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May Revolution

The May Revolution (Spanish Revolución de Mayo) was the first independence attempt in the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. With the arrival of a British frigate to Montevideo on May 13, the rumors were confirmed in Buenos Aires: Napoleon I of France had invaded Spain, capturing and overthrowing King Ferdinand VII, who was replaced by his older brother Joseph Bonaparte.

This meant that the power of the Crown was transferred to the Recency Council in Cadiz, which was sieged by French troops. The options were clear as the authorities which had power had vanished: there was a vacancy in power.

In May 25, 1810 the First Junta was created, and it lifted viceroy Baltarsar Hidalgo de Cisneros -who had tried to conceal the fact that The Crown had been overthrown by France- from the government.

This and other events are referred as the May Week (Spanish Semana de Mayo), which refers to May 25's events and to the whole week that preceded that day.

Contents

Friday, May 18th

Viceroy Cisneros tried to conceal the news that arrived from Spain. However the rumor had already spread in the whole city. He decided then to give his own version of the facts through a proclamation, while trying to calm down the criollos. He asked for allegiance to the King Ferdinand VII, but popular agitation was getting intense making the attempt a vain one.

Some important criollos made meetings at the houses of Nicolás Rodríguez Peña and Hipólito Vieytes . During this secret sessions they decided to name a representative commission to ask the viceroy for a Cabildo Abierto (Spanish for Open Town Hall), an extraordinary meeting with presence of important citizens as hearers. That meeting was meant to decide the future of Cisneros.

Saturday, May 19th

Cisneros received Juan José Castelli and Martín Rodríguez , whom performed the petition. They urged him to make a convocatory for the next day, but the viceroy couldn't decide it as he thought that a Cabildo Abierto could be easily managed to be turned against him. So, he decided that gaining time was first, and cited all military authorities in his gubernatorial residence, el Fuerte, to know if they'd support him.

Sunday, May 20th

The military authorities showed up at El Fuerte in the late hours of the afternoon. Criollo Cornelio Saaverdra , chief of the Patricios Regiment and member of the Society of the Seven , concurred to the meeting. When Cisneros asked for an answer, Saavedra replied that he should renounce, as the Junta who had appointed him didn't exist anymore. The only one to defend Cisneros position was Julian de Leiva , the prosecutor of the Cabildo.

Monday, May 21st

At 9 am, the Cabildo started it's routine jobs, but they were interrupted by armed men and women that occupied the Plaza de la Victoria, present Plaza de Mayo, and demanded for a Cabildo Abierto to take place and the destitution of the viceroy. Amongst the agitators Domingo French and Antonio Beruti stood up. Cisneros finally signed an authorization for the assembly to be held on the next day.

Tuesday, May 22nd

The Cabildo Abierto was started at 9 am. Six hundred invitations had been printed, only 450 of which were given. The invitee's lists was elaborated by the Cabildo taking in account the most prominent citizens of the city. Many didn't attend out of fear, which led to a final attendance of 251. The debate lasted for 4 hours, and was largely interrupted by moments of great disorder. There was mainly two opposite positions: the archbishop of Buenos Aires Benito de Lué who deemphasized that no changes should be made on one side, and on the other side Juan José Castelli who claimed that the American population should assume their own fates until Ferdinand VII could retake the throne.

Wednesday, May 23rd

After the presented of speeches of the previous day, the Cabildo met again to vote for the continuity of the viceroy (alone or in company) or for his destitution. The voting results were 69 for and 155 against, and decided that Cisneros should cease in power. Ultimately, Saavedra's proposal prevailed and a Junta was created, Leive suggested Cisneros as the to-be-designated Junta's president, and with that aim presented a list of future members. Criollos Saavedra and Belgrano, members of the list, attended at the town hall and rejected the proposal. They insisted on the viceroy's destitution.

Thursday May 24th

With all gathered at the Cabildo, the formation of a Junta presided by the ex viceroy and 4 criollo vocals is once again proposed. Such Junta would be maintained until the arrival of the deputies from the rest of the viceroyalty. The Junta members were: Cisneros, Saavedra, Juan N. Sola , Castelli and José Santos de Incháuregui . The town hall approved the Junta but the news were concealed until acknowledgment from the military was granted. The military chiefs where summoned and swore allegiance by 3 pm. When news spread of the new Junta, discontent was shown again under a "Cisneros as Junta's president is just as Cisneros viceroy" proclaim (Spanish lo de Cisneros presidente de la Junta es igual a Cistneros virrey). Populace tension getting higher, Saaverra and Castelli relinquished membership. At 8 pm, revolutionaries met at Rodríguez Peña's house, and started to send emissaries which would persuade all members to quit.

Friday, May 25th

By morning, the town hall's meeting was prepared to reject all the renounces, adducing that the Junta had no faculties to relinquish a power that had been endorsed by the population. But the crisis was inevitable: the militia of the Patricios Regiment under Saavedra's command no longer supported Cisneros and population unrest could not be handled.

The Cabildo had no choice but to ask Cisneros for his resignation, and dissolved the Junta that he presided. Patriots took advantage of the situation and asserted the need of a local authority. Thus, the First Junta (Spanish Primera Junta de Gobierno) was created.

See Also

Last updated: 05-16-2005 14:40:11