Andean Wars

The Andean Wars were a series of wars fought in the South Andean region, mainly involving Peru and Charcas

= War of 35' =

The United Republic of Peru-Charcas (commonly known as the Andean Union) was a unitary republic formed in 1912. This republic saw a somewhat prosperous beginning, although unrest would rapidly increase.

When the Viceroyalty of New Granada was created in 1717, it was clarified the areas above of the Marañón and Amazon River were part of this Viceroyalty. Yet in a Spanish royal decree in 1802, this land was given to the Viceroyalty of Peru that now controlled the whole "Comandancia General de Maynas". When Peru became independent, Spain stated the royal decree actually never came to be effective and that it was still part of the Viceroyalty of New Granada. However, after the decisive Peruvian victory in its war of independence, while the region was still claimed as part of New Granada by the Spanish, it was given de facto authority to Peru, although the Peruvian allowed the Spanish to keep holding control over a few settlements beyond Ecuador's Andes mountain range. Spanish uninterest in the area would allow Peru to build several settlements without arising any tensions.

Nevertheless, the situation changed when Ecuador and Cundina became independent in 1910. These new countries had territorial ambitions, and the access to the Amazon river provided by the "Comandancia General de Maynas" made Cundina and Ecuador demand a division of the area on multiple occasions. The Andean Union was conformed with the Status Quo of De Facto authority over the area and thus ignored the demands. This would result in the building of Cundinan and Ecuadorian settlements over the area to impose their influence and to arise tension with the Andeans. The most provocative action made was the construction of the Leticia settlement in 1930, a town bordering the Amazon river and the Andean Union's de jure territory. While this significantly arose tensions and the Andeans rapidly built a fortification close to the village, the Andeans did not oppose and admitted the construction of this town.

In 1932 Cundina and Ecuador made a secret treaty dividing the areas uniquely for themselves, a year later this treaty would come to light, and the three nations quickly started to mobilize troops over the area. In 1934, the Cundinans would blast down an Andean merchant ship passing near the city of Leticia and the Ecuadorians would take an Andean fortress in 1934, which was easily seized back by the Andeans a month later. The war was seeming inevitable, and in 1935 the Cundinans would take the Andean city of El Encanto, to which the Peruvians would respond with the taking of the city of Leticia, marking the beggining of the war.