Gangland by Jerry Langton Read Free Book Online Page A

And, like many Criollos , he was frustrated at being limited in his potential simply because of the place of his birth. King Joseph I of Spain had signed a constitution that limited royal powers in 1812, in effect granting much more autonomy to New Spain, but when Ferdinand VII returned to power, he threw it out. That pleased the Peninsulares , but angered many Criollos who were getting more anxious for expanded rights, if not outright independence.
    So de Iturbide changed his mind and switched sides. His intentions were almost certainly to lead a Criollo independence movement, but he knew he needed the help of the Mestizos and Indios , who already outnumbered them by a considerable margin. To effect this, he offered Guerrero and his men full pardons if they would lay down their weapons. To nobody's surprise, Guerrero declined, but he did agree to a face-to-face meeting along with Victoria.
    Later called the “Embrace of Acatempán” after the town in which it was held, the February 24, 1821 meeting was cordial and agreeable. The Royalist-turned-rebel de Iturbide showed Guerrero and Victoria his plan for independence which he called the Plan de Iguala (Plan of Equals).
    Despite its name, the Plan de Iguala was a semi-Royalist tract that would be seen as exceptionally racist today. The long-term plan was to bring Ferdinand to New Spain and have him rule as king. If he refused or was unavailable, another member of the Bourbon dynasty would be installed on the throne.
    To create public support, de Iturbide included three guarantees: New Spain would be renamed Mexico and would be ruled from Mexico City, not Madrid; Roman Catholicism would be the official state religion; and all citizens of Spanish descent would be equal subjects. All Mexicans other than Peninsulares and Criollos would still be subject to the upper castes, but the insurgents accepted the plan because it promised independence from Spain, an enforcement of Catholicism and, because it did not involve attacking or expelling the wealthy upper classes, would not destroy the current economy.
    The insurgent leaders agreed to amalgamate their armies with his under the name of Ejército de las Tres Garantías (Army of the Three Guarantees), and march on Mexico City with de Iturbide in command.
    They surrounded Mexico City and were pleasantly surprised to see that most of the Royalist forces were sympathetic to their cause and did not fight. On his 38 th birthday, September 27, 1821, de Iturbide marched his men under a new red, white and green banner. The following day, the new military rulers issued the official Declaration of Independence, which was signed by Jefe Político Superior Juan O'Donojú y O'Rian, the viceroy (who interestingly, was of Irish descent, though born in Seville).
    The new Mexico did not refer to itself as a country or nation, but as an empire. The plan was to offer the crown first to Ferdinand and, if he declined, to his younger brothers Carlos and Francisco, followed by his cousin, the archduke Charles. If they all declined, the new Mexican parliament—or Cortes, no relation to the conquistadore —would then designate a ruler of their own choosing.
    Not surprisingly, de Iturbide was elected president of the Provisional Governing Junta and he installed a 36-member cabinet made up almost exclusively of his own men, giving the former insurgents almost no voice in the new government. He had, in fact, done something that would have enraged Hidalgo: instead of granting citizenship for all in his new country, de Iturbide had just made things better for his own people, offering almost nothing to non-white Mexicans.
    One of his first acts was to offer the post of Emperor to Ferdinand. Of course, Ferdinand refused, and forbade any of his family from taking the crown either. He also rejected the concept of Mexican sovereignty and pointed out that O'Donojú lacked the authority to grant it and even began half-heartedly to plan a