Prehistoric era
There is evidence of the presence of a very early culture that goes back more than 10 000 years. The archaeological investigations in the region have proved that a civilization dwelled in this zone in the Stone Age. The Toquepala Caves (7630 BCE) and Abrigo de Caru (6240 BCE) belong to this age. There are other sites such as Girata Complex, Mullini, and Queñavichinca, where investigations have not been concluded.
Spanish Conquest
The first groups of Spanish conquerors arrived to the region in 1535. These groups were formed by members of the Almagro expedition, organized to conquer Chile. During this time, the city of Tacna was called Villa San Pedro de Tacna. In 1615 and 1784 Tacna experienced violent earthquakes and many towns were reduced to ruins. However, they were rebuilt by their people who decided to stay in the same place.
Nineteenth century
Tacna has a seat of honor in the emancipation process. Since 1810, the local patriots, following the example of their Argentine neighbors, who had already declared their independence, started to conspire. In 1811, Francisco Antonio De Zela, sent forth the first libertarian outcry in Tacna. Once the Peruvian independence was consummated, the heroism of this city was honored by promoting it to the rank of villa on 1823. On May 26, 1828, President José de La Mar promulgated a law given by Congress by which the city of Tacna was given the title of Ciudad Heroica (Heroic City).
During the War of the Pacific against Chile, the tacneños placed themselves in the front line, offering their lives defending the nation.
On May 26, 1880, after the Battle of Alto de la Alianza, the Chilean army invaded the Tacna province and remained there for five decades. In spite of time, the Tacneños kept their national pride high and, finally in 1929, the city was reincorporated to Peruvian territory.
Modern era
Southern Peru was hit by a strong earthquake on June 23, 2001, causing extensive damage in the Tacna Region.
Maritime dispute
On January 26th, 2007, Peru’s government issued a protest against Chile’s demarcation of the coastal frontier the two countries share. Peruvian President Alan García recalled his ambassador to Chile, Hugo Otero, to Lima to consult about the controversy over the maritime boundary the two countries share. According to the Peruvian Foreign Ministry, the Chilean legislatures endorsed a plan regarding the Arica and Parinacota region which does not comply with the current, established territorial demarcation. Moreover, they allege that the proposed Chilean law includes an assertion of sovereignty over 19,000 square metres of land in Peru's Department of Tacna.
According to the Peruvian Foreign Ministry, Chile had defined a new region "without respecting the Concordia demarcation." The Peruvian government maintained that the dispute over the Chilean plan is part of an on-going maritime dispute whereby Chile has tried to use the demarcation process to extend its maritime frontier. Over the past 50 years, Peru has maintained claims over roughly 40,000 square kilometers of ocean territory. For its part, the Chilean government has asserted that the region in dispute is not a coastal site named Concordia, but instead refers to boundary stone No. 1, which is located to the northeast and 200 meters inland. [1]
Given that the proposed Chilean law does not recognize the borderline established by both nations in the 1929 agreement, Peru lodged diplomatic protests with Chile. In the complex territorial dispute, Chile is attempting to modify the border near the Pacific Ocean to fit in the geographical parallel, rather than continuing the national borderline to the sea, which Lima asserts will cut off at least 19,000 square meters of the Peruvian territory.[2]
Nevertheless, a possible border dispute was averted when the Chilean Constitutional Court ruled on January 26th, 2007 unconstitutional legislation that Peru said could be seen as a move by Chile to encroach on its maritime territorial sovereignty. While agreeing with the court's ruling, the Chilean government reiterated its stance that the maritime borders between the two nations were not in question and have been formally by the international community.[3]
It has been reported that following the Chilean judicial ruling in Lima’s favor, the likelihood that Peru takes its border dispute with Chile to an international court has been increased by the government and national media. Peruvian Foreign Minister Jose Garcia has expressed that his country may turn to the international court at The Hague but has said that the necessary documents for that action are not ready.[4]
On January 28, 2007 Peru’s leading newspaper El Comercio reported that the President of the Cabinet of Ministers (Consejo de Ministros del Perú), Jorge del Castillo, expressed his grave concern over the pending maritime dispute with Chile.
