interest in saltpeter, sought to hold on to that wealth.He placed his hope in US intervention and negotiated with France's Crédit Industriel a loan through which he would be able to sue for peace in exchange for massive compensation.At the same time, he paid a considerable sum to the invader, thereby increasing Peru's internal debt.Studies of some of his speeches reveal him to be a leader from the ruling class.He considered those from his own class «citizens» and distanced himself from the «working class», while at the same time calling for their support in exchange for «a return to order».This supposed an end to the resistance movement which had spread beyond the highlands, a demand destined to fail resoundingly.Eventually, the Chilean high command saw that García Calderón did not serve their interests, and at the same time the secret Tarapacá saltpeter deal was uncovered, and the La Magdalena farce was brought to an end.Part of the information contained in this article is taken from the Peruvian and foreign presses of the time.
Author: Carlos Vargas Salgado
Language: Spanish
Subfield: Demography
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W2890595159