Rafael Aita: «There were Incas who were Catholic, spoke Spanish and Latin, and were allies of the king.»

An engineer by profession but a historian by vocation, Peruvian writer Rafael Aita—known on social media as Captain Peru— has become one of the most forceful and disruptive voices in popular history in Latin America. Through highly influential works such as The Hispanic Incas y The Catholic Incas, Aita combats the politicization of classrooms and the entrenchment of the «black legend,» rescuing from oblivion the alliances with indigenous peoples and the profound process of evangelization that united Spain and the Americas.

In this interview, the contributor to the acclaimed documentary Spanish America It invites us to rediscover a shared past free from ideological biases, where figures such as Santo Toribio de Mogrovejo laid the spiritual foundations for half a continent.

You're an industrial engineer with a master's degree in business administration. Why have you devoted yourself so wholeheartedly to writing history books?

Because history is taught so poorly in our countries. Everyone who loves their country, regardless of their profession, should know its history and culture. When I began to do so, I found so many inconsistencies between the history presented in books and the history that was being taught that I simply had to address the issue.

Peru’s history is directly linked to Spain, which we often refer to as the “Motherland.” We owe our religion and culture to Spain. Is this acknowledged in history books?

In many books, yes—there’s the great Peruvian historian José Antonio del Busto, who spoke out publicly against the removal of the statue of Francisco Pizarro from Lima’s Plaza de Armas. Unfortunately, these texts do not make it into the school curriculum, which is highly politicized.

Where do anti-Hispanic sentiments originate? Are they directed against Spain or against religion?

At first, the two went hand in hand: the “Black Legend” spread by England and the Netherlands was accompanied by the political war against Spain, as well as the schism with the Catholic Church. Today, however, this is not necessarily the case, and many Catholics have embraced the “Black Legend” against Spain.

What exactly are the so-called “black legends”?

It is defined as the combination of exaggerations, manipulations, omissions, distortions, and historical biases intended to cast a single side—in this case, the Spanish and Catholic side—in a negative light.

I see that you've written several books, including *The Hispanic Incas* and *The Catholic Incas*. What do you mean by these books?

The title itself is disruptive, since many people think that the Inca is the opposite of the Hispanic and incompatible with Catholicism—precisely because no one has explained to us that there were Incas who were Catholic, spoke Spanish and Latin, and were allies of the king. The purpose of both books is to dispel that prejudice.

I saw that you appeared in José Luis López Linares“ documentary ”Hispanoamérica.” What is the purpose of that documentary? Is it in line with your books?

Not only is it along the same lines, but José Luis López Linares also purchased my book *Los Incas Hispanos* to help him with the section on Peru. I had the opportunity to film part of the documentary with him in Cusco—one of my fondest memories.

Do you think the story we've been told in Peru isn't true?

During my last talk at a parish, I asked the parishioners the following question: How many Indigenous people were executed by the Inquisition? The answers ranged from hundreds to thousands. They couldn’t believe it when I told them that only 32 people were executed, and none of them were Indigenous. We’re talking about a Catholic audience—regular parishioners who have been attending catechetical talks for decades—so imagine what the rest of the population has been taught.

Am I correct in thinking that Spain's history with regard to Peru should not be called a "conquest," nor is it "colonialism," but rather the history of evangelization?

That's right, and as Ramón Mujica Pinilla said, the conquest of Peru was achieved more through alliances than by force.

How are the projects for a new sister-city partnership between Spain and Latin America coming along?

Although it may seem politically distant, I see that the scaffolding of the “black legend” is crumbling day by day, which is necessary before any kind of unity can be achieved. First, we must be united in thought, and then the rest will follow naturally from that.

Pope Leo has mentioned Saint Toribio de Mogrovejo three times in Spain as one of his favorite saints. Do you think that Saint Toribio, as Archbishop of Lima, was the leader or a key figure in the evangelization of Latin America?

Of course, Saint Toribio organized the Church’s structure in Peru and evangelized its people, baptizing and confirming around half a million people. Let us remember that at that time, Peru stretched from Panama to Patagonia, so we can safely say that half of the American continent is Catholic thanks to the work of Saint Toribio.

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Television Interview with Rafael Aita