-
The independence of Latin America was the historical process of the
rebellion of its inhabitants against Spanish colonial rule and the formation of
independent national states. It began with the proclamation of Sovereign
Boards in 1809. Some of them - especially the first that of Quito - were
repressed by fire and blood by the Spanish authorities -
To the causes, we must add
the events that precipitated the
independence. One of them is
that on May 5, 1808 Napoleon
imprisoned Charles IV and his
son Ferdinand VII and forced
them to abdicate in his favor.
Then, he named his brother,
José Bonaparte, king of Spain. In many Spanish cities were organized
Autonomous Boards that promised to govern until the return of
Fernando VII to the throne, but were dissolved by the French. O -
Some of them - especially the first that of Quito - were
repressed by fire and blood by the Spanish authorities. The process
continued until it became a true continental war. -
Government of its own,
not appointed by the Crown. Soon they would proclaim their meetings,
immediately, throughout 1810, Caracas (19/04), Buenos Aires (25/05),
Bogota (20/07), and Santiago de Chile (18/08). -
The military reaction of
the colonial authorities was
immediate. They met with little success, for they had no trained armies. The
Creole reaction was increasingly strong and organized, which turned the
process into a true continental war that lasted for several years. -
in 1814,
patriotic military campaigns
subsisted in Venezuela and
the Río de la Plata. In the
first, Simón Bolívar -Member
of the Caraqueña -
Shortly after, annexed Mexico to
defend itself better from Spain. -
However, later, Morillo
counterattacked and defeated Bolivar in the valley of Aragua. Then Bolívar
crossed the Andes and defeated the royalists in the battle of Pantano de Vargas
(25-07-1819). which sealed the independence of New Granada. -
In this action, Artigas no longer
participated, since he was exiled in Paraguay. Another federalist initiative was led
by General José de San Martín -
San Martin declared
independence and was appointed Protector of Peru with full civil
and military authority. -
Let us remember how the independence of
Guayaquil was proclaimed (9-10-1820), the
arrival of the patriot army commanded by
Antonio José de Sucre -
Which culminated
the independence of the Great Colombia.
Let us remember, also, that Bolivar defeated
the royalist pastures in the battle of
Bomboná, and entered triumphant Quito -
In their meetings in Guayaquil , Bolivar, liberator, and
president of Gran Colombia, and San Martin, protector of Peru, talked about what
was missing to complete the freedom of America -
A year later,
discouraged by the death of his wife and the internal fights between Unitarians
and Federals -
Bolívar was authorized
by the Congress of the Gran
Colombia to take command of
an expedition to Peru. In
September of that year, he
arrived in Lima and met with
Sucre and the Peruvian leaders
to plan the attack. Bolivar and Sucre defeated the Spanish -
Four months later, while Bolivar had gone to Lima to raise more money and
receive a new contingent of troops, Sucre was forced to give battle and destroyed
the last bastion of the Spanish army at the battle of Ayacucho -
Where there was no resistance, and made it
independent as a sovereign state that adopted the name of Bolivia in honor of
Simón Bolívar. -
Spain only recognized Mexican
independence -
Cuba proclaimed its independence although it suffered
the American occupation. -
By the direct action of EE. UU, to control the Panama Canal promoted the
formation of a separate republic.
