The Federal State of Loreto was an unrecognised self-proclaimed

federated state A federated state (which may also be referred to as a state, a province, a region, a canton, a land, a governorate, an oblast, an emirate or a country) is a territorial and constitutional community forming part of a federation. Such states d ...

within

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

, that was proclaimed on 2 May 1896 during the Loretan Insurrection. It was formed from the

Department of Loreto Loreto () is Peru's northernmost department and region. Covering almost one-third of Peru's territory, Loreto is by far the nation's largest department; it is also one of the most sparsely populated regions due to its remote location in the Amaz ...

and existed as ''

de facto ''De facto'' ( ; , "in fact") describes practices that exist in reality, whether or not they are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms. It is commonly used to refer to what happens in practice, in contrast with ''de jure'' ("by la ...

autonomous In developmental psychology and moral, political, and bioethical philosophy, autonomy, from , ''autonomos'', from αὐτο- ''auto-'' "self" and νόμος ''nomos'', "law", hence when combined understood to mean "one who gives oneself one's ow ...

region of the county. It was dissolved on 10 July 1896, after the rebellion was crushed by Peruvian forces. The state was proclaimed in order to gain more autonomy for the region as well as to reform Peru into a

federal state A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government ( federalism). In a federation, the self-governi ...

. Its capital was

Iquitos Iquitos (; ) is the capital city of Peru's Maynas Province and Loreto Region. It is the largest metropolis in the Peruvian Amazon, east of the Andes, as well as the ninth-most populous city of Peru. Iquitos is the largest city in the world th ...

.Frederica Barclay Rey de Castro, ''El Estado Federal de Loreto, 1896James B. Minahan, ''Encyclopedia of Stateless Nations: Ethnic and National Groups around the World, 2nd Edition'', p. 248.

History

The

was established on 7 February 1866 as one of the departaments of

. It was separated from the

Department of Amazonas Amazonas () is a department of Southern Colombia in the south of the country. It is the largest department in area while also having the 3rd smallest population. Its capital is Leticia and its name comes from the Amazon River, which drains the ...

. During the

Amazon rubber boom The Amazon rubber boom ( pt, Ciclo da borracha, ; es, Fiebre del caucho, , 1879 to 1912) was an important part of the economic and social history of Brazil and Amazonian regions of neighboring countries, being related to the extraction and comm ...

, the region had experienced enormous economic growth, making the city of

, one of the most important centres of latex export, to the detriment of the department's capital,

Moyobamba Moyobamba () or Muyupampa ( Quechua ''muyu'' circle, ''pampa'' large plain, "circle plain") is the capital city of the San Martín Region in northern Peru. Called "Santiago of eight valleys of Moyobamba" or "Maynas capital". There are 50,073 inha ...

. Additionally, the feeling of abandonment by the Peruvian government, as well as threats from neighbouring countries had contributed to the development of a feeling of disconnect from the rest of Peru among the local population. During the electoral campaign during the

1895 Peruvian presidential election Presidential elections were held in Peru in 1895. Nicolás de Piérola of the Democratic Party was elected unopposed.Fernando Tuesta Soldevilla (2001) ''Perú politítico en cifras'', Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, p611 Results References {{Peruvi ...

, the candidate,

Nicolás de Piérola Jose Nicolás Baltasar Fernández de Piérola y Villena (known as "''El Califa''" ("The Caliph"); January 5, 1839 – June 23, 1913) was a Peruvian politician and Minister of Finance of Peru, Minister of Finance who served as the 23rd and 31 ...

had expressed his support in implanting the

federalist The term ''federalist'' describes several political beliefs around the world. It may also refer to the concept of parties, whose members or supporters called themselves ''Federalists''. History Europe federation In Europe, proponents of de ...

system in the country. However, after becoming the president, Piérola had supported the centralist system instead. On 2 May 1896, colonel Ricardo Seminario y Aramburú, together with a military member, Mariano José Madueño, had proclaimed the Federal State of Loreto, as a first step towards the establishment of the federal system in Peru. On 8 May, the state had signed a provisional constitution. The constitution stated that the Federal State of Loreto was an integral part of Peru, and recognized that articles of the Peruvian constitution had applied within the state. By 2 June, the movement had spread to the cities of

Yurimaguas Yurimaguas is a port town in the Loreto Region of the northeastern Peruvian Amazon. Historically associated with the Mainas missions, the culturally diverse town is affectionately known as the "Pearl of the Huallaga" (''Perla del Huallaga''). Yuri ...

and

. Following that, political organizations and public offices were established in those cities. News about the state proclamation reached

Lima Lima ( ; ), originally founded as Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of The Kings) is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rivers, in the desert zone of t ...

, the capital of Peru, on 18 May 1896. The information came from

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a b ...

, being relayed through

Pará Pará is a Federative units of Brazil, state of Brazil, located in northern Brazil and traversed by the lower Amazon River. It borders the Brazilian states of Amapá, Maranhão, Tocantins (state), Tocantins, Mato Grosso, Amazonas (Brazilian state) ...

, the president of Peru, had ordered to organize three expeditions to counterattack the insurgents. The two of them went by land, one headed from

Chiclayo Chiclayo (; qu, Chiklayu) is the principal city of the Lambayeque region in northern Peru. It is located inland from the Pacific coast and from the nation's capital, Lima. Founded by Spanish explorers as "Santa María de los Valles de Chiclay ...

Cajamarca Cajamarca (), also known by the Quechua name, ''Kashamarka'', is the capital and largest city of the Cajamarca Region as well as an important cultural and commercial center in the northern Andes. It is located in the northern highlands of Peru ...

, and then traveling by the river to

, while second, traveled by railway and then by boat on Pichis River. The third expedition of 292 men, had traveled on board of ''Constitución'' gunboat, crossing the

Strait of Magellan The Strait of Magellan (), also called the Straits of Magellan, is a navigable sea route in southern Chile separating mainland South America to the north and Tierra del Fuego to the south. The strait is considered the most important natural pass ...

and then entering the

Amazon River The Amazon River (, ; es, Río Amazonas, pt, Rio Amazonas) in South America is the largest river by discharge volume of water in the world, and the disputed longest river system in the world in comparison to the Nile. The headwaters of t ...

on 29 June. The last expedition didn't arrive on time. The insurgent forces lacked local support and had been defeated by the land expeditions on 10 July 1898. On 16 July, it had been reported in Lima that the leaders of the rebellion had fled the country.

Notes

References

Bibliography

* Frederica Barclay Rey de Castro, ''El Estado Federal de Loreto, 1896. Centralismo, descentralización y federalismo en el Perú, a fines del siglo XIX''. ISBN 978-9972-623-61-5. * James B. Minahan, ''Encyclopedia of Stateless Nations: Ethnic and National Groups around the World, 2nd Edition'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Loreto, Federal State Former unrecognized countries History of Peru Former subdivisions of Peru Loreto Region Ucayali Region San Martín Region States and territories established in 1896 States and territories disestablished in 1896 1896 establishments in South America 1896 disestablishments in South America

History

See also

Notes

References

Bibliography