MATCH PLAN: OBJECTIVES, CONSEQUENCES AND CHARACTERS - HISTORY - 2025

The Iguala Plan was a document signed by Agustín de Iturbide, a Mexican military man who had assumed command of the country's independence movement. The signing of the document represents the equivalent of the declarations of independence that were signed in many other Latin American countries.

The basic principles of the document, raised as a plan, called for the country to be governed by a European monarch, but with an independent Mexico. By signing this document, the Mexican military and the Church retained all of their basic powers. The rights of the criollos and peninsulares became similar.

Iguala Plan - Source: rm porrua (www.rmporrua.com), undefined

Unlike many other independence movements in South America, this document was based primarily on the principles of the Conservative Party. Other countries, such as Colombia and Venezuela, declared their independence using liberal principles.

As a consequence of this, the lower classes were hurt by this plan. In addition, Mexico became the only country in Latin America that requested the representation of a European monarch even if it became independent from the Spanish Crown.

What does it consist of?

The Iguala Plan consisted of declaring, definitively, the independence of Mexico from the control of the Spanish Crown. The official document of the Plan of Iguala was based on various social attributes that Mexico had at the time and on some antecedents that occurred before 1821.

For example, one of the main characteristics was the preservation of the caste system established during the Spanish rule. This system wanted to be retained by the conservatives, who belonged to the upper classes and were benefited by its imposition.

In addition, the independence plan was supported by more than 10 years of civil war that occurred within Mexico, which began in 1810 with the acclaimed "Grito de Dolores" by Miguel Hidalgo. During this time they had fought, without success, for the freedom of the country.

The highest classes of Mexico united to proclaim the Plan of Iguala in 1821. The person in charge of doing it was Agustín de Iturbide.

Maneuvers of Agustín de Iturbide

For much of the second decade of the 19th century, various sectors of Mexico had fought for the country's independence. However, the only person of authority to understand the true problem of the country was Agustín de Iturbide.

Iturbide realized that the peninsular, who obtained many benefits from Europe, were the main "enemies" of all the pro-independence classes in Mexico.

Therefore, he made a document that ensured that all people should be judged equally and all, without exception, would become citizens of Mexico.

In addition, Iturbide met with other leaders of the insurgent movement and explained to them some fundamental benefits of his separation from Spain. One of these was the weakness that the Crown army was suffering, after years of armed struggle against France.

By not receiving strong military opposition from Europeans, achieving independence should be much easier, according to Iturbide's ideas. Both sides of the Mexican resistance, with different ideologies, united in the town of Iguala to sign the document and unify their armies.

This new independence army expelled what was left of the Spanish forces in Mexico. The Spanish emissary Juan O'Donojú signed the document, which gave written legality to the independence of Mexico.

Pain scream

By the time the Iguala Plan was signed, Mexico had suffered a war of more than 10 years, started by Father Miguel Hidalgo with his famous “Grito de Dolores”. This was the war cry of the Mexicans during the war, but its origin dates back to 1810.

Originally, Miguel Hidalgo had been part of a plot against the Spanish Crown, but this was appeased. However, the father acted immediately, arming the people and calling for them to rise up against the Spanish yoke.

Hidalgo is said to have given one of the most inspiring speeches in Mexican history and probably the most important. This served to inspire civilians, who rose up with the priest in what was one of the antecedents of the independence of Mexico.

The civilian armies were poorly organized, which led to a series of reckless actions that did not allow to extend the life of the independence movement.

The father was captured and executed shortly thereafter, in 1811. However, the social and political repercussions of the armed civil uprising were great, and marked the beginning of a decade of armed conflicts within Mexico in search of independence.

Caste system

When Mexico was part of New Spain, the colonial dependency of the Spanish Crown, there was a caste system that worked as it suited the European country. The most privileged people were the Spaniards born in Europe, who were referred to as “peninsular whites”.

On the other hand, and as was customary in most colonial nations, the least privileged people in the country were those of African descent (mostly slaves).

The other Mexican inhabitants, who were local Indians and Mexican-born Spaniards, occupied the two central ranks of the caste system.

In the Mexican society of New Spain, the only way to decide where in society a person belonged was by skin color and place of birth. There was no modern social class system; climbing the caste system was practically impossible.

goals

The Plan of Iguala had as its main objective the independence of Mexico. However, the document established other additional points, which served to lay the foundations of the principles by which Mexico was governed as an independent nation.

The three main objectives of the plan - which made it go down in history as "The Three Guarantees Plan" - are:

Immediate independence from Mexico

The signing of the document fulfilled the main objective of freeing Mexico from all external political control. According to this document, the Mexicans themselves should be responsible for exercising the political authority of the country, leaving out any influence of the viceroyalty of New Spain.

As the document was signed by the conservatives, independence did not directly mean a complete separation from the Spanish Crown. In fact, some European monarch was invited to take over the reign of Mexico, which, although independent, was going to continue to function as a monarchy.

