In 1542, Spain established the Viceroyalty of Peru, a crucial administrative division that centralized control over its vast South American territories rich in silver. Based in Lima, this viceroyalty facilitated the extraction and export of precious metals, which were vital to the Spanish economy and European trade. The establishment of the viceroyalty also marked the beginning of a complex colonial administration that would shape the social, economic, and cultural landscape of the region.

The establishment of the Viceroyalty of Peru in 1542 centralized imperial power and resource exploitation, themes that resonated in the poetry of the time. Poets like Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz addressed the complexities of colonialism and the moral implications of wealth and power in their works.