Elecciones, constitucionalismo y revolución en el Cusco, 1809-1815

Abstract

The political events of Spain in 1808 introduce unprecedented political practices in Hispanic America. For example, the Audience of Cusco held periodical elections of representatives to the Spanish Cortes, and to Provincial and Municipal Assemblies. The struggle for power between the town council, dominated by constitutionalists, and the Audience, considered by the absolutists as the supreme instance of power, was interrupted by the outbreak of revolution led by José Angulo on 3rd August 1814. Research in Peruvian and Spanish archives shows that this introduced an ideological discourse and politcal aims which differed from those of both absolutists and constitutionalists, and meant that the elections lost their initial significance.