Agrarian Reformation

The agrarian reformation implemented under the government of Juan Velasco Alvarado marked a turning point in Peru’s social and political history. Initiated in 1969, the reform sought to dismantle the hacienda system and redistribute land to peasants and rural workers. For decades, haciendas had structured rural life through systems of labor exploitation that disproportionately affected Indigenous and Afro-Peruvian communities. By expropriating land and reorganizing it into cooperatives and collective enterprises, the reform aimed to challenge long-standing inequalities and transform the relationship between land, labor, and power.

Beyond its economic goals, the agrarian reform was also a cultural and symbolic project. Velasco’s government promoted a revaluation of the campesino and the Indigenous subject, positioning them as central to the nation rather than marginal to it. This shift was visible in state discourse, education, and visual culture, where the figure of the campesino was reframed as a symbol of dignity, productivity, and national identity. The reform sought to replace elite, Eurocentric ideals with a more inclusive vision of Peru that recognized its Indigenous roots.

However, this process of reivindicación was complex and uneven. While the state elevated the image of the Indigenous campesino, Afro-Peruvian communities were often less visible within this narrative. The reform did not fully address the specific histories and conditions of Afro-Peruvian populations, particularly those living on the coast who were also deeply affected by hacienda labor systems. As a result, the symbolic inclusion promoted by the reform was partial, reinforcing some hierarchies even as it challenged others.

In practice, the outcomes of the agrarian reform were mixed. While it disrupted the power of landowners and created new forms of collective organization, many cooperatives faced economic and administrative difficulties. Over time, the promise of structural transformation was limited by broader political and economic shifts. Nevertheless, the reform remains a key moment in understanding how the Peruvian state sought to redefine the nation, both materially and symbolically, by reimagining who counted as a central subject of the nation.

One important documentary that talks about the relevance of the Agrarian Reformation is La Revolucion y La Tierra (2019). The trailer is the following one.