Americanist thougth and action in chilean liberals: the proposal of Benajamin Vicuña Mackenna, 1862-1868

Abstract

The European eagerness for colonial restoration led various intellectuals to found in 1862 the “American Union of Santiago” to defend independence and promote the union of their republics. From the analysis of documents and acts published by this entity, in this article we review what was understood by americanism in the mid-19th century and what were the common and discordant points expressed among the Chilean liberals, specifically the proposals of Benjamin Vicuña Mackenna about the role that the United States should play in the unionist effort. This article argues that the Vicuña Mackenna’s differences were due to his own experience as a confidential agent in the United States and a greater interest in legitimizing the liberal project in the context of disputes with the conservatives in the second half of the 19th century.