Mexican conservatives even invited Ferdinand VII himself, the king of Spain, to exercise monarchical controls over the country.

However, while deciding who would exercise the power of the new monarchy, the conservatives called to form a governing board. This junta had the responsibility of governing the country while the waters of the recent independence calmed down.

The governing board went on to draft a new Constitution, in which for the first time in history the official name of "Mexican Empire" was conferred on the newly independent country.

Official religion of the country

The second point established by the document made the Catholic religion the sole and official religion of the Mexican State. This was part of the conservatives' plan not to take power away from the Catholic Church.

In fact, through the Plan of Iguala, the Church was assured that it could keep all its lands in Mexico. No jurisdiction of the Church was to be altered by the State.

These measures also served to obtain much more support from the clergy with regard to the independence movement of the conservatives.

Union of all

The Plan of Iguala was based on the manifestation of union as the main social characteristic. After signing the document, all the people who lived in Mexico became Mexican, regardless of their place of origin.

This union included all Spaniards and even Africans. The Iguala Plan not only went on to guarantee Mexican citizenship, but it was also promised that everyone would be tried under the same laws.

Consequences

Reconquest attempts

Although Spain in theory had recognized the independence of Mexico through the signature of O'Donojú, the Spanish Congress met in Madrid in 1822 and decreed that the independence document was invalid.

As a consequence of this, the Spanish Crown refused to recognize Mexico as an independent nation. The Spanish army tried to reconquer Mexico on several occasions, from 1822 to 1835. None of its attempts were successful.

By the time of the Congress meeting in 1822, the First Mexican Empire had already been established, with Iturbide at the head.

First Mexican Empire

On September 27, 1821, the army of the independentistas (known as the Army of the Three Guarantees, in honor of the Plan of Iguala), entered Mexico City. The person who led this army was Agustín de Iturbide himself.

Although the Plan of Iguala proposed the establishment of a European monarch, Iturbide had another idea. His plan was to establish a governing board, to later be appointed emperor of Mexico under a new monarchical regime.

Congress acted independently and many of its members viewed the establishment of a republic favorably. However, Iturbide acted quickly to avoid such a proclamation.

Spain was offered to establish a commonwealth between Mexico and the Spanish Crown, with Fernando VII as king, but with different laws for both countries. However, as the Spanish had the reconquest of Mexico as their main objective, they did not accept the offer.

Iturbide made his troops publicly support him to be named emperor, and his political move worked perfectly. His army and his followers followed him to Congress, the legislators were intimidated by such a presence of people and named Iturbide the first emperor of Mexico.

Treaty of Santa María-Calatrava

The Mexican Empire fell shortly after its establishment (in 1823) as a result of the lack of popular support generated by the country's economic problems. Mexico went on to become, for the first time in its short history, an independent republic.

The Spanish tried to reconquer the country for several years, but they never succeeded. In 1836 both countries signed the definitive Treaty of peace and friendship between Mexico and Spain, also known as the Treaty of Santa María-Calatrava.

Through this document, the Spanish Crown began to recognize Mexico as an independent nation for the first time, since the declaration of independence in 1821. Furthermore, the Spanish renounced all claims to power they had within Mexican territory.

The agreement was signed by two people who are named after him. The first signatory was Miguel Santa María, a Mexican diplomat who was in charge of representing the North American country. The second signatory was José María Calatrava, a Spanish jurist who represented the interests of Spain in the agreement.

Main characters

Agustín de Iturbide

Agustín de Iturbide was a military leader of the conservatives, who is credited with having achieved independence from Mexico through the Plan of Iguala.

The work he did in building a military coalition between both sides of the independence movement served to take Mexico City and make the country independent.

He was named emperor of Mexico shortly after the taking of the capital, under the new name of Agustín I. In addition, he is credited with the creation of the first flag in the history of Mexico.

Juan O'Donojú

O'Donojú was a Spanish politician, who was conferred the position of superior political leader in the viceroyalty of New Spain. This position meant the exercise of the duties of viceroy within the territory controlled by Spain in America.

The viceroy arrived in Mexico in 1821 and found that all the Mexican states (with the exception of Veracruz, Acapulco and Mexico City) were in agreement with the execution of the Plan of Iguala.

He met with Agustín de Iturbide and with Antonio López de Santa Anna. They signed the Treaty of Córdoba, which actually had the same principles as the Plan of Iguala with some modifications regarding the governing board.

References

1. Iguala Plan, Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1998. Taken from britannica.com
2. Plan of Iguala, Encyclopedia of Latin American History and Culture, 2008. Taken from encyclopedia.com
3. Grito de Dolores, Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2010. Taken from britannica.com
4. Juan O'Donojú - Spanish army officer, References of Encyclopaedia Britannica, (nd). Taken from Britannica.com
5. The First Mexican Empire, Mexican History Online, (nd). Taken from mexicanhistory.org
6. Agustín de Iturbide, Encyclopedia of World Biography, 2004. Taken from encyclopedia.com