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| Junta of Buenos Aires | |
|---|---|
| Name | Junta of Buenos Aires |
| Formation | 25 May 1810 |
| Dissolution | 1811 (reorganized) |
| Headquarters | Buenos Aires |
| Leader title | President |
| Leader name | Cornelio Saavedra |
| Jurisdiction | Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata |
Junta of Buenos Aires
The Junta of Buenos Aires emerged on 25 May 1810 as a provisional Junta formed in Buenos Aires following the collapse of the Spanish Empire's central authority after the Peninsular War and the occupation of Spain by Napoleon Bonaparte. It acted as the de facto executive authority in the former Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, navigating crises involving the Cisplatine Province, Upper Peru, and conflicts with royalist forces loyal to Ferdinand VII of Spain.
The political rupture that produced the Junta had roots in the May Revolution, influenced by events such as the Battle of Bailén, the deposition of Ferdinand VII of Spain by Joseph Bonaparte, and the crisis of legitimacy surrounding the Supreme Central Junta (Spain). Intellectual currents from the Enlightenment, writings of Simón Bolívar, Francisco de Miranda, and the diffusion of works like The Federalist Papers and Junta Central proclamations inspired local leaders including Cornelio Saavedra, Mariano Moreno, and Manuel Belgrano. Economic pressures from the British invasions of the River Plate, trade disputes with Portugal, and tensions involving the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata's internal provinces including Córdoba, Salta, and Mendoza accelerated calls for local self-rule among criollo elites and militias formed from units such as the Regimiento de Patricios.
The Junta formed after open assemblies at the Cabildo Abierto, where figures like Cornelio Saavedra, Mariano Moreno, Juan José Castelli, Manuel Belgrano, and members of the Some» local militias debated authority. The body established an executive Junta led by Saavedra with secretaries including Moreno and Juan Larrea. Institutional frameworks drew on precedents from the Regency crisis, the Cortes of Cádiz, and colonial administrative organs like the Audiencia of Charcas and the Real Audiencia of Buenos Aires. The Junta created subordinate committees such as the Comisión de Guerra y Marina, the Cabildo commissions, and offices coordinating with provincial cabildos in Cochabamba, Chuquisaca, and Montevideo.
The Junta issued decrees addressing representation, diplomacy, and internal order, sending commissioners like Juan José Castelli and Manuel Belgrano as envoys to the Intendency of Charcas and the Paraguay. It sponsored propaganda via newspapers and pamphlets influenced by thinkers like Tomás Godoy Cruz and publications akin to La Gazeta de Buenos Aires. The Junta navigated rivalries between factions associated with Mariano Moreno and moderate leaders aligned with Saavedra, affecting appointments, the composition of the Regimiento de Granaderos a Caballo, and relations with civic institutions such as the University of Charcas and the Real Colegio de San Carlos. It also issued decrees concerning legal continuity with the Laws of the Indies and maintained correspondence with foreign powers including Great Britain, Portugal, and representatives of Venezuelan and Chilean patriots.
To secure control, the Junta organized military expeditions and raised forces drawn from units like the Patricios Regiment, the Húsares de Pueyrredón, and volunteer corps led by commanders such as Manuel Belgrano, Juan Martín de Pueyrredón, and Juan José Castelli. It authorized campaigns toward Upper Peru culminating in engagements near Suipacha and encounters with royalist commanders like José Fernando de Abascal's allies and Bishop Juan José de Vértiz y Salcedo's former networks. The Junta grappled with the strategic contest for ports including Montevideo and the defense of the Rio de la Plata estuary against forces loyal to José Gervasio Artigas's regional rivals and royalist naval assets from Callao and Cádiz.
Facing fiscal strains, the Junta took steps to secure revenue by regulating commerce with Great Britain under trade arrangements reminiscent of British mercantile interests, reorganizing customs under the port authorities of Buenos Aires and adopting measures affecting landowners in Pampa and hacienda economies in Salta and Mendoza. Socially, it addressed issues involving local indigenous communities near Jujuy and Tucumán, engaged with guilds and mercantile houses such as the Consulado de Comercio, and reformed militia enrollment affecting artisans in neighborhoods like San Telmo and residents of Retiro. Policies reflected debates between liberal reformers linked to Mariano Moreno and conservative figures associated with Cornelio Saavedra.
The Junta maintained ambivalent relations with Spanish royalist authorities in Peru and the Viceroyalty of New Granada, negotiating, contesting, and at times waging war against royalist forces concentrated in Upper Peru and naval bastions like Montevideo. It attempted to secure allegiances from provincial cabildos in Salta, Córdoba, Paraná, and Asunción, and faced resistance from provincial leaders such as the Governor of Montevideo and factions in Charcas and Lima. Diplomatic outreach included formal communications with the Cortes of Cádiz alternative organs and informal contacts with Simón Bolívar-aligned insurgents and José de San Martín's later campaigns planned from Mendoza.
The Junta's establishment set in motion institutional precedents that influenced subsequent entities like the First Triumvirate, the Second Triumvirate, and the Congress of Tucumán. Leaders shaped trajectories leading to declarations culminating in the Argentine Declaration of Independence and campaigns by figures such as José de San Martín, Manuel Belgrano, and Juan Martín de Pueyrredón. Its legacy also affected regional actors including José Gervasio Artigas, Bernardino Rivadavia, and intellectual currents in the University of Buenos Aires and provincial cabildos, leaving an imprint on legal instruments like the evolving charters and provincial constitutions across Argentina and neighboring territories.