Galvez – Imperador do Acre
Encyclopedia
Galvez – Imperador do Acre (Galvez - The Emperor of Acre) is a book published in 1976 by Brazilian author Márcio Souza
(born 1946) about an episode in the history of Acre State (Brazil
). This short novel mixes the historical novel and feuilleton
styles. The book was a great success in the eighties.
and Brazil
were not clearly defined. At the time, the people living in the Amazon Basin
were rich due to the natural resource of latex
. The best rubber
is produced in Acre, a region that, although inhabited by Brazilians, is theoretically part of the Republic of Bolivia.
Luis Gálvez Rodríguez de Arias was a Spanish journalist in Belém do Pará who on June 3, 1899 denounced a claimed agreement between USA and Bolivia that stated that the United States would support Bolivia in a possible war against Brazil. This became a scandal, but the Bolivian and North-American authorities denied the accusation.
Galvez, with the financial support of the Amazonas government, went to Acre and, on July 14, 1899, the Independent State of Acre
was declared. He declared himself president. On December 28, 1899, Galvez was deposed by Antônio de Sousa Braga, but he was restored on January 30, 1900, by Braga himself.
On March 15, 1900, a military expedition by the Brazilian Navy
took the Acre region back from Bolivia.
Invited by the diplomat, he goes to a party, where he meets Cira, a woman interested in the Acre question. Cira asks him to steal the USA-Bolivian agreement. Trucco, who trusts Galvez, gives it to him to have it translated. Denouncing the agreement to the Belém press, the journalist has to escape.
In the city harbour, he hides himself in a departing ship in the Amazon River, heading to Manaus
. The passengers are a group of nuns. He seduces one of them, Joana, and afterwards they are abandoned in a bank of the Amazon River
. He is rescued by the ship of Sir Henry, an English metaphysical scientist who thinks the Amazon Theatre
is a spaceship, and Justine L'Amour and Blangis are Opera
artists and part of the trouppe Les Comédiens Tropicales.
Some weeks later, he and Les Comédiens go to the Bolivian city of Puerto Alonso, Acre, in a ship, where Trucco and the neurotic consul of United States are traveling. Galvez gets on the ship, hidden in a coffin.
In Puerto Alonso he meets the local big shot and amasses money and an army. On July 14 he takes over Puerto Alonso without a fight. The Great Battle of the Independence of Acre is a trouble in the city-centre.
He declares himself Emperor. The old and tedious Acre become the lascivious Empire of Acre (fictional: the author says in the book that Galvez, the narrator
is lying). During the new year celebrations
, Galvez is deposed and Joana dies.
Márcio Souza
Márcio Souza is a Brazilian writer, recognized for his focus on Amazonia.-Fiction:*Galvez – Imperador do Acre *Operação Silêncio *Mad Maria *A Resistível Ascensão do Boto Tucuxi...
(born 1946) about an episode in the history of Acre State (Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
). This short novel mixes the historical novel and feuilleton
Feuilleton
Feuilleton was originally a kind of supplement attached to the political portion of French newspapers, consisting chiefly of non-political news and gossip, literature and art criticism, a chronicle of the latest fashions, and epigrams, charades and other literary trifles...
styles. The book was a great success in the eighties.
Background
In 1899, the borders between BoliviaBolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
and Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
were not clearly defined. At the time, the people living in the Amazon Basin
Amazon Basin
The Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries that drains an area of about , or roughly 40 percent of South America. The basin is located in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela...
were rich due to the natural resource of latex
Latex
Latex is the stable dispersion of polymer microparticles in an aqueous medium. Latexes may be natural or synthetic.Latex as found in nature is a milky fluid found in 10% of all flowering plants . It is a complex emulsion consisting of proteins, alkaloids, starches, sugars, oils, tannins, resins,...
