Quote by Túpac Amaru II: “Long live the king, but death to bad government!”

This slogan cleverly distinguishes between loyalty to the Spanish crown (which still held symbolic power) and vehement opposition to its corrupt colonial administration, making the rebellion appear less treasonous initially and broader in appeal.

Used as a rallying cry at the outset of his rebellion, this phrase allowed him to frame his movement as a reform, rather than a full separation, initially targeting abusive local officials, not the monarchy itself.

18th-century indigenous Peruvian leader, born José Gabriel Condorcanqui, who led the largest indigenous uprising against Spanish colonial rule in the Americas. He was captured and publicly executed in 1781 in Cuzco. He is a foundational symbol of indigenous resistance and Latin American independence movements.