La guerrilla como recurso popular frente al despotismo y la tiranía. El caso de Xavier Mina entre Navarra y la Nueva España

Abstract

Xavier Mina fue un joven navarro que destinó casi 10 años de su corta vida a la insurgencia (1808-1817), mediante la guerrilla, a favor de la libertad del pueblo peninsular, ante la invasión napoleónica, lo que le valió cuatro años de prisión; y en contra del absolutismo del rey Fernando VII en la propia península y posteriormente en la Nueva España, con lo que, a su vez, daría libertad a su pueblo tras casi 300 años de haber sido conquistado, lo que le valió su muerte. No obstante, su lucha sería parte importante del proceso de Independencia novohispana y contribuiría a la posterior implantación de una monarquía constitucional en España.

Xavier Mina (1789-1817) was a young man from Navarra who devoted almost 10 years of his life to the guerrilla insurgency, in favour of the freedom of the peninsular people in the face of the Napoleonic invasion, in the first instance; and against the absolutism of King Ferdinand VII later, to force him to govern under the guidelines of the constitution of Cádiz. When he failed in his attempt, he arrived in London, where American patriots and English individuals invited him to lead a libertarian expedition to New Spain. Mina accepted the proposal, as he considered that by freeing that kingdom he would be able to cut off the resources that the king obtained to stay in power; in addition to giving freedom to a people subjected for 300 years, to establish the Mexican Republic. After a victorious campaign in New Spain, which gave renewed vigor to the insurgent movement and concern in the peninsular authorities, he was taken prisoner and shot in the province of Guanajuato. However, his struggle would be a significant part of the Mexican Independence process and would contribute to the subsequent implementation of a constitutional monarchy in Spain