Institutional Mission

Promote, protect and defend in the international system the interests of the Peruvian State and those of its citizens in order to consolidate their sustainable and inclusive development."

Vision

Peru is an emerging regional power, whose foreign policy, sustained on democratic values and International Law has made it an influential player in Latin America, with a projection to the Pacific Rim region, in managing the main subjects of the International Agenda.

STRUCTURE AND CHART

The basic organizational structure of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is composed as follows:

a) Senior Management: The Ministry has a cabinet of advisors for the strategic management of policies under its responsibility and coordination with the Legislative Branch. It is made up of the following officials:

- Minister.

- Vice Minister.

- Secretary General.

b) Internal or support administrative bodies: The Ministry has general offices for the fulfillment of its substantive functions that are created by Supreme Decree and are conducted by a designated head through a Ministerial Resolution.

c) Line bodies: The Ministry counts on general directorates that propose and execute the public policies of the Foreign Relations sector, which are created by Supreme Decree and are conducted by a Director General appointed by Ministerial Resolution.

Know the Regulations of Organization and Functions approved by Supreme Decree No. 135-2010 dated December 17th, 2010

Click on the image below to see the complete organization chart.

Historical review

Just five days after the proclamation of Peru's independence, through a decree issued by General Don José de San Martín the Ministry of State and Foreign Affairs was created - then known as the Secretariat of State - and Juan García del Río– diplomat born in Cartagena - was appointed as Minister of State. Thus, the Foreign Affairs Ministry becomes the oldest institution of our country in its independent life.

After the proclamation of the independence of Peru by the Generalissimo Don José de San Martín, on 28th July, 1821, it was necessary for the transition between the colonial regime and the Republic to have adequate administration to consolidate the definitive freedom.

For this purpose, San Martin issued the Decree of 3rd August, 1821, creating the ministries of State and Foreign Affairs in charge of Don Juan Garcia del Rio; the one of War and Navy in charge of Lieutenant Colonel Don Bernardo Monteagudo; and the one of Treasury in charge of Doctor Don Hipólito Unanue. The ministries were then called Secretaries of State and the first internal organizational regime of each of them was dictated by San Martín the day after its creation.

Two years later, the Political Constitution promulgated on 12th November, 1823, provided in Article 82 that there would be three ministries: Government and Foreign Affairs; War and Navy; and Treasury.

Later, on 21st March, 1824, el Libertador (The Liberator) Simón Bolívar - considering the necessity of an Administrative Organization of the Republic while expanding the free territory as a result of the events of the war - issued in Trujillo a Decree by which he reduced the three previous Ministries to a single one, to be dispatched by the Minister or Secretary General of the Business of the Peruvian Republic (at that time, Colonel José Gabriel Pérez was appointed).

However, shortly afterwards, and by order of the Liberator, the Government Body repealed this decree by reestablishing the three ministries, leaving the portfolio of State and Foreign Affairs in charge of Dr. José Sánchez Carrión.

On 1st June, 1826, the Governing Council presided over by José de La Mar – due to a trip of Bolívar to the cities of Arequipa, Cuzco and Piura - decreed the creation of six State Secretariats: Foreign Affairs, Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs, Interior, Treasury, War and Navy.

Likewise, by decree of 12th June, the six secretariats were distributed among four ministries: Relations and Interior, in charge of José María de Pando; Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs, by Hipólito Unanue; Finance, in charge of José Larrea and Laredo; and War and Navy, reserved for the Liberator.

At the end of the same year, Bolivar drafted the Life Constitution, which was sworn on 9th December and established in its Chapter III the creation of four Secretariats of Office that would be under the orders of the Vice President, which were equivalent to the four ministries mentioned in the Decree of 12th June of that year.

This Constitution that appointed a Life President of Peru to Simón Bolívar lasted scarcely fifteen months (11th July, 1827), product of a revolutionary movement that motivated that the Congress appointed as President Mariscal La Mar in August of the same year and soon dictated – 18th March 1828 - a new Constitution, the same that was promulgated by the President himself and the then Minister of Government and Foreign Affairs, Francisco Javier Mariátegui.

According to this Constitution, on 15th October, 1829, an Act was promulgated, which established that there would be three ministries of State: one for Government and Foreign Affairs; another of War and Navy; and another one of Treasure. However, this Constitution was replaced by that of 10th June 1834, and the then Provisional President, General Luis José Orbegoso, through Decree of 7th January 1835, ordered that the office of the three ministries be refocused in a Secretariat General. Later, during the brief government of General Felipe Santiago Salaverry, by decree of 20th May, 1835, the country returned to the three ministries created by San Martin in 1821.

The Peru-Bolivian Confederation established, composed of the Nor-Peruvian, Sub-Peruvian and Republic of Bolivia states, Andrés de Santa Cruz ordered that these three ministries take charge of the confederation's affairs.

At the fall of the confederation took place what in history is known as the period of the "Military Anarchy", in which several generals disputed the Power. This stage was preceded by the Restoration period, which dictated the Constitution of 1839 and added a fourth ministry: that of Public Instruction, Beneficence and Ecclesiastical Affairs, whose functions were absorbed during the Military Anarchy by the Minister of Government and Foreign Affairs.

