From Mollendo
To Chimbote
Trip Thursday 28 March

Mollendo to Chimbote

03/28/2024


Information about the city Mollendo

Mollendo is a town bordering the Pacific Ocean in southern Peru. It is located in the Arequipa Region and is the capital of both the Islay Province and the Mollendo District. Mollendo was the main port in the Peruvian southern coast until Matarani was developed about 50 years ago; the port of Mollendo only serves fishermen for the local economy currently and all the commercial shipping is done through Matarani 12 kilometers north; the old port is in ruins. From about 1830 to 1880 it was important in the Guano trade.

The railroad used to run a passenger train daily, but a good highway connects Mollendo to the Panamerican Highway now and the train now only runs the summer express that goes down from Arequipa on Saturday and returns on Sunday; the beach is the main attraction, even though it is visited by the Humboldt Current that brings cold water from Antarctica.In the summer months, which run from January to March, the population more than doubles as people from the largest city in the region Arequipa use Mollendo and its beaches as a vacation spot, especially on weekends. Mollendo exports wool and has industries producing cement, textiles, canned fish, and cheese. It is also a popular beach resort. The Auxiliary Ship BAP Mollendo (ATC-131) of the Peruvian Navy is named after the town.

About 1300, the legendary Inca Mayta Cápac, puts the regions of Arequipa and Moquegua under the control of the Inca empire. Sixty three years later, and according to Garcilaso de la Vega, the Inca Cápac Yupanqui, following traditional customs of the Inca Empire, selected four generals from his major staff and entrusted them the command of approximately twenty thousand soldiers (or Tuqui Titos) for the coast region conquest project.

Cápac Yupanqui's son, Sinchi Rocca, conquered all of Arequipa and Moquegua coast area. From this event and ahead, Tambo is a main protagonist into the region history, due their geographical position and serving as weapons and food supply depot. Inca Yáhuar Huácac, successor of Inca Cápac Yupanqui, established his supply depots and headquarters in this valley, to march into Atacama (north Chilean region) direction to expand the territory of the Inca Empire.

During the War of the Pacific Mollendo was invaded by Chilean forces under the command of Colonel Orozimbo Barbosa. The main idea of this army (transported by the Chilean Navy) was to wreak havoc on Southern Peru, so as to force the process of negotiations for peace between Peru and Chile. The invasion forces consisted of the 3rd Chilean Line Infantry Regiment, The Chilean Marines, One brigade of Chilean Sappers, and 30 Horse Cavalry. The defenses of Mollendo consisted of two small forts with no cannon ( which were days earlier transported to Arequipa) defended by 100 soldiers. The first to disembark were the Chilean Marines, who took the town without a struggle. The rest (Main Body) of the expedition landed on or near Islay, without opposition. On March 9, 1880, the Main Body of the expedition entered Mollendo. Colonel Barbosa with 500 soldiers left Mollendo towards Mejia in search of the defenders, leaving the 3rd Chilean Line Infantry in charge of the town, looting of homes quickly began. Colonel Barbosa arrived in Mejia, destroying the locomotives and railtracks to prevent reinforcements arriving from Arequipa via rail. Colonel Barbosa surprised the defenders at Ensenada, taking 20 prisoners. Upon his return to Mollendo, he learned of the sacking of the town, punishing some members of his command. This resulted in some desertions.


Information about the city Chimbote

Chimbote is the largest city in the Ancash Region of Peru, and the capital of both Santa Province and Chimbote District.

The city is located on the coast in Chimbote Bay, 130 km south of Trujillo and 420 kilometers (260 mi) north of Lima on the North Pan-American highway. It is the start of a chain of important cities on the Peruvian north coast like Trujillo, Chiclayo and Piura. The advantages of this geographic location made Chimbote into a transshipment junction for the Santa River valley.

In 1835, when General Santa Cruz granted Chimbote's first official acknowledgement, Chimbote was a village of fishermen with a population of no more than 800.

In 1871, an agreement was made with Henry Meiggs to build a railroad towards the interior of the country. Chimbote was classified as a port, even though its population remained around 1,000. The opening of the Pan-American Highway created easy access to Lima in the 1930s. In 1881, there was an attempt to cede a naval base to the U.S. in Chimbote Bay by Peru. The deal was blocked by Chile who sent its marines to occupy Chimbote after learning of the deal to cede a naval base to the U.S. Navy.

In 1940, Chimbote was still a small fishing port, with only 2,400 inhabitants in an urbanized area of 80 hectares (0.80 km2; 0.31 sq mi). In 1943, the government created the Corporación Peruana del Santa (Peruvian Corporation of Santa). This entity assumed ownership of the railroad, made improvements to the port, and began work on a hydroelectric power station on the Río Santa (in the Cañón del Pato [Duck Canyon] in Huallanca). The first stage of the power station was inaugurated in 1958; also that year, an iron and steel plant was built. By 1943, the first companies dedicated to the extraction of liver from the Pacific bonito fish arrived. This liver was sold for a high price abroad due to World War II.

Vídeo de Mollendo

Images of Chimbote

Vídeo de Chimbote