Page:Historia Verdadera del Mexico profundo.djvu/230

 17. INDEPENDENCE.

During the three Colonial centuries, injustice and inequality in the strict caste system, the creoles had lower opportunities and rights (spaniard children born in Mexico). This brought as a consequence that in the 18th century, a revolt feeling growing within the creole against the peninsular spaniards. The first, by the only fact of having been born in these lands were not entitled to the highest positions among civilians, military and religious authorities; power, trade and wealth were jealously restricted to the hands of peninsular spaniards.

"The first Creoles, by the fact that their positions and prestige was based on the exploits of their parents, were proud of their hispanic descent: their social and economic situation was based on the prestige of being spanish, and descendants of conquerors. This original livelihood came into crisis when the Crown attacked the basis of their economic and social position (las encomiendas ), and installed in the viceroyalty a spanish officials bureaucracy that excluded creoles from leadership positions. At the end of the 16th century, the creole resentment caused by the continuing deterioration of their social position was expressed in a pointed animosity against the gachupines, spaniards who came to America, remained for a few years and returned to spain enriched.

To this political frustration an identity problem was added." (Enrique Florescano. 1987)

Throughout the three hundred years these Colonial "injustices", not those committed against indigenous people, blacks and mestizos, started the independence movement. A handful of native creoles eager to fully participate in the exploitation of the colonial riches began to conspire against the viceroy government. At that time, Spain had been invaded by Napoleon Bonaparte and took prisoners in France Carlos IV, his heir Fernando VII and the royal family.