There is a theme and feeling which permeated the Peruvians born and is the vision and relationship with our southern neighbors. The first person who taught me in this matter was my mother telling me, from his teaching experience, illustrated stories of the Pacific War in which recounted in detail the brutality with which he acted the Chilean soldiers killing children, women abusing, torturing our soldiers, destroying and burning all traces of our cultural heritage and appropriating even the last of our treasures, monuments and reservations. Grandparents and uncles also used to tell his version of that part of history. Those who agree as children or adolescents with the centenary of the war with Chile could not support another hero than Admiral Miguel Grau Seminario, who commanded the national fleet to the overwhelming power of our enemies to occasional jaqueó to his sacrifice in command Monitor Huascar in combating Angamos. How not to feel admiration for size character who had the greatness of sent to the widow of Captain Arturo Prat their personal belongings and a letter (1) in which exalted the value of its rival, gesture that led the Chileans themselves denominated "The Knight of the seas." Subsequently, it was the teachers who throughout our school life is commissioned to recreate the history of the country with the same dramatic proportions that it had been transmitted to us parents, grandparents and other relatives as corresponding to the events of the Pacific War. In conclusion, we grew convinced that Chileans were bad, abusive and our sworn enemies for life.
destination for those things in full swing to military dictatorships in Latin America agreed that the military governments of both Peru and Chile were led by military doctrines and political thought represented quite antagonistic. While the Peruvian government under the leadership of General Juan Velasco Alvarado in force since that toppled President Fernando Belaunde Terry Constitution in October 1968 flying the flag of socialism and was closer to Russia, Cuba, China, and countries Eastern Europe, the Chileans were led by General Augusto Pinochet, who overthrew the constitutional president of Chile's socialist president Salvador Allende Gossens in September 1973 and was a staunch representative of liberal capitalism and therefore close to the United States and countries strongest in Europe.
processes both governments were clearly different and their results diametrically opposites. Pinochet's government from the beginning was bloody and cruel with his political rivals. Not only bombed the Palacio de la Moneda to force the return of President Allende, but ran in the national stadium in Santiago a good part of the main socialist leaders, supporters and activists, one of the most memorable deaths of the popular singer Victor Jara who was tortured and died from 44 gunshot wounds. That policy of terror continued the following years until the military government reduced the socialist movement to a minimum and whose human cost was 2.100 dead, 1,100 missing and approximately 700 thousand exiles. Pinochet with the majority support country, especially the Chilean business and political class, economic policy was driven initially by the "Chicago Boys" and continued by Hernan Buchi, who left the bases in a country economically healthy, potentially exporter, with an unusual growth in region open to foreign investment, and about to join the first world at the time of withdrawal of power by Pinochet. An economic miracle with a high social cost.
In Peru, the main actions of the revolutionary government of the armed forces were in the social being land reform the most controversial and remembered their measures (2) where large estates were expropriated to give to the farmers and workers organized in cooperatives. In the economic field the Velasco government expropriated and nationalized enterprises related to the main productive sectors (petroleum, fishing, mining, industry) which led the country into a deep economic and social crisis characterized by shortages and rationing staple foods and declining levels of production to very poor. On the other hand, it created a mechanism for control of popular organization (SINAMOS: National System of Social Mobilization) and also developed a policy gag and expropriation of the media, they were handled by the dictatorship and given to workers. However, the government itself created, in spite of and against the reforms, new spaces for political struggle with social partners and vitalized by the same generators of mass action never before seen in Peruvian history (3)
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1) The text of the letter of Miguel Grau widow Dona Carmela Carvajal de Prat was as follows: Distinguished Madam: A sacred duty authorized me to write to you and I feel deeply that this letter, the struggles will recall, help to increase the pain that is, precisely, must dominate. In the naval battle of 21) last, which took place in the waters of Iquique, between Peruvian and Chilean ships, his worthy and courageous husband, Commander Arturo Prat, Commander of the "Esmeralda" was, as you do not ignore ya, victim of his reckless courage and honor in defense of the flag of their homeland. Sincerely deplore such unfortunate event and accompanying her in her grief, I comply with the painful duty to send you, for you, priceless items that were found in his possession which are contained in the list attached. They will undoubtedly serve some small consolation in the midst of his great misfortune, and for that I anticipated to subside. I reiterate my condolences, achievement, madam, the opportunity to offer my services, consideration and respect with which I subscribe to you, ma'am, very affectionate servant. Miguel Grau
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