Conspiracy of the Machetes

TheConspiracy of the Machetes(Spanish:La Conspiración de los Machetes) was an unsuccessfulrebellionagainst theSpanishinNew Spainin 1799. Although theconspiracyposed no threat to Spanish rule, nevertheless it was a shock to the rulers. Coming only 11 years before theGrito de Dolores,it is considered in modernMexicoto be a precursor of theMexican War of Independence.

Conspiracy

Pedro de la Portillawas aCriolloemployee in the New Spain tax collectors' office in thePlazuela de Santa Catarina.He was poor, with no important connections. In 1799 he arranged a meeting with about twenty other powerless youths in a house at Alley of theGachupinesNo. 7,Mexico City.Some of the men in attendance were guards in the plazas of the city. Others were low officials in theclock-makingorsilverindustries. All of them were relatives or friends of Portilla.

The meeting discussed the situation thatCriollosfound themselves in, in relation toPeninsulares(Criolloswere "Europeans" born in America, andPeninsulareswere Europeans born inSpain.Gachupinesbecame an insulting term for the latter.) Those present agreed to rise in arms to rid the country ofPeninsulares.

The plan agreed on was to free prisoners, and with them storm theviceroy's palace, thus capturing high officials and funds. The conspirators then intended to proclaim the independence of Mexico, declare war on Spain, and kill or expel thePeninsulares.To accomplish this, they were counting on 1,000pesosof silver, two pistols, and some 50cutlassesandmachetesto initiate a popular uprising under the patronage of theVirgin of Guadalupe.Because of this, the conspiracy became known as theConspiracy of the Machetes.

After the successful outcome of the rebellion, the plan was to appeal to the people to decide what form of government should be established in Mexico. The conspirators apparently favored aCongressbased on that recently established in theUnited States.

At the second meeting,Isidoro Francisco de Aguirre,a cousin of Portilla, became alarmed at the preparations, and went to the authorities to denounce the conspiracy (November 10, 1799). ViceroyMiguel José de Azanzagave orders that they be arrested, but without revealing the motives of their conspiracy in order to avoid excitement among the populace. All the conspirators were apprehended and spent many years in prison. The trial was long, and did not reach a verdict. Some of them died in prison. Portilla himself lived to see the independence of Mexico.

Further reading

• "Azanza, Miguel José de,"Enciclopedia de México,v. 2. Mexico City: 1987.(in Spanish)
• "Portilla, Pedro,"Enciclopedia de México,v. 11. Mexico City: 1987.(in Spanish)
• Orozco L., Fernando,Fechas Históricas de México.Mexico City: Panorama Editorial, 1988,ISBN968-38-0046-7.(in Spanish)
• Orozco Linares, Fernando,Gobernantes de México.Mexico City: Panorama Editorial, 1985,ISBN968-38-0260-5.(in Spanish)
• Sánchez Gómez, Dolores del Mar. "El Virrey Miguel José de Azanza y la conspiración de los machetes¿ primer intento de independencia mexicana?." Una crisis atlántica: España, América, y los acontecimientos de 1808 (1808): 29–38.

External links

• (in Spanish)Castillo Guerra, Hernando,Diálogos en el Pantéon Liberal de México(p. 151)