Juan Bautista Bustos facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Juan Bautista Bustos
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| Born | August 29, 1779 |
| Died | September 18, 1830 (aged 51) |
| Predecessor | José Javier Díaz |
| Successor | José María Paz |
| Political party | Federalist Party (Argentina) |
| Spouse(s) | María Juliana Maure |
| Parent(s) | Pedro León Bustos and María Tomasina de la Puebla |
Juan Bautista Bustos (born August 29, 1779 – died September 18, 1830) was an important Argentine leader. He was a politician and a military man. He took part in big events like the British invasions of the River Plate and the Argentine Civil Wars. In 1820, he became the very first official Governor of Córdoba.
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Early Military Adventures
In 1806, Juan Bautista Bustos was a captain. He led soldiers from Córdoba to help free Buenos Aires during the first British Invasion. After Buenos Aires was taken back, he joined a special group called the Battalion of Arribeños.
In 1807, the British invaded again. Bustos bravely led 30 soldiers against a British fort. He made them surrender! Because he was so brave, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of the Arribeños.
He also played a big part in the May Revolution of 1810. This was a key moment for Argentina's independence.
In April 1811, he was part of a group called the Tribunal of Public Security. But when his leader, Cornelio Saavedra, lost power, Bustos was removed from his military job.
He worked as a merchant until 1812. Then, he rejoined the army as a colonel. He was put in charge of the 2nd Infantry Battalion.
Joining the Army of the North
In 1815, a leader named Ignacio Álvarez Thomas assigned Bustos to the Army of the North. This army was fighting for independence. However, Bustos could not join a big battle called Sipe-Sipe. The governor of Salta, Martín Miguel de Güemes, stopped him. Güemes thought Bustos was sent to remove him from power.
Once Bustos joined the Army of the North, he became a trusted officer of General Manuel Belgrano. He reached the rank of Senior Colonel. But he did not fight in any of the campaigns in the Upper Peru region.
Even though he was from a province, Bustos stayed loyal to the main government. This was during a time when provinces wanted more power. In 1816, he fought against Juan Francisco Borges. In 1818, he fought against Estanislao López, the governor of Santa Fe. López defeated Bustos in a place called Fraile Muerto.
In 1819, the governor of Buenos Aires tried to break up the Federal League. Bustos fought López in the Battle of La Herradura. No one clearly won this battle. Later, in March, fighting happened in Las Barrancas, Córdoba. An agreement was signed in San Lorenzo in April, but the peace did not last long.
Becoming Governor of Córdoba
Bustos returned to Córdoba with 2,500 men. He was chosen as Governor by the province's assembly and took office on March 24. As governor, Bustos wanted to make the country stronger. He worked closely with important figures like José de San Martín and Güemes.
He made peace with López and fought a short civil war against Francisco Ramírez and José Miguel Carrera. Bustos defeated them in Cruz Alta.
Bustos played a key role in the Treaty of Benegas in November 1820. This treaty brought a truce between the provinces. It also planned for a National Congress in January 1821. However, this Congress did not happen because Buenos Aires, especially its minister Bernardino Rivadavia, was against it.
In Córdoba, Bustos was supported by people from the countryside, ranchers, and some church leaders. His government was stable and made progress. He allowed people with different ideas to speak freely. On January 30, 1821, he approved the Constitution of Córdoba. This constitution protected individual rights and freedoms. In 1822, he created a group to help improve basic education in rural areas.
Reelection and Federalist Ideas
Bustos's first term as governor ended on February 25, 1825. His supporters wanted him to be reelected. However, the Congress of Córdoba chose someone else, José Julián Martínez. This made Bustos's followers very angry. They, with the help of rural leaders, removed the Congress members. They then elected new representatives. On March 30, 1825, these new representatives confirmed Bustos as governor again.
Bustos believed in a "Federalist" system. This meant provinces should have more power. This idea was different from the "Unitarian" ideas of Rivadavia in Buenos Aires. Rivadavia wanted a strong central government. Bustos removed the representatives who supported Unitarianism. Like most provinces, he rejected the Constitution of 1826, which was centralist.
To fight against Buenos Aires's central power, Bustos asked for help from Facundo Quiroga. He wrote a letter to Quiroga, saying they must show that they loved their country's freedom. As Rivadavia's government became less popular, Bustos suggested in May 1827 that Argentina should be a federal republic. Bustos was one of the first governors to let Manuel Dorrego, the new federalist governor of Buenos Aires, handle foreign affairs.
Defeat and Passing Away
Bustos was a respected leader because of his successful government. This made him a target for the Unitarians after Dorrego was killed. His former friend, José María Paz, who was a strong Unitarian, marched towards Córdoba. Paz felt he had "old debts" with Bustos. This included Bustos's limited help in a past war.
Bustos could not stop Paz from entering Córdoba city. He retreated to San Roque. He tried to make a deal with Paz, giving him control of the province. They agreed to new elections where neither of them would run. Bustos was trying to gain time for Quiroga to arrive with help. However, Paz attacked Bustos by surprise on April 22, 1829, in the Battle of San Roque. Bustos was completely defeated.
Bustos escaped to La Rioja to find Quiroga. Quiroga gathered soldiers from his province and Córdoba to fight Paz. Bustos led them. They fought Paz's forces at La Tablada on June 22, 1829. Paz's forces, even though they were outnumbered, defeated Bustos. During his escape, Bustos was ambushed. To avoid being captured, he rode his horse into the Primero River. He was badly hurt in his chest but survived. He found safety with local cowboys. After a few days, he reached Santa Fe, where Estanislao López welcomed him. But his health got much worse, and he passed away on September 18, 1830.
See also
In Spanish: Juan Bautista Bustos para niños
