Republic of the Rio Grande

The Republic of the Río Grande was an attempt at a self-proclaimed independent country and never recognized by Mexico that appeared in 1840 with its capital in Nuevo Laredo and which included the current Mexican states of Nuevo León, Tamaulipas and Coahuila, also claiming part of the current state of Texas that was then in dispute with the United States. It was created by constitutional convention at Rancho Oreveña (near the current city of Zapata, Texas) on January 7, 1840. The Republic was understood as a proto-state and as an application of the nationalist ideologies of the northern towns, which sought to the identification as nation and state, in a sense of opposition and popular discontent for the "Seven Laws" of the then young Mexican Republic, linked to centralism, enjoying a unique and privileged status. This gave the people of Nuevo León, Coahuila and Tamaulipas the only way out of rebellion and independence, to avoid the violation of their freedoms. Popular participation was characterized by support for the cause of Antonio Canales, one of the main leaders and architects of the Rio Grande Rebellion. Unleashing the war conflict between the Republic of the Rio Grande and the Mexican Republic. It ended with the surrender of Canales, after the surrender of support by Texas, on November 6, 1840.

Background

After two decades of conflicts marked by the confrontation between various political currents that disputed, even by arms, the domain of the country, Mexico obtained its independence from Spain in 1821. After an overthrown monarchy, Mexico adopted the federal constitution of 1824, where a federal republic was established.

On March 30, 1833, Antonio López de Santa Anna was elected for his first term as president; however, some members of the conservative party, together with Santa Anna, began to create a network of corruption and so Santa Anna considered that a centralized system would be easier to control. In this way, the president suspended the constitution of 1824, dissolving the congress. The following year, the Seven Laws were released, which laid the foundations for the organization of the Mexican state as a unitary state, turning Mexico City into the seat of the central power of the republic, and the nation into a dictatorship. In various regions this was a pretext for uprisings.

The establishment of the centralist republic in Mexico was the pretext used by the Texan settlers of Anglo-Saxon origin and their Mexican allies to proclaim their independence from Mexico. In reality, the reasons for the Texan discontent were other: their claims to separate Texas from Coahuila, and their concern about the imminent disappearance of slavery in the region given the declaration of the constitution of the state of Coahuila and Texas that no one would be born into slavery. in the Coahuila territory. On April 21, 1836, Santa Anna, a prisoner of the Texan rebels, was forced to recognize the independence of the Texan province by signing the Treaty of Velasco. Other movements triggered by the establishment of the centralist republic were the separation of Yucatán and Tabasco, as well as the rebellions of Zacatecas (1835) and Sinaloa (1837). The latter was one of the longest lasting and was headed by José Urrea. Urrea's movement spread to Tampico in 1837, and from there spread to the three northeastern Mexican states: Tamaulipas, Nuevo León, and Coahuila.

Proclamation and military confrontations

Territories claimed by the Republic.

On March 27, 1839, Antonio Canales Rosillo, together with Colonel José María González and Antonio Zapata started an uprising against the Mexican government, arguing their cause for the establishment of a federation and the formation of the Republic of Rio Grande. In Nuevo León, interim governor Manuel María de Llano joined the Canales cause, and together they sought support in Texas; On July 10, 1839, General Juan Pablo Anaya went to private and government organizations to obtain men and arms, offering in exchange land distribution and participation in the government; the Texans supported the movement, but refused to do so openly, for which they fought under the federalist flag. In this way, the movement had the support of US forces under the command of Reuben Ross and Texan forces under the command of Samuel W. Jordan, who left Lipantitlan (San Patricio) crossing the border on September 30 with six hundred filibusters. Between September and October of the same year, Antonio Canales convened a convention of delegates in Texas. On October 30, 1839, the towns of Guerrero and Mier were successfully taken by the forces of Anthony Channels. However, between December 10 and 11, they were repelled in their attempt to take the Matamoros plaza.

On January 1, 1840, Canales was defeated by the Army of the North under the command of Mariano Arista in Monterrey. On January 18, 1840, in the vicinity of San Fernando de Agua Verde, Coahuila, the forces commanded by Antonio Canales were again defeated by the troops of Mariano Arista. After the battle, some Americans were captured and shot.

On March 18, 1840, Antonio Canales established his headquarters in San Patricio, Texas, raising the flag of the Republic of Río Grande. A force of five hundred Americans and Texans under Jordan and W.S. Fisher occupied Laredo, Ciudad Guerrero, Mier and Ciudad Camargo. The advance continued towards Tula de Tamaulipas, Linares and Ciudad Victoria. In October, near Saltillo, they confronted the troops of General Rafael Vázquez and were forced to retreat towards the territory of Texas. Canales, for his part, was defeated in Santa Rita (present-day Morelos, Coahuila), on March 24 and 25.; while Antonio Zapata was captured and beheaded for treason, Antonio Canales and Juan Nepomuceno Molano fled to Texan territory. Once again, they received support from the Texans, more men were recruited and they settled in Ciudad Victoria establishing a local government. When advancing towards Saltillo they were defeated by the Army of the North. On November 1, Arista and Canales met in the field of Los Olmitos, to negotiate a peace agreement. Canales was disappointed by the little support from the Texans, he decided not to support the expansionist plans of the Anglo-Saxon colonists of the so-called Republic to the detriment of Mexico and thus save his name as a traitor. Finally, on November 6, 1840 in Camargo, Antonio Canales opted for surrender.

Mariano Arista named Jesús Cárdenas prefect of the northern district of Tamaulipas and gave Juan Nepomuceno Molano the freedom to act politically in Tamaulipas. The separatist movement came to an end and a political alliance was created that later benefited Mariano Arista during his presidential term from 1851 to 1853. Antonio Canales was appointed military commander of the northern towns to fight alongside the Mexicans. Canales withdrew to Texas, where he again organized a group of military forces.

Co-founders of the Rio Grande River

Flag of the Republic of the Rio Grande.

The Republic of the Rio Grande created a provisional government with a shadow cabinet, whose objective was to have autonomous bases and sovereignty based on the Constitution of 1824, its co-founders being the following:

• Jesus Cardenas, conventional president.
• Antonio Canales Rosillo, commander of the army.
• Antonio Zapata, first lieutenant of the army.
• Juan Nepomuceno Molano, councillor representative of Tamaulipas.
• Francisco Vidaurri and Villaseñor, councillor representative of Coahuila.
• Manuel María de Llano, councillor representative of Nuevo León.
• Juan Francisco de Farías, secretary.
• José María Jesús Carbajal, alternate secretary.
• José María Flores.
• Policarpo Martínez.
• Juan N. Margáin, vocal of Monterrey.