Cañuelas Pact
Encyclopedia
The Cañuelas Pact was an agreement signed on 24 June 1829 between generals Juan Lavalle
and Juan Manuel de Rosas
, with the aim of ending the civil war in Buenos Aires Province
, Argentina
, which was going on since the revolution of December of 1828.
general Juan Lavalle
against Buenos Aires Province Governor Colonel Manuel Dorrego
, was quick and almost bloodless, with the governor fleeing. Chased by Lavalle's forces, Dorrego was defeated at the Battle of Navarro, and a few days later shot by order of Lavalle, who made himself the new governor.
Until that time the revolution had been running without major problems, but the execution of Dorrego displeased many of the factions; the gaucho
s from the countryside of the province revolted; many leaders of the city of Buenos Aires
declared themselves against Lavalle;, general José María Paz
took a good part of the army in a campaign against Córdoba Province;. The governor of the neighboring Santa Fe Province
, Estanislao López
, started a campaign against the new government of Buenos Aires and the commander of the provincial militia
s, Juan Manuel de Rosas
, marched to Santa Fe.
Lavalle expelled his enemies from the city, but was not able to suppress the gaucho rebellion. He marched on Santa Fe but López forced him to retreat, and chased him back to the capital. The joint forces of López and Rosas caught up with Lavalle at the Márquez Bridge
inflicting a defeat on him.
Rosas established a siege of Buenos Aires, precluding Lavalle's forces and the entire population of the city of receiving any kind of external help or supplies, including food.. Lavalle, isolated and only supported by a dwindling minority of the Unitarian Party, he did not have many options left. Even though he avoided the taking of the city by his enemies, he did not have sufficient forces, especially in cavalry
, to oppose Rosas and break the siege.
. The next morning, Rosas and Lavalle started negotiations to reach an agreement and end the conflict. They did not agree on the first day, but their aides continued meeting for a few more days.
In a second part of the agreement they decided that:
Rosas refused to accept the results of the election, refused to lift the siege and closed all the entrances to the city, restarting the attacks on the Buenos Aires army.
Lavalle, who had personally signed this agreement in Cañuelas, and his followers, who admitted they had underestimated Rosas, started negotiations anew. The result of this would be the Barracas Convention, where they would recall the Legislature from the times of Dorrego and general Juan José Viamonte
would assume a provisional government.
A few months later, Lavalle and his officers went to exile and Rosas became governor.
Juan Lavalle
Juan Galo de Lavalle was an Argentine military and political figure.-Biography:Lavalle was born in Buenos Aires to María Mercedes González Bordallo and Manuel José de La Vallée y Cortés, general accountant of rents and tobacco for the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata.In 1799, the family moved to...
and Juan Manuel de Rosas
Juan Manuel de Rosas
Juan Manuel de Rosas , was an argentine militar and politician, who was elected governor of the province of Buenos Aires in 1829 to 1835, and then of the Argentine Confederation from 1835 until 1852...
, with the aim of ending the civil war in Buenos Aires Province
Buenos Aires Province
The Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, which was going on since the revolution of December of 1828.
Previous events
The revolution commanded by UnitarianUnitarian Party
Unitarianists or Unitarians were the proponents of the concept of a Unitary state in Buenos Aires during the civil wars which shortly followed the Declaration of Independence of Argentina in 1816. They were opposed to the Argentine Federalists, who wanted a federation of independent provinces...
general Juan Lavalle
Juan Lavalle
Juan Galo de Lavalle was an Argentine military and political figure.-Biography:Lavalle was born in Buenos Aires to María Mercedes González Bordallo and Manuel José de La Vallée y Cortés, general accountant of rents and tobacco for the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata.In 1799, the family moved to...
against Buenos Aires Province Governor Colonel Manuel Dorrego
Manuel Dorrego
Manuel Dorrego was an Argentine statesman and soldier. He was governor of Buenos Aires in 1820, and then again from 1827 to 1828....
, was quick and almost bloodless, with the governor fleeing. Chased by Lavalle's forces, Dorrego was defeated at the Battle of Navarro, and a few days later shot by order of Lavalle, who made himself the new governor.
