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On December 9, 1824, the outskirts of the city of Ayacucho (Peru), witnessed the last major battle of the South American independence struggle.
The royalist forces, affected by the instability both in Spain and in the Viceroyalty of Peru, tried to regroup to defend one of the last colonial bastions in the continent. General José de Canterac had almost 10,000 soldiers at his command.
On the other side were the pro-independence troops commanded by Antonio José de Sucre, one of the figures closest to the “Liberator” Simón Bolívar. After some strategic retreats, and in spite of the disadvantage both in numbers and artillery, the liberating army prepared for battle.
With a superior handling of the terrain, Sucre’s forces neutralized the risky maneuvers of the royalists, provoking a generalized and disorganized retreat. Canterac and Viceroy José de la Serna had no alternative but to capitulate before Sucre.
The defeat at Ayacucho precipitated the collapse of Spanish rule and the consolidation of the Republic of Peru, thus bringing a victorious bow to the South American independence campaigns.
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Text: Ricardo Vaz. Illustration: Kimberly Barzola.