Manuel Amunátegui. The first fifty years of El Comercio

Abstract

In Lima, in 1839, Manuel Amunátegui (Chile) together with Alejandro Villota (Argentina) founded the daily newspaper El Comercio, currently known as “The Dean” of thePeruvian press. The main objective of this article is to rescue the figure and the journalistic duty of an important man whose image has been overshadowed in a deliberate manner in the history of national journalism. This text narrates Amunátegui’s life and intelectual endeavor, intimately related to the first fifty years (1830-1889) of El Comercio, a newspaper with a clear liberal position given that, from its origins, it advocated for the abolition of slavery, the suppression of the indigenous tribute and the freedom of the press. Nevertheless, due to 2 medical predicaments, Amunátegui is obliged to subscribe, in 1876, to a society with José Antonio Miró Quesada and Luis Carranza Ayarza, which leads the journal to veer to an essentially political and commercial line. The new period of El Comercio coincides with the effects of the War of the Pacific and the deterioration of Amunátegui’s health. After his decease, he is recognized by the contemporary newspapers as one of the greatest exponents of Peruvian journalism, in addition to highlighting his contribution to the establishment of a new generation of journalists.