Local Elections and the Creation of New Political Spaces in Yucatan, 1786-1829

Abstract

This paper examines the relations between indigenous and non-indigenous peoples at the end of the colonial period and the beginning of the nineteenth century through the analysis of electoral practices determined to designate members of local institutions. In contrast to traditional historiography, the following conclusions are drawn: first, that the interactions between the officials of the crown and the indigenous communities gave rise to negotiations even after the Bourbon reforms; second, that the introduction of the new order established by the Constitution of Cádiz contributed to the formation of new spaces for political interaction between indigenous and non-indigenous peoples; and, third, that the new political practices obeyed a logic related to power and social status within local communities. Therefore, in addition to focusing on the categories of indigenous and non-indigenous, this study proposes to analyze dynamics and power relations at the local level.