The Vivanco-Pareja Treaty was a controversial agreement reached by Generals Pareja and Ignacio de Vivanco in 1865, later being ratified by the President of Peru, but rejected by the Parliament, the press and the people.
That document established the Spanish unemployment of the island of Chincha, the payment in exchange for three million pesos by Peru and the greeting between the respective flags.
The signatories of the Vivanco-Pareja Treaty: José Manuel Pareja and Manuel Ignacio de Vivanco
However, starting in 1866, a series of warlike events took place between Spain, Chile and Peru mainly. Bolivia and Ecuador also participated in this conflict but in a very secondary way.
The incidents began with the Talambo event, a property of Manuel Salcedo where many Spaniards and Peruvians worked.
The Peruvian government tried to clarify this episode but something even more serious happened on the island of Chincha almost in parallel.
This war is called by different names. For example, in Peru and Chile it is known as the War against Spain, while for Spain it was the War of the Pacific.
Causes of the Vivanco-Pareja Treaty
The new Regio Commissioner sent by Spain, Eusebio Salazar y Mazarredo, was not accepted by the government of Peru, which really considered the non-recognition of its independence by Spain an offense.
Despite this, Salazar y Mazarredo contacted part of the Spanish army that was near the island of Chincha, and told them that he had not been accepted in Lima. This triggered a very unfortunate event.
Island occupation
The Spanish sailors occupied the island of Chincha on April 14, 1864. They lowered the Peruvian flag and left the Spanish flag to fly on the island as sovereign of the place.
However, the local population did not agree and riots broke out between the Spanish and the Peruvians.
The treaty
The president of Peru at that time, General Juan Antonio Pezet, showed too much weakness before the Spanish, and although he was highly criticized by his people, he began to negotiate with the enemy.
In December 1863, a new intermediary arrived from Spain, Vice Admiral José Manuel Pareja.
Negotiations began upon his arrival, but an agreement was not reached until January 27, 1865, where Pareja and General Manuel Ignacio de Vivanco, plenipotentiary minister, signed aboard the frigate called Villa de Madrid.
The treaty consisted of:
-Peru had to pay three million pesos to Spain for the expenses incurred by the guard squad and for not having received the royal commissioner.
-Peru had to send a plenipotentiary to Spain to solve what the Spanish called the debt of independence.
The consequences
Most of the members of the Peruvian Senate disagreed with the signing of the treaty.
In fact, Ramón Castillo, who was the president of this government institution at that time, had a very violent discussion with Pezet, which caused him to be exiled.
After these meetings to demonstrate disagreement regarding the treaty, everything got worse. There was an uprising by Colonel Mariano Ignacio Prado who, after beating Pezet in battle, took the de facto government of Peru (without democratic elections).
Chile considered that Spain's actions against Peru were offensive and so they prepared for war.
References
- "The war with Spain" in: History of Peru. Retrieved on: August 16, 2017 from historiadelperutareas.blogspot.com.ar.
- "Generation of dialogue: Peru-Chile, Chile-Peru" in: Document 2, Historical Aspects, University of Chile (December 2011). Retrieved on: August 16, 2017 from iei.uchile.cl.
- "Vivanco Pareja Treaty" in: History of Peru, Pedagogical folder. Retrieved on: August 16, 2017 from historiadelperu.carpetapedagogica.com.
- "War with Spain" in: History of Peru. Retrieved on: August 16, 2017 from historiaperuana.pe.