- Open cabildo
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The open cabildo (Spanish: cabildo abierto) was a special mode of assembly of the inhabitants of Latin American cities during the Spanish colonial period, in case of emergencies or disasters. Usually, the colonial cities were governed by a Cabildo, municipal-type institutions composed of officials appointed by the colonial authorities. But, in cases of emergency, the cabildo could convene an open cabildo consisting of the neighbours.
At the beginning of the Spanish American Wars of Independence the open cabildos played a decisive revolutionary role, acting as organs of popular participation, as they were able to remove the colonial authorities and establish new autonomous governments.
In modern times, some Latin American countries used to call "open cabildos" to the popular assemblies convened by the municipal governments in order to try and decide local matters of public importance.
The term has been transferred to modern language as a reference to the performance of popular meetings in order to make decisions.
Contents
Traditional open cabildos
During the colonial period in Latin America, the residents of a city convened in an "open" meeting, usually called to deal with an emergency. Frequently those attending were summoned by the ruling council of the city. Such summonses were selective, ("the most healthy and principal") were invited, others excluded — the poor Criollos, Indians, women, slaves and mestizos.
The meetings were held in town halls or churches. The open meetings gave these representatives the opportunity to discuss and resolve issues on an ad hoc basis. Although the summonses went to the local aristocracy and principal citizens, the informal and non-heirarchical nature of these meetings gave them a form of democratic legitimacy, unlike the ruling council which was appointed by and for the benefit of the colonial authorities.
During the first centuries of this period, Open Meetings were not overtly political s and were called for several purposes, including:
- Authorising donations.
- Taking action against the Native Americans.
- Employing a physician (doctor) for public health concerns.
- Attending the reading of Royal Proclamations.
In the early years of the colonial period open meetings were frequent, but became rarer, as control passed to the Spanish and Creole aristocracy, and the administration became increasingly bureaucratic and hidebound.
Revolutionary open cabildos
The old tradition of open cabildos was again restored in 1810, during the arrest in France, by Napoleon, of the Spanish king Fernando VII, held the appointment of governing boards to govern in the absence of the monarch, triggering of this Thus the independence process.
Argentina
In Argentina, the first revolutionary councils were held in Buenos Aires during the British invasions, on 14 August 1806 and February 10, 1807. The latter deposed the viceroy Sobremonte and elected the French viceroy Santiago Liniers.
On 22 May 1810, an open meeting convened in Buenos Aires triggered the May Revolution that began the independence process in Argentina and Uruguay.
In the early years of the revolution, the town-hall was used for the popular election of representatives. On September 19, 1811, an open meeting convened in the town-hall in Buenos Aires of 1,000 residents, elected deputies from the city to Congress.
The cabildos were abolished in the Province of Buenos Aires in 1821.
See also
Categories:- Spanish colonization of the Americas
- Legal history of Spain
- Spanish American wars of independence
- Protest tactics
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