Para Sole, por todo

Hildebrando Fuentes (Lima, 1860–Rochester, NY, 1917) was Prefect of the Peruvian Department of Loreto between 1904 and 1906, a period of intense rubber exploitation in the Amazon. Even though he was a minor figure in Peruvian politics, his writings show that he considered himself to be someone who could help improve his country, for which he voiced immense love. Based on his experience in Iquitos, capital of the Department, in 1908 he published a detailed descriptive work in two volumes: Loreto: Apuntes geográficos, históricos, estadísticos, políticos y sociales, which is known, more simply, as Apuntes de Loreto [Notes on Loreto]. Because of its depth and uniqueness, this text proves central to understanding how the Amazon was defined in Peru in the early twentieth century by the government and capitalist entrepreneurs.

Fuentes seems to have inspired respect among the wealthiest people of Iquitos. In his book, he includes one particular passage that helps us imagine life in what was then home to some of the richest men in South America. It also shows how he wanted to be perceived by others. At one point, he describes a banquet celebrating his work as Prefect of Loreto, a few days before returning to Lima for good, on March 23, 1906. The most notable people of Iquitos came together to celebrate him: “Tables occupied the restaurant's hallways as dining areas, in all of its extension”, explained Fuentes, quoting directly from a newspaper. One can imagine him sitting at the head of a table during an afternoon in the city, when the heat and humidity of the day had receded a little bit and one could walk around the Plaza de Armas or through the Malecón. He had a speech prepared, and others would join in commending his tenure as Prefect of Loreto. Judging by the people attending this event, one would be drawn to believe he was an outstanding man, a respected figure among the regional elites. Reading his writings about his work in Iquitos, it is possible to conclude the same thing—if one takes him at face value.