. The best rubber
Rubber
Natural rubber, also called India rubber or caoutchouc, is an elastomer that was originally derived from latex, a milky colloid produced by some plants. The plants would be ‘tapped’, that is, an incision made into the bark of the tree and the sticky, milk colored latex sap collected and refined...
is produced in Acre, a region that, although inhabited by Brazilians, is theoretically part of the Republic of Bolivia.
Luis Gálvez Rodríguez de Arias was a Spanish journalist in Belém do Pará who on June 3, 1899 denounced a claimed agreement between USA and Bolivia that stated that the United States would support Bolivia in a possible war against Brazil. This became a scandal, but the Bolivian and North-American authorities denied the accusation.
Galvez, with the financial support of the Amazonas government, went to Acre and, on July 14, 1899, the Independent State of Acre
Republic of Acre
The Republic of Acre or the Independent State of Acre were the names of a series of separatist governments in then Bolivia's Acre region between 1899 and 1903. The region was eventually annexed by Brazil in 1903 and is now the state of Acre.-History:...
was declared. He declared himself president. On December 28, 1899, Galvez was deposed by Antônio de Sousa Braga, but he was restored on January 30, 1900, by Braga himself.
On March 15, 1900, a military expedition by the Brazilian Navy
Brazilian Navy
The Brazilian Navy is a branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces responsible for conducting naval operations. It is the largest navy in Latin America...
took the Acre region back from Bolivia.
The Novel
In the book, Galvez is an adventurer without scruples, working as a journalist in Belém. The novel starts when Galvez falls from a window, running away from a lady's husband, and, accidentally, saves the life of Luiz Trucco, the consul of Bolivia.Invited by the diplomat, he goes to a party, where he meets Cira, a woman interested in the Acre question. Cira asks him to steal the USA-Bolivian agreement. Trucco, who trusts Galvez, gives it to him to have it translated. Denouncing the agreement to the Belém press, the journalist has to escape.
In the city harbour, he hides himself in a departing ship in the Amazon River, heading to Manaus
Manaus
Manaus is a city in Brazil, the capital of the state of Amazonas. It is situated at the confluence of the Negro and Solimões rivers. It is the most populous city of Amazonas, according to the statistics of Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, and is a popular ecotourist destination....
. The passengers are a group of nuns. He seduces one of them, Joana, and afterwards they are abandoned in a bank of the Amazon River
Amazon River
The Amazon of South America is the second longest river in the world and by far the largest by waterflow with an average discharge greater than the next seven largest rivers combined...
. He is rescued by the ship of Sir Henry, an English metaphysical scientist who thinks the Amazon Theatre
Amazon Theatre
300px|thumb|Teatro Amazonas in [[Manaus]]The Amazon Theatre is an opera house located in the heart of Manaus, inside the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil. It is the location of the annual Festival Amazonas de Ópera held in April.It was built during the Belle Époque at a time when fortunes were made in...
is a spaceship, and Justine L'Amour and Blangis are Opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
artists and part of the trouppe Les Comédiens Tropicales.
Some weeks later, he and Les Comédiens go to the Bolivian city of Puerto Alonso, Acre, in a ship, where Trucco and the neurotic consul of United States are traveling. Galvez gets on the ship, hidden in a coffin.
In Puerto Alonso he meets the local big shot and amasses money and an army. On July 14 he takes over Puerto Alonso without a fight. The Great Battle of the Independence of Acre is a trouble in the city-centre.
He declares himself Emperor. The old and tedious Acre become the lascivious Empire of Acre (fictional: the author says in the book that Galvez, the narrator
Narrator
A narrator is, within any story , the fictional or non-fictional, personal or impersonal entity who tells the story to the audience. When the narrator is also a character within the story, he or she is sometimes known as the viewpoint character. The narrator is one of three entities responsible for...
is lying). During the new year celebrations
New Year
The New Year is the day that marks the time of the beginning of a new calendar year, and is the day on which the year count of the specific calendar used is incremented. For many cultures, the event is celebrated in some manner....
, Galvez is deposed and Joana dies.