By Ascencio Flores Choquehuanca, El Diario:

Better is a good name than fine perfume, and better the day of death than the day of birth—words recorded in ancient Hebrew scriptures. In truth, what we do in life is what will determine if we are remembered after death or simply fade into oblivion.

How many people deserve to have their names inscribed on a book or a plaque, and how many more deserve to be erased from the historical memory of society? Although many readers might debate this with me, this privilege is inherent to history.

What place has Andrés de Santa Cruz earned in history to be honored? Throughout his life, many achievements and moments stand out that are worth remembering. Among them: he participated in the Peruvian and Upper Peruvian wars of independence (1812–1824), initially fighting on the side of the Spanish forces, before switching sides to join the patriot forces of Simón Bolívar. His involvement in the Battle of Zepita (1823) earned him the rank of Marshal, and his distinguished participation in the Battle of Junín (1824) in Peru granted him the title of Grand Marshal of Peru. He was president of two nations: the Republic of Peru (1827) and the Republic of Bolivia (1829–1839).

He governed our country for nearly ten years, during which he efficiently organized the state and its government. He established a set of legal norms that structured and organized Bolivian society, tasks that had been pending since the presidencies of Bolívar and Sucre. During his presidency, Bolivia was a South American power, well-ordered internally, with a stable economy that allowed him to pursue his greatest dream: to unite Peru and Bolivia into a single country. For a time, his dream became a reality. Between 1836 and 1839, the Peru-Bolivian Confederation existed, with Santa Cruz himself as its Supreme Protector.

The truth of life is that when you succeed, your enemies appear. That is precisely what happened to our protagonist. Chile confronted him with its armies on two occasions: in Paucarpata (1837) and Yungay (1839). Santa Cruz emerged victorious in the first battle, and his greatest mistake was perhaps not continuing his campaign into Chilean territory to negotiate a favorable peace. This did not happen. Chile triumphed in Yungay, bringing an end to the Confederation. That same year, his vice president staged a coup d’état. Many of his detractors label him a “Peru-lover” and harshly criticize his idea of uniting Peru and Bolivia. However, it must be acknowledged that if a person had not earned merit during their lifetime, their name would fall into oblivion after their death. And if two brother nations pay tribute to him, it is because his life and work hold a place in the history of both countries.

For this reason, the municipality of Huarina, Fourth Section of the Province of Omasuyos, organized civic, military, and student parades to commemorate the 232nd anniversary of the birth of this “illustrious” figure, which occurred on November 30, 1792, in Huarina, as corroborated by the Bolivian Military Academy of History. The Autonomous Municipal Government of Huarina pays tribute to this significant date, with the presence of National Government authorities, Bolivian ambassadors to Peru and Peruvian ambassadors to Bolivia, defense ministers of both brother nations, the high military command of the three branches, the military leadership of Peru, the Departmental Government, GAM Huarina, union, neighborhood, and educational authorities, and residents of the province, gathered in the Plaza de Armas that bears his name. Honor to our heroes.

The author is a native of Huarina and a professor in the field of Psychology. rolando.rrq29@gmail.com