Ladislao Cabrera (May 23, 1830 – 1921) was a

Bolivia , image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg , flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center , flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...

n hero during the

War of the Pacific The War of the Pacific ( es, link=no, Guerra del Pacífico), also known as the Saltpeter War ( es, link=no, Guerra del salitre) and by multiple other names, was a war between Chile and a Bolivian–Peruvian alliance from 1879 to 1884. Fought ...

. Born in Totora,

Cochabamba Department Cochabamba ( ay, Quchapampa Jach'a Suyu, es, Departamento de Cochabamba , qu, Quchapampa Suyu), from Quechua ''qucha'' or ''qhucha'', meaning "lake", ''pampa'' meaning "plain", is one of the nine departments of Bolivia. It is known to be the ...

, Carrasco Province, he is famous for organising the defence of Calama against the Chilean invaders in the

. Ladislao Cabrera studied and graduated as a lawyer in

Arequipa Arequipa (; Aymara and qu, Ariqipa) is a city and capital of province and the eponymous department of Peru. It is the seat of the Constitutional Court of Peru and often dubbed the "legal capital of Peru". It is the second most populated city ...

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 ...

. He returned to Bolivia and was named prefect of

Cobija Cobija is a city in Bolivia, capital of the department of Pando, is located about 600 km (373 mi.) north of La Paz in the Amazon Basin on the border with Brazil. Cobija lies on the banks of the Rio Acre across from the Brazilian ci ...

, but was removed from office during the government of

Mariano Melgarejo Manuel Mariano Melgarejo Valencia (13 April 1820 – 23 November 1871) was a Bolivian military officer and politician, fifteenth president of the Republic of Bolivia from December 28, 1864, until his fall on January 15, 1871. He assumed pow ...

, after that he was a forensic specialist in the province of Calama. When he found out about the invasion of Chile of

Antofagasta Antofagasta () is a port city in northern Chile, about north of Santiago. It is the capital of Antofagasta Province and Antofagasta Region. According to the 2015 census, the city has a population of 402,669. After the Spanish American wars ...

during the

he organized the defence of Calama with 135 Bolivians in the

Battle of Topáter The Battle of Topáter, or Battle of Calama, was fought on March 23, 1879 between Chile and Bolivia. It was the first battle of the War of the Pacific. The Chileans were taking possession of the Antofagasta (Litoral) Province, then a part of ...

, resulting in a Bolivian defeat after fierce resistance to Chilean forces. After the defeat he went to

Chiu Chiu San Francisco de Chiu Chiu, or simply Chiu Chiu, is a village located about northeast of the city of Calama, in El Loa Province of Chile's northern Antofagasta Region. It lies at an elevation of above sea level, close to the confluence of the L ...

, and then he moved to

La Paz La Paz (), officially known as Nuestra Señora de La Paz (Spanish pronunciation: ), is the seat of government of the Bolivia, Plurinational State of Bolivia. With an estimated 816,044 residents as of 2020, La Paz is the List of Bolivian cities ...

, where he managed to be an ambassador and interim

president of Bolivia The president of Bolivia ( es, Presidente de Bolivia), officially known as the president of the Plurinational State of Bolivia ( es, Presidente del Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia), is head of state and head of government of Bolivia and the ca ...

in the year 1881. He died in

Sucre Sucre () is the Capital city, capital of Bolivia, the capital of the Chuquisaca Department and the List of cities in Bolivia, 6th most populated city in Bolivia. Located in the south-central part of the country, Sucre lies at an elevation of . T ...

in December 1921.

Ladislao Cabrera Province Ladislao Cabrera is a province in the southern parts of the Bolivian department of Oruro. It is named after Ladislao Cabrera (1830 – 1921). Its seat is Salinas de Garci Mendoza. Location Ladislao Cabrera is one of sixteen provinces in the Oru ...

is named in his honour.

External links

Cabrera biography (in Spanish)
1830 births 1921 deaths People from Carrasco Province Bolivian people of Spanish descent Bolivian military personnel of the War of the Pacific 19th-century Bolivian lawyers Bolivian diplomats 19th-century Bolivian politicians {{Bolivia-mil-bio-stub pt:Ladislao Cabrera