Bolivia can be a rough place, but it is a place, and not just a province of Peru. That was due to General Ballivian, who was able to combine Bolivia’s three governments and armies into one and defeat Peru. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.
This stamp displays General Ballivian and what proports to be transportation in his time 100 years before and in 1943. I suspect transportation in Bolivia still was more represented by the vintage view than the American C45 airplane.
Todays stamp is issue A114, a 10 Centavo airmail stamp issued by Bolivia on November 18th, 1943. It was part of a 5 stamp issue in various denominations. According to the Scott Catalog, the stamp is worth 30 cents unused.
In the 1840s Bolivia was in a chaotic time. In fact there were three different groups claiming to be the legitimate government of Bolivia. Meanwhile next door, Peru had ambitions of regaining control of Bolivia as during the period of the Spanish Empire. In a very unusual move, General Ballivian was able to convince the other two governments of the threat and the sides joined up to face Peru. The Peruvians, lead by their President Agustin Gamarra did not expect to face such organized resistance. At the Battle of Ingavi, the Peruvians were defeated and President Gamarra was captured and executed by Bolivia. The remnants of the Peruvian army fled back to Peru and were not pursued. The shocked and delighted ruling class of Bolivia quickly named General Ballivian President. There was perhaps here a missed opportunity in not taking the Peruvian (now Chilean) port of Arica, giving Bolivia it’s long desired outlet to the sea.
There were several opportunities the now President Ballivian took advantage of.. He appointed his friends to high positions. Among the was now Army Commander Manuel Belzu. As a Captain Belzu had married a 15 year old Argentine exile named Juana Manuela Gorriti. She bore him three daughters but the marriage was not a happy one. Separated, Betzu had a child with another women out of wedlock. However in 1845 he came home to find his wife en flagrante with President Ballivian. He drew his pistol and took a shot at the President, missing. General Belzu fled to the countryside with troops loyal to him but arrest warrants for him in the capital. Now Bolivia was getting back to normal.
General Belzu was more of a populist figure and was able to attract around him a large following in the countryside. When his forces later marched on the capital, President Ballivian decided to go into exile in Rio. Belzu became President and managed to hold on for seven years before passing the job to his son in law and become an ambassador at large in Europe. When son in law was couped out of office and later assassinated. Belzu was outraged and attempted a return to Bolivia to retake the Presidency. He was invited to the Presidential Palace and assassinated himself. Should have gone to Rio.
Belzu’s wife Juana(they never divorced), herself moved to Lima and set her self up nicely with a school and a political salon. She began writing melodramatic novels including one about a young man who cannot afford to marry his true love until he finds out he is the beneficiary of an insurance policy. The book was sponsored by an insurance company. Through the political salon she mentored many young Peruvian female writers.
Well my drink is empty and I will pour another to toast Juana Manuela Gorriti. If there are any insurance bigshots out there, I would be happy to write up a stamp that plays up the benefits of being fully insured. For a small fee, or better yet, a large fee. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting