JUAN ANTONIO PEZET: BIOGRAPHY AND WORKS - HISTORY - 2025

Juan Antonio Pezet (1809-1879) was military and president of the Republic of Peru between 1863 and 1865 as a result of the death of Miguel de San Román, of whom he was first vice president. His government is known for the diplomatic conflict with Spain that even led to his overthrow.

As soon as Pezet assumed the presidency, relations with Spain began to show severe tension under the pretext that Peru had not canceled the "debt of independence" stipulated in the Ayacucho Agreement.

This situation was exacerbated by the Talambo Incident, in which a Basque citizen was killed and several Spaniards were injured at the hands of Peruvians. The incident led to serious accusations from Spain, including committing vile murders against subjects of the Spanish Crown.

The Spanish squad seized the Chincha Islands and raised the flag of Spain. Since it was the main source of guano, it was a severe blow to the nation.

With the aim of avoiding a warlike confrontation, Pezet preferred to sign the Vivanco-Pareja agreement; however, the Peruvian nation was quite disadvantaged with the terms.

The people demanded to declare war on Spain, as Chile had already done, and instead Pezet preferred to agree to a diplomatic resolution, which was flatly rejected.

This caused his detractors to organize in arms to overthrow him. The rebellion was led by General Mario Ignacio Prado and supported by Vice President Pedro Diez Canseco.

Biography

Juan Antonio Pezet was born in Lima on June 11, 1809. His parents were José Pezet y Monel and María del Rosario Rodríguez. His father served independence, in addition to being a journalist, writer, parliamentarian and doctor.

He began his studies in the San Carlos prison, but the independence cause caused the young man to leave the classrooms to fight in search of the freedom of Spain. At just 12 years old, he was admitted to the Liberation Army as a cadet.

Participating in the ranks of the Peruvian Legion, he fought in the battles of Torata and Moquegua. He was under the orders of Simón Bolívar and Antonio José de Sucre and in their ranks he participated in the decisive battles to close independence: Junín and Ayacucho (1824).

Then he decided to accompany the Marshal of Ayacucho, Antonio José de Sucre, through Upper Peru until he founded Bolivia. After this he returned to Peru to continue his career.

Military career

He was promoted to captain and participated in the Bolivian campaign of 1828, whose objective was to end the Colombian presence in the area.

He witnessed the embrace of Maquinhuayo that ended the bloody civil war between Orbegoso and Bermúdez in 1834, which earned him the rank of colonel.

Following the death of President Agustín Gamarra (1841), he was again called to join the ranks as Chief of Staff.

He carried out important government functions, among which are the Minister of War and Navy in 1859 under the mandate of President Castilla, and Chief of the General Staff during the war with Ecuador between 1859 and 1860.

His government

In 1862 he was appointed first vice president to accompany the elected first mandatory Miguel de San Román, constitutionally elected president.

Pezet had certain health problems and he retired to reestablish himself in the Vichy spas in France. It was there that he was surprised by the news of the death of San Román and he organized his return to Peru to complete his mandate. In this way he assumed the presidency on August 5, 1863.

His entire government was marked by the conflict with Spain, which began with the failure to pay the "independence debt." The situation with the Crown began to deteriorate as a result of the Talambo Incident.

An event that was merely a police matter became a matter of State, as Spain accused the Peruvian authorities of promoting violent acts against Spaniards.

As a result of the incident, the Crown appointed Eusebio Salazar y Mazarredo as royal commissioner, whom the Peruvian government did not know.

Salazar y Mazarredo summoned the Spanish squad that occupied the Chincha Islands, which were very important in the production of guano.

The Peruvian people urged Pezet to declare war on Spain for the attack on sovereignty, but the president preferred to establish a peaceful and diplomatic solution.

Vivanco-Pareja Treaty

This is how the Vivanco-Pareja treaty was signed in January 1865, in which the islands were returned as long as Peru paid compensation to the Spanish Crown, as well as the debt of independence and, in addition, promised to accept another commissioner.

In the eyes of the Peruvians this treaty was completely unfavorable. Numerous protests were held against Pezet, which ended up overthrowing him thanks to a rebellion led by General Mariano Ignacio Prado and with the consent of Vice President Pedro Diez Canseco, in November 1865.

Last days

After his overthrow, he spent time asylum in Europe and returned to Peru in 1871, but remained on the sidelines of political life until he died in Chorrillos in 1879.

He had a son, Juan Federico Pezet y Tirado, the product of his marriage to Juana de Tirado and Coronel-Zegarra, with whom he married on June 24, 1830.

Plays

Although his brief government was marked by the dispute with Spain, during his tenure he carried out important works for the good of the nation, such as:

Trade Regulations

In 1864, he proclaimed the Trade Regulations of Peru to provide a legal framework for all commercial activity by specifying the handling of customs, merchandise, unloading and custody procedures, and export duties, among other important aspects for this business.

School of Arts and Crafts

It was the first institution of this type in Peru and was founded in 1864. It was an important educational center that provided training in technical areas and was in operation until the war with Chile in 1879.

At the beginning of the 20th century, once the peace was signed, the intention to encourage education was resumed and the National School of Arts and Crafts in Lima was reinstated.

Iquitos river station

It was in 1864 when Iquitos was established as the main river port, with the arrival of the Arica, Napo and Putumayo vessels, and with the formation of a workshop to repair the ships.

In this way, the transformation of this area on the Amazon River took place from an underdeveloped locality to a thriving river port.

References

1. Cornejo Coa, R. 153 Anniversary of the founding of the river port of Iquitos (January 2017) in the Region. Retrieved on December 10, 2018 from La Región: diariolaregion.com
2. Government of Juan Antonio Pezet (1863 - 1865) in Pedagogical Folder. Retrieved on December 10, 2018 from Pedagogical Folder: folderpedagogica.com
3. Juan Antonio Pezet in Biographies and Life. Retrieved on December 10, 2018 from Biographies and Life: biografiasyvidas.com
4. Juan Antonio Pezet in History of Peru. Retrieved on December 10, 2018 from History of Peru: historiaperuana.pe
5. Peruvian Trade Regulations (1869) Retrieved on December 10, 2018 from Google Books: books.google.com
6. Talambo affair in Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved on December 10, 2018 from Encyclopedia Britannica: britannica.com