Upper Peru
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Upper Peru Under Braso-Portuguese Occupation
In 1821, the Spanish Empire in America was falling due to the Napoleonic invasion of Spain, and the troops of Generals Bolívar and Sucre, who had already freed Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador, were approaching the region of Upper Peru.
Afraid of the possible bloodshed that the libertarian troops might cause in local population, in June 1822, the three governors of Upper Peru's departments met in Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil and asked the governor of Mato Grosso to ask Prince Regent Peter (future Peter IV of Portugal, and I of Brazil), that was exiled in Brazil (Portuguese colony) due to the Napoleonic invasions, to occupy the territory for the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and Algarve. The governors believed that being occupied by a monarchic nation was better compared to the adventure of a new-born fragile republic.
Immediately in June, the governor of Mato Grosso sent to Upper Peru the troops stationed in his captaincy. These troops occupied Upper Peru and closed the borders, making it impossible the advance of the libertarian troops. The governor also sent a letter to Prince Peter informing him of the proposal of the local authorities and the movement of troops.
The letter arrived in Prince Peter's hands in November 1822, i.e., when Peter had already declared independence from Portugal and had become Emperor Peter I of Brazil. Peter was not interested in annexing Upper Peru as he was facing troubles in pacifying the north and northeastern provinces of Brazil. So, the Emperor ordered the troops back into Brazilian territory, letting the libertarians to occupy Upper Peru and saying that: "Brazil doesn't interfere in external affairs"
This episode is not very well documented, and the curious is that generals Sucre and Bolívar, knowing of the Portuguese/Brazilian movements, managed to send diplomats in a record time to Rio de Janeiro. This diplomats, incredibly arrived earlier that the letter of Mato Grosso's governor, and so, when the letter arrived the Emperor had already made his decision.
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