Battle of Ayacucho: Victory that buried colonialism in South America

200 years ago, patriotic soldiers, under the leadership of Marshal Antonio José de Sucre, fought the decisive Battle of Ayacucho, ending Spanish rule and sealing the freedom of Peru and South America.

It was on December 9, 1824, when Sucre assumed command of the United Liberation Army of Peru and ushered in the end of Spanish domination in South America, by defeating the forces of the Royal Peruvian Army, led by José de la Serna.

Before the battle began, which took place in Ayacucho, Peru, Marshal Antonio José de Sucre told his warriors: “Soldiers, the fate of South America depends on today's efforts; another day of glory will crown your admirable perseverance. Soldiers! Long live the Liberator! Long live Bolivar, savior of Peru!”

Despite the fact that the patriotic troops had only 6,000 soldiers and the royalists had almost 10,000, the Liberation Army succeeded in getting the Spanish to demand capitulation in less than six hours of combat, when José de Canterac, replacing José de la Serna, assembled his generals to admit defeat.

This battle gave way to the Capitulation of Ayacucho, which was signed on December 9, 1824, by Marshal Antonio José de Sucre and the realist chief of staff, José de Canterac.

This treaty stipulated that the realist army renounced continuing the fight and fixed the permanence of the last realist soldiers on the borders of the Constitutional Province of Callao, a city located in the center-west of Peru.

It also established that the Republic of Peru should pay off the economic and political debt to the nations that helped militarily to its independence.

The Congress of Peru, meeting in extraordinary session, granted the recognition of the Grand Marshal of Ayacucho and Meritorious of Peru in an eminent degree to Antonio José de Sucre, for his performance in Ayacucho.

About this battle, Liberator Simon Bolivar wrote: “The Battle of Ayacucho is the pinnacle of American glory and the work of General Sucre. Her layout has been perfect and her execution divine. Skillful and prompt maneuvers disrupted the victors in 14 years in an hour, and a perfectly constituted and cleverly commanded enemy. Ayacucho, like Waterloo, who decided the fate of Europe, has fixed the fate of American nations.”

“General Sucre is the Father of Ayacucho; he is the redeemer of the children of the Sun; he is the one who has broken the chains in which Pizarro wrapped the empire of the Incas. The posterity will represent Sucre with one foot in Pichincha and the other in Potosí, carrying in his hands the cradle of Manco Capac and contemplating the chains of Peru broken by his sword,” Bolívar wrote.

Mazo News Team