Nicanor Bolet Peraza

Nicanor Bolet Peraza (June 4, 1838 – March 25, 1906) was a Venezuelan writer and politician.

Early life Peraza was born in Caracas, Venezuela in 1838 to Nicanor Bolet Poleo y Egaña and María del Pilar Peraza Sosa. He was one of six siblings and was the younger brother of the artist Ramon Bolet Peraza. At the age of one Peraza and his family relocated to Barcelona, Venezuela where his father would establish a printing press. This press would soon work both Ramon and Nicanor who would both go on to pursue interests in publication. Eventually Nicanor and Ramon established their first magazine, El Oasis. Nicanor would be pushed away from publishing due to the declaration of the Federal War in 1859. At the age of 21, he enlisted in the federal army and fought in Venezuela's largest war since Spanish independence. Following the Federalist victory in 1863, Peraza would return to his birthplace of Caracas and work together with his brother to establish the Rotary Museum Illustrated, a political newspaper. Peraza would also soon marry María Perfecta Monagas Marrero and have four children.

In exile In New York, after having been forced to leave a successful publishing and political career in Venezuela, Bolet Peraza found himself starting a new life at the age of 42. Despite this, Peraza managed to find success by building on his prior pursuits as an editor and writer. He became the editor of two Spanish-language illustrated magazines in New York City. From 1885-1890, he was the principle editor of La Revista Ilustrada de Nueva York (New York Illustrated Magazine), in which José Martí's essay "Nuestra América" ("Our America) first appeared. Later, he founded and edited Las Tres Américas (The Three Americas) from 1893-1896.

His editing work, however, could be seen as only part of an expansive career. Peraza’s writing prowess and political inclination fueled him in most professional endeavors. From a government position (U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela) whose offer incited his resignation from La Revista, to his own publication years down the line. Peraza had also frequently collaborated with other prominent Hispanic figures such as fellow countryman Juan Antonio Pérez Bonalde and Cuban poet José Martí. Working alongside Martí during his time in New York, Peraza (while lesser known and acknowledged) shared many similar views. Part of what may have left him lingering behind a bit might have been his lack of view into the danger’s the U.S. posed to Latin America. Instead, Peraza saw the industrialization and innovations to be something Latin America could and should have. Again unlike Marti, Peraza failed to acknowledge that the same forward movement he thought the U.S. to have would be a detriment and lethal weapon in terms of Latin America. El Museo Venezolano, Barcelona (1865-1866) El Valor Civico. A la Juventud Hispano-Americana (1901) Impressiones de viaje (1906) Artículos de costumbres y literarios. Barcelona, Editorial Araluce (1931)