Likewise, during that period, a General Ministry was created once again, which was abolished in August 1844, with the restoration of only two ministries: Government and Foreign Affairs and Finance.

Since the establishment of the republican stage in Peru, there are many organic modifications that this Foreign Ministry went through: in April 1845, during the government of Ramón Castilla. - The creation of four ministries: Foreign Affairs; Government; War and Navy; and Treasury.

In June 1855, during the same government of Castilla. - It was organized as Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Public Instruction.

In November 1856, through the Law of Ministers. - The Constitution of 1856 established that the ministers would ordinarily be five: Foreign Affairs; Government, Worship and Public Works; Justice, Instruction and Beneficence; War and Navy; and Finance and Commerce.

In March 1857, during the leadership of Don Manuel Ortiz de Zevallos as Minister of Foreign Affairs. - The Foreign Affairs Ministry was organized internally in two Sections: Overseas and Continental.

In December 1865, during the government of Mariano Ignacio Prado.- By Decree, the Ministry was called the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs, in charge of the Under- Secretary Senior Official and was divided into two Sections: Diplomatic; and of Consulates, Chancellery and Accounting.

In January of 1866, during the same government of Prado is suppressed the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs.

In April 1878, during the second Government of Prado. - By Supreme Decree the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is reorganized. According to this provision, the most complete of its time, the ministry is divided into two sections: Diplomatic and Consulate, Chancellery and Accounting, replacing these denominations respectively, Overseas and Continental.

To the aforementioned modifications, there is a series of strategies that, from 1903 until 2010, were decreed with respect to the internal organization of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Illustrious Ministers of Foreign Affairs

Alberto Ulloa Sotomayor

Important Peruvian jurist and diplomat, Alberto Ulloa Sotomayor was born on 20th December, 1892 in the city of Lima. He was Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1936 during the government of José Luis Bustamante and Rivero and Senator of the Republic between 1945 and 1948. He was representative of Peru abroad in diverse occasions, being able to emphasize its work so much in Chile as well as in the United Nations Organization.

Alberto Ulloa was a distinguished academic. He served as a professor at the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. His training in International Law led him to write one of the most important treaties of the subject of his time: Public International Law (2 volumes). Also, he ventured into poetry, literary prose and history, making important contributions to the study of the history of Peruvian law. He died in Lima, in 1975, at the age of 82 years.

Víctor Andrés Belaunde Diez Canseco

Diplomat, jurist and politician, Víctor Andrés Belaunde Diez Canseco was born on 15th December, 1883 in the city of Arequipa. He was an important member of the so-called "900 Generation", leaving important works of philosophy, sociology, psychology and many other areas of human thought. He was trained in the areas of Jurisprudence, Political Science and Arts. He was a professor at the Universidad Nacional de San Marcos. In 1931 he represented the city of Arequipa before the Congress of the Republic. In 1959, a year after Manuel Prado entrusted him the portfolio of Foreign Affairs, Víctor Andrés Belaunde chaired the XIV General Assembly of the United Nations. He also chaired the Security Council of the Organization up to three times. He died in New York in 1966 at age 82.

Raúl Porras Barrenechea

Raúl Porras Barrenechea was born on 23rd March, 1897 in the city of Pisco, a lawyer, historian and diplomat of exceptional abilities. Attracted by the poetry of the Inka Empire, the poems of the conquest, the republican satire, the limits and definition of the borders of the country, the life and work of peninsular chroniclers and conquerors, the European travelers to Peru, our ideologues and illustrious chancellors, consecrated his intellectual work to Peru, which was his design and passion, from the roots of our nation to the copious and vast flowering that artists, scientists and writers of all periods have offered to the country. Parallel to his work in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he carried out research around the limits of Peru and republican figures such as Felipe Pardo and Aliaga, Mariano José de Arce, Toribio Pacheco and José Antonio Barrenechea. He also lectured at the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú and at the Universidad de San Marcos. His participation during the conflict of Leticia with Colombia was fundamental to arrive at a peaceful solution. On April 4th, 1958, he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs by President Manuel Pardo. Raúl Porras Barrenechea died in Lima, in 1960, at the age of 63 years.

Carlos García Bedoya

Lawyer and career diplomat, Carlos García Bedoya was born in Lima in 1925. Undoubtedly his thinking guides Peruvian foreign policy to this day. He was professor of the Diplomatic Academy of Peru and of the Pontificia Universidad Católica. Garcia Bedoya wrote not only important articles on international relations, he was also the author of the book "Peruvian Foreign Policy: Theory and Practice", an indispensable work for the study of world problems and diplomacy. Between 1976 and 1979 Garcia Bedoya was Ambassador of Peru to the United States of America. Upon his return to Lima, President Francisco Morales Bermúdez is appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs. Before, he had served as Vice Minister. Carlos García Bedoya died in Lima, in 1980, at the age of 54 years.

