La Revolución de Mayo

Today a National Holiday. It's one of the major holidays of the year. Another one is 9 de Julio ina few weeks time. The May Revolution of 1810 is remembered today. Many cars have the flag sticking out of the window. The square of Plaza de Mayo is a busy place with many activities. See webcam

La Revolución de Mayo (the May Revolution) was a series of political and social events in the nineteenth century city of Buenos Aires which installed the first local government not designated by the Spanish Crown in the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, which at the time contained the present-day nation-states of Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay. Although the Revolution took place only in Buenos Aires, one of the consequences was that the head of the Viceroyalty, Viceroy Cisneros, was ousted from office. Involved in these acts were mostly middle-high to high-class inhabitants of Buenos Aires (most native Spanish émigrés or residents of Spanish descent). There was no great violence involved; the term "revolution" has been loosely applied by Argentine tradition to highlight the changing of their governmental system and distinguish the undisputed fact that after the May Revolution, Buenos Aires itself was no longer subservient to decisions taken by Madrid in their name.
Prologue

On May 13, 1810, the arrival of a British frigate in Montevideo confirmed the rumors circulating in Buenos Aires: France, led by Emperor Napoleon, had invaded Spain, capturing and overthrowing Ferdinand VII Bourbon, the Spanish King who was then replaced by Bonaparte's older brother Joseph. The power of the Spanish Crown was transferred to the Regency Council in Cádiz, which was besieged by French troops. The situation was clear: with the authority of the viceregency gone, there was a power vacuum.

On May 25, 1810, the First Junta began in Buenos Aires, removing Viceroy Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros from power. On July 9, 1816, Argentina declared its independence from the Spanish Crown.

Contemporaneously, el Día de la Revolución de Mayo (May Revolution Day) on May 25 is an annual holiday in Argentina to commemorate these significant events in the history of Argentina. This and the other events of the week leading up to that day are referred to as la Semana de Mayo (May Week).

Friday, May 18

Viceroy Cisneros attempted to conceal the news from Spain; however, the rumor had already spread throughout the whole city. He decided then to give his own version of the facts through a proclamation, while trying to calm down the criollos ("Creoles"). He asked for allegiance to King Ferdinand, but popular unrest continued to intensify.

Not fooled by the Viceroy's story, some criollos decided to meet at the houses of Nicolás Rodríguez Peña and Hipólito Vieytes. During these secret sessions they decided to name a representative commission to ask Cisneros for a Cabildo Abierto (Open Town Hall meeting), an unprecedented move. There they intended to decide the future of the Viceroy.

Saturday, May 19

Viceroy Cisneros received Juan José Castelli and Martín Rodríguez, and they presented the petition. They urged him to set the meeting for the next day, but the Viceroy would not decide: he thought that a Cabildo Abierto would not be in his favor. He decided that he needed more time, and called the leaders of the military to his gubernatorial residence, el Fuerte ("the fort"), to find out whether they would support him.

Sunday, May 20

The military leaders arrived at el Fuerte in the late hours of the afternoon. Creole Cornelio Saavedra, chief of the Patricios Regiment and member of the Society of the Seven, was in attendance. When the Viceroy asked for his support, Saavedra replied that he should resign, as the Junta which had appointed him no longer existed. The only one to defend Cisneros's position was Julián de Leiva, the prosecutor of the Cabildo.

Monday, May 21

At nine o'clock, business at the Cabildo began as usual, but was interrupted by armed men and women which occupied la Plaza de la Victoria (known today as la Plaza de Mayo). They demanded a Cabildo Abierto and the removal of the Viceroy. Amongst the agitators Domingo French and Antonio Beruti distinguished themselves. Viceroy Cisneros finally signed an authorization for the assembly to be held the following day.

Tuesday, May 22

The Cabildo Abierto began at noon at the Buenos Aires Cabildo. Six-hundred invitations had been printed, only four-hundred and fifty of which were delivered. The list of individuals invited had been drawn up by the Cabildo, taking into account the most prominent citizens of the city. Many did not attend out of fear and uncertainty, which led to a final attendance of two-hundred and fifty-one. The debate lasted four hours, and was interrupted by moments of great disorder. There were two opposing viewpoints: the archbishop of Buenos Aires, Benito de Lué cautioned against abrupt change, and Juan José Castelli maintained that the American population should assume their own fates until Ferdinand VII Bourbon could retake the Spanish throne.

Wednesday, May 23

After the speeches of the previous day, the Cabildo met again to vote for the continuation of the Viceroy (alone or in company) or for his removal. The outcome of the vote was sixty-nine "for" and one-hundred and fifty-five "against", dictating that Cisneros should be removed from the viceroyalty.

Ultimately, Saavedra's proposal prevailed and a Junta was created. Leiva nominated Cisneros as the Junta's president, and with that aim presented a list of future members. Saavedra and Manuel Belgrano, who were on the list, were present at the Cabildo and rejected Leiva's proposal. They insisted on the Viceroy's total removal from government.

Thursday, May 24

With all gathered at the Cabildo, the formation of a Junta consisting of four Creoles plus the ex-Viceroy as president was once again proposed. Such a Junta would be maintained until the arrival of deputies from the rest of the Viceroyalty. The Junta consisted of Cisneros, Saavedra, Juan N. Sola, Juan José Castelli and José Santos de Incháurregui. The Cabildo approved the Junta but the news was concealed from the public until the military could voice its opinion. The military chiefs were summoned and swore allegiance by three o'clock PM. When news spread of the new Junta, public discontent arose. They proclaimed, "lo de Cisneros presidente de la Junta es igual a Cisneros virrey" ("Cisneros as the Junta's president is the same as Cisneros as viceroy"). With tensions among the populace rising, Saaverra and Castelli relinquished membership in the Junta. At Eight o'clock PM, the revolutionaries met at Rodríguez Peña's house, and sent emissaries to persuade all members to quit.

Friday, May 25

In the morning, the collective Cabildo Abierto was prepared to reject the resignations, holding that the Junta had no faculties to relinquish a power that had been endorsed by the population. But two things precipitated the crisis: Saavedra's Patricios Regiment no longer supported Cisneros, and pressure from the populace remained strong.

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

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