Acre is definitely the most remote state of Brazil and, until 1902, was part of Bolivia, which is much closer. Then there was a revolution apparently and it became part of Brazil. How did that happen?
Hello friend!
I’m a Brazilian historian and can help you to answer the question, but first of all, I would like to apologize for my English, I have not enough level to explain it in a proper academic language.
Since much, was unclear who had a de facto domain of Amazonic Basin. Despite Spanish conquistadores was the first ones to went there, looking for precious metal, Brazilian natives was the main explorers since XVII century. Catholic missions, search for “mainland drugs” and native peoples capture to work as slave manpower was the main reasons for that.
But the main economic activity of this region was rubber extraction. Arround 1850, rubber production experienced an economic boost, which atracted thousands of Brazilian Northeastern migrants to there in between the late XIX’s and early XX’s. After that, Bolivia government lost Acre’s control.
An first inserruction leaded by a Spanish named Luis Galvez resulted in the stablishment of Acre Indenpendent State in 1899. This new republic was not recognized by Brazil or Bolivia, but it establishment boosted tension between two nations about Acre’s question, because Bolivia had the legal right on region, but most of it population was Brazilian and desinterested in pay taxes for Bolivian government.
Meanwhile Amazonas State government smoothly supported rebels by taxes collection reasons, Brazilian Federal Government adopted an very cautious approach. Treaty of Madrid (1750) already defined a huge expansion of Portuguese America among Amazon Basin, which not included Acre. After that, Treaty of Ayacucho (1867) was signed by Brazil and Bolivia governments with unclear terms, but ensuring Acre as a Bolivian territory.
So, Brazilian Federal Government didn’t took an important role in all this process, and in fact, when do it was for supporting Bolivia’s cause, looking for guarantee Bolivian de facto region control. When Bolivian forces almost supressed Galvez riot, is with Brazilian aid. Independence or Brazilian annexation was more a Acre’s population demand. Just after Galvez exile to Recife, an Brazilian gaúcho name Plácido de Castro started a new riot. One of the few voices supporting Acre’s annexation in Brazilian political high steps came from the famous diplomat Ruy Barbosa, who strongly criticized Brazilian government omission in support rebels.
At last, Brazil attached Acre after Bolivian government consider impossible take a de facto control of that region. Brazilian government decided finally annex Acre for avoid more tension in the region. That’s a stretch of Barão do Rio Branco’s “Questões de Limites – Exposição de Motivos” explanation in Acre’s question
“Since long Acre’s wealth, which our countrymen was the only ones to explore, was known. Despite that, government persisted in recognize Bolivian control n that territory and gave Bolivia the proper conditions to usufruct it. Was need that the proper security of this continent was threatened by the introduction of the disturbing Chartered Companies to convince ourselves that it is impossible maintain the so desirable good relationship with Bolivian government meanwhile exist a territory almost all inhabited by Brazilians, hostile against Bolivia, to produce our action looking for the results now obtained.”
GASMAN, Lydinéa (org.). Documentos Históricos Brasileiros. Brasília: Ministério da Educação e da Cultura, 1976.