Javier Pérez de Cuéllar

Javier Pérez de Cuéllar was born on 19th January, 1920 in the city of Lima. He is, undoubtedly, one of the most outstanding members of the Peruvian Diplomatic Service. As a diplomat, Pérez de Cuéllar served in the missions of Peru in France, the United Kingdom, Bolivia and Brazil. He was also the Ambassador of Peru in Switzerland, the Soviet Union, Poland, Venezuela, and before the United Nations. In 1979 he was appointed Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs. Between 1982 and 1991 Javier Pérez de Cuéllar served as Secretary General of the United Nations. During his career he was decorated in about 25 countries. He is also Doctor Honoris because of many of the most prestigious universities in the world. During the Transitional Government of Valentín Paniagua, Pérez de Cuéllar served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and President of the Council of Ministers. Currently lives in the city of Lima.

Torre Tagle Palace

The Torre Tagle Palace is an extraordinary architectural expression of the viceroyalty and is currently the seat of the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is located next to the Plaza Mayor of Lima and was built in 1735 by Don José Bernardo de Tagle y Bracho, who was the first Marquis of Torre Tagle appointed by King Felipe V of Spain. The mansion has two carved wooden balconies, large lounges, opulent staircases and decorative tiles that demonstrate the Moruna and Spanish influence. There is a gilded carriage dating from the sixteenth century.

Its two exquisite balconies with lattices that can be seen on the outside are carved in fine wood brought from Guatemala or Nicaragua and have different sizes, asymmetry that gives them agility and harmony, while the windows of the lower part with wrought iron bars allow an attractive contrast.

Before crossing the threshold of the front, all carved in stone that it is said was brought from Panama, you can admire in the upper part the noble coat of arms of its owners and the beautiful door of rich wood adorned with two regular size knockers.

Already in the wide vestibule, one sees to the right and left small steps that the ladies used to rise to their mounts from stone platforms united by "stars of copper"; Near this place there was a chain that meant the right of Asylum, a privilege that had the Palace of Torre Tagle and which also enjoyed some churches of colonial Lima.

From the main patio you can appreciate the architecture of the mansion, the harmony of its lines, its Mudejar arches on the second floor and its coffered ceiling unique in America. The main staircase is adorned with Sevillian tiles, some of which are carved 1735, the year in which it is thought that the construction of the mansion was finished. Baroque and Chinese elements combine to give it a singular beauty and make it one of the most representative houses of mestizo architecture in the new world. At the base of the upstairs corridors are canes or wooden brackets brought from Nicaragua and carved with anthropomorphic figures. To the right side is the paved corridor that was used so that the buggies and horses enter the stables of the backyard.

The now called the Ambassadors’ Hall was formerly the ballroom and in it are arranged the paintings of the four Marquises of Torre Tagle and three of their wives. The oils corresponding to the fourth Marquis and his wife are attributed to the painter José Gil de Castro, notable portrait painter of the transition between the Colony and the Republic. It should be noted that the ceilings are paneled in mahogany wood, as in the rest of the palace, which also has a chapel with a baroque altar.

Main courtyard

The main courtyard welcomes us with its spaciousness and beautiful proportions. Sturdy corbels - with impressive carvings - hold up the corridors of the tops instead of columns and offer the image of a larger yard.

In one of the rooms adjacent to the courtyard there is a carriage that belonged to the First Marquis of Torre Tagle and which displays the shields of the Tagle and the Ortiz de Zevallos. Why is the last name of these last gentlemen? Because the firstborn daughter of the fourth Marquis, Don José Bernardo de Tagle and Portocarrero - who declared the Independence of Peru in Trujillo, allowed the disembarkation of San Martín in Paracas and was President of Peru between 1823 and 1824,she married with Manuel Ortiz Zevallos and Garcia, passing on his fortune and titles.

The buggies is brightly colored. Its four wheels, the two later ones of greater size than the front ones; the ample space for its passengers and the driver's seat give us a real impression of its category. Likewise, the noble shield painted on its two doors and on its front highlights its presence. The interior was not neglected even the smallest detail, since it allowed its occupants not to have to descend when they were pressed by certain bodily demands.

The traditionist illustrious, Don Ricardo Palma, estimates that during the vice regal period there were more than 1,500 carriages in Lima and in a document titled "Contribution of Carriages", we find the following figures corresponding to 1820, a year before the declaration of Independence: buggies 760, 183 Cars and Rockers 11; A total of 954 of which are currently only four or five buggies but none of the category of donated by the family Ortiz de Zevallos to the Peruvian State.

In the main courtyard welcomes us with its spaciousness and beautiful proportions. Sturdy corbels - with impressive carvings - hold up the corridors of the tops instead of columns and offer the image of a larger yard.

On the first floor, certain interesting details appear, such as the baluster that makes corner with the passage that leads to the carriages, because you can see the mark of the centuries when the wheels of the buggies stumbled in him due to the fatigue of the mounts And the carelessness of the coachmen, who, after having left their masters, left them eager to pour a hot sparkling wine or a vine of fresh vine.

The Spanish architect, Andrés Boyer, who restored the Palace with the collaboration of Peruvian engineers Bernardo Fernández and Pardo Figueroa, once said: "This piece must be preserved intact because it is a presence of almost 300 years."

More photos here