What was the Plan de Iguala, and how did Mexico win independence?

The Plan de Iguala and Mexican independence

El Plan de Iguala y la consumación de la independencia

24 February – 27 September 1821. After ten years of war the insurgency in Mexico had shrunk to guerrilla bands in the southern mountains under Vicente Guerrero.

Draft: not yet checked against its sources.

Where: Mexico, Mexico City

What happened

After ten years of war the insurgency in Mexico had shrunk to guerrilla bands in the southern mountains under Vicente Guerrero. Then the liberal revolution of 1820 in Spain frightened conservative creoles and churchmen, who now saw independence as the way to protect their position. The royalist colonel Agustín de Iturbide, sent to fight Guerrero, instead made a pact with him. On 24 February 1821 at Iguala he published a plan of 23 articles with three guarantees: the Catholic religion with no other tolerated, independence under a monarchy, and union between Americans and Europeans. Royalists and insurgents merged into the Army of the Three Guarantees, which entered Mexico City on 27 September 1821. The green, white and red of its flag became Mexico's.

Say it

El 27 de septiembre de 1821 el Ejército Trigarante entró en la Ciudad de México.

On 27 September 1821 the Army of the Three Guarantees entered Mexico City.

Why it matters

Mexico's independence was completed not by Hidalgo's revolution but by a conservative compromise, which is why the country argues to this day about which date, 1810 or 1821, and which heroes it should celebrate. The tricolour flag comes from here.

Read about it

Connected

Sources

  1. 24 de febrero de 1821, proclamación del Plan de Iguala — Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional (gob.mx)
  2. Aniversario del natalicio de Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla — Secretaría de Educación Pública (gob.mx)