Background
Andrés de Santa Cruz was born on 5 December 1792 in La Paz. Lima’s white aristocracy pejoratively called him “El Cholo” Santa Cruz because he was descended from a Spanish family paternally and from Inca nobility maternally.
Andrés de Santa Cruz was born on 5 December 1792 in La Paz. Lima’s white aristocracy pejoratively called him “El Cholo” Santa Cruz because he was descended from a Spanish family paternally and from Inca nobility maternally.
Santa Cruz first served in the Spanish Army fighting Argentine and Peruvian insurgents (1810-1821). In 1821 he joined José de San Martin’s Liberation Army and thereafter fought in the revolutionary forces. As Simón Bolivar’s chief of staff, he participated in the decisive battles of Junin and Ayacucho (1824).
Jealous and envious Peruvian generals collaborated with Chile and Aregntina in war against the confederation sponsored by Santa Cruz. After his defeat in 1839, he was exiled to Ecuador (1839-1843), suffered imprisonment in Chile ( 1843— 1845), and, although exiled to Europe, served as Bolivian minister to France (1845-1855).
In power, Santa Cruz proved himself an able and efficient administrator.