Peru–Bolivian Confederation

Peru–Bolivian Confederation
Confederación Perú-Boliviana
Confederation of Bolivia, North Peru, South Peru
1836–1839
Flag Emblem
Location of the Peru-Bolivian Confederation
Capital		Tacna
Political structure		Confederation
Supreme Protector		Andrés de Santa Cruz
History
•	Established	October 28, 1836
•	Disestablished	August 25, 1839
Preceded by Succeeded by Peru Bolivia Peru Bolivia
Today part of		Argentina  Brazil  Bolivia  Chile  Colombia  Paraguay  Ecuador  Peru

The Peru–Bolivian Confederation (or Confederacy) was a short-lived confederate state that existed in South America between 1836 and 1839. Its first and only head of state, titled “Supreme Protector”, was the Bolivian president, Marshal Andrés de Santa Cruz.

The confederation was a loose union between the states of Peru (by this time divided into a Republic of North Peru and a Republic of South Peru, which included the capital Tacna) and Bolivia. From its inception, the confederation was seen as a threat by influential politicians in the neighboring countries, and its support for Chilean and Argentine dissidents in exile caused Argentina and Chile to wage war separately against the confederation. The confederation collapsed after being defeated by a combined Chilean and Peruvian dissident force in what is now known as the War of the Confederation.

During colonial times, the territory comprising the Audiencia de Charcas, also known as Alto Perú, now Bolivia, was an integral territory of the Spanish Viceroyalty of Peru from its creation. In 1776, it was administratively severed and became a province of the newly created Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. Still, for geographical and historical reasons, it always remained closer to Lima than to its administrative capital, Buenos Aires, in present-day Argentina. The Peru–Bolivian Confederation was the only effective attempt to unite them.