Juan Bustamante Dueñas

Juan Bustamante Dueñas, allegedly also known as Túpac Amaru III, was a Peruvian indigenous leader who led a rebellion that lasted from 1867 to 1868.

Early life Bustamante was the son of Mariano Bustamante y Jiménez, a former royalist army officer, and Agustina Dueñas y Vera, who claimed to be a descendant of Túpac Amaru I and owned extensive agricultural properties. He grew up in a wealthy home, despite which, he was able to witness the poverty of the local Indians and show solidarity with them. His first studies were in his hometown and then in Arequipa.

He made a great wealth with his wool business and the administration of his farm, known as Urquinamuni. He financed the construction of two bridges, one over the Cabanillas River and the other over the Pucará River. He traveled twice to Europe and wrote two books where he recounted these adventures, works in which his social preaching in favor of the Indians was already glimpsed.

Political and military career He was elected deputy for Lampa Province between 1845 and 1853 and from 1849 to 1850. He joined the liberal rebels in 1854, led by Ramón Castilla, participating in the Battle of La Palma. In 1855 he was also a member, representing the same province, of the . In his legislative work, he stood out for presenting reform projects for the army and for the defense of the Indians. He was also Mayor of Lima and in that role, he increased the waters of the Rímac River.

On June 29, 1864, under the government of Juan Antonio Pezet, he was appointed prefect of the department of Cuzco. While holding this position, he sanctioned many landowners for abuses committed against their indigenous workers, which led to his dismissal on August 8 of the same year, accused of exceeding his duties.

During the Chincha Islands War, he equipped and trained a regiment made up of his own workers, with whom he went to Arequipa to join the war effort. The dictator Mariano Ignacio Prado awarded him the rank of colonel. He was in the Battle of Callao on May 2, 1866. At that time he sold his hacienda to his settlers, carrying out the first agrarian reform in Peru.

In 1867, in the company of other notable people, he founded the Sociedad Amiga de los Indios in Lima, whose presidency was entrusted to General . It is said that he adopted the name of Túpac Amaru III.

The insurrection spread through Chupa, Putina, Samán, Azángaro and Lampa. On December 30, 1867, Bustamante occupied the city of Puno. Due to differences with his supporters, he was unable to exploit these advantages, while the forces of the sub-prefect of Azángaro, Andrés Recharte, advanced against him. Bustamante had to withdraw from Puno on January 1, going to Pusi, where on the 2nd he was defeated and captured by Recharte.