Among the many publications commemorating the four-hundredth anniversary of the founding of Caracas, this three-volume facsimile edition of the Gaceta del Gobierno del Perú is perhaps the most luxuriously presented, the most carefully prepared, and the most important historically. During its three-year run between 1823 and 1826 the Gaceta was the personal political and administrative organ of Bolívar’s government in Peru. It contains materials of immense value for students of the independence movement in general and of the activities of the Liberator’s armies in particular. Before the appearance of this work, those studying the Peruvian period of the Bolivarian epic were lucky to be able to consult partial collections of the Gaceta scattered about in various public and private archives. As a result, the over three hundred issues of the journal, including Suplementos and Extraordinarias, are virtually unused sources. But now, for the first time, an almost complete series of this important newspaper is available to scholars.
There are two major sections in this collection. The first is formed by two lengthy introductions and a shorter explanatory foreword, and the second is, of course, the facsimile edition of the Gaceta. In the first introduction entitled “La Gaceta del Gobierno del Perú durante el período bolivariano (años 1823 a 1825),” Cristóbal L. Mendoza, director of the Venezuelan National Academy of History and dean of the Bolivarian historians, explains the importance of the Gaceta for an analysis of Bolivar’s political, military, ideological, and administrative genius. Sparked by his fervent devotion to the Bolivarian cult, Mendoza’s introduction illuminates the role of the Gaceta as Bolivar’s journalistic alter ego. So detailed is this analysis that Mendoza leads us through each issue pointing out the most prominent landmarks of Bolivar’s Peruvian years. Based almost exclusively on the Liberator’s own writings and the material in the Gaceta, Mendoza’s essay is one of the finest examples of Bolivarian historiography available.
In the second introduction Félix Denegri Luna, accomplished Peruvian historian, bibliographer, and a member of the Peruvian National Academy of History, presents an erudite study entitled “Apuntes para un estudio bibliográfico de la Gaceta del Gobierno (1823-1826).” Here Denegri explores the origins of printing in Peru from colonial times to the wars for independence. He then embarks on a fine bibliographical survey of the Peruvian periodical press, so as to place the Gaceta in proper perspective. The final third of this study is devoted to a scholarly analysis of the editorial life and contents of the Gaceta, including such facets as the sources of foreign news, publication history, problems with the law, and editors.
Pedro Grases’ explanatory foreword gives the history and sources of this edition, explains the organization of the collection, and describes the uses of the indices. The only serious complaint that can be lodged against this enterprise is that the analytical index includes only people, places, institutions, and titles, but not subjects. In sum, the Fundación Eugenio Mendoza should be congratulated for successfully undertaking this arduous and expensive project. Scholars should also he grateful to the Venezuelan and Peruvian Academies of History for encouraging and cooperating in this venture.