Until that time the revolution had been running without major problems, but the execution of Dorrego displeased many of the factions; the gaucho
Gaucho
Gaucho is a term commonly used to describe residents of the South American pampas, chacos, or Patagonian grasslands, found principally in parts of Argentina, Uruguay, Southern Chile, and Southern Brazil...
s from the countryside of the province revolted; many leaders of the city of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
declared themselves against Lavalle;, general José María Paz
José María Paz
Brigadier General José María Paz y Haedo was an Argentine military figure, notable in the Argentine War of Independence and the Argentine Civil War.-Childhood:...
took a good part of the army in a campaign against Córdoba Province;. The governor of the neighboring Santa Fe Province
Santa Fe Province
The Invincible Province of Santa Fe, in Spanish Provincia Invencible de Santa Fe , is a province of Argentina, located in the center-east of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the north clockwise Chaco , Corrientes, Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and Santiago del Estero...
, Estanislao López
Estanislao López
Estanislao López was a governor and caudillo of the , between 1818 and 1838, a hero of provincial federalism and an ally of Juan Manuel de Rosas during the Argentine Civil War.-Biography:...
, started a campaign against the new government of Buenos Aires and the commander of the provincial militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
s, Juan Manuel de Rosas
Juan Manuel de Rosas
Juan Manuel de Rosas , was an argentine militar and politician, who was elected governor of the province of Buenos Aires in 1829 to 1835, and then of the Argentine Confederation from 1835 until 1852...
, marched to Santa Fe.
Lavalle expelled his enemies from the city, but was not able to suppress the gaucho rebellion. He marched on Santa Fe but López forced him to retreat, and chased him back to the capital. The joint forces of López and Rosas caught up with Lavalle at the Márquez Bridge
Battle of Márquez Bridge
The Battle of Márquez Bridge , fought on 26 April 1829, during the civil war between Unitarians and Federalists, resulting in a victory for the Federal Party forces of Juan Manuel de Rosas and the governor of Santa Fe Province, Estanislao López, over general Juan Lavalle, who had...
inflicting a defeat on him.
Rosas established a siege of Buenos Aires, precluding Lavalle's forces and the entire population of the city of receiving any kind of external help or supplies, including food.. Lavalle, isolated and only supported by a dwindling minority of the Unitarian Party, he did not have many options left. Even though he avoided the taking of the city by his enemies, he did not have sufficient forces, especially in cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
, to oppose Rosas and break the siege.
Negotiations
Without prior notice, Lavalle left one night, accompanied only by an aide to Rosas' headquarters in the town of CañuelasCañuelas
Cañuelas is a town in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. It is the head town of the Cañuelas Partido. It is located near the outskirts of the Gran Buenos Aires conurbation....
. The next morning, Rosas and Lavalle started negotiations to reach an agreement and end the conflict. They did not agree on the first day, but their aides continued meeting for a few more days.
The agreement
The agreement reached in the Pact that was finally signed were:- Cessation of hostilities by both sides
- Election of a Representative Commission, to vote in the capital city
- The Commission would elect a new governor who could not be either Lavalle or Rosas
- Both armies would be commanded by the new governor
In a second part of the agreement they decided that:
- To avoid electoral conflicts, there would be one list of candidates for Representatives
- The governor's election would be to Félix Álzaga, to whom they imposed the names of his ministers, half Federales, half Unitarians.
Failure of the Pact
The Unitarians interpreted this agreement of Lavalle as treason, and even though they created a unity electoral list, on the eve of the election, they presented a second list, including only Unitarians. As the city of Buenos Aires was controlled by Unitarian troops, the rebel list triumphed without dissent.Rosas refused to accept the results of the election, refused to lift the siege and closed all the entrances to the city, restarting the attacks on the Buenos Aires army.
Lavalle, who had personally signed this agreement in Cañuelas, and his followers, who admitted they had underestimated Rosas, started negotiations anew. The result of this would be the Barracas Convention, where they would recall the Legislature from the times of Dorrego and general Juan José Viamonte
Juan José Viamonte
Juan José Viamonte González was an Argentine general in the early 19th century.-Biography:Viamonte was born in Buenos Aires and entered the army in his youth following in his father's footsteps...
would assume a provisional government.
A few months later, Lavalle and his officers went to exile and Rosas became governor.