Entre pasiones e intereses: la percepción francesa del conflicto para Arica y Tacna (1879-1929)

The border conflict between Chile and Peru, for the Arica and Tacna provinces, after the Pacific War (1879-1883), marked the relations between those two countries during almost half a century. Chile was supposed to administrate those districts for ten years, until the accomplishment of a plebiscite in order to decide their definitive sovereignty. However, the election never took place and the two provinces were separated in 1929. The purpose of this research is to analyze the French perception regarding that border litigation and showing how France defended its interests by the strategic adoption of a neutrality policy. Nevertheless, because of the atmosphere of violence, France was forced to handle Peruvian interests in the disputed territories for several years. The history of that conflict is representative of the evolution of the French international influence at that time.