In this work I analyze the influence of the Haitian Revolution in the independence of Venezuela and Colombia during the years 1804-1825. My intention is to show that the impacts were vast, complex and underwent significant changes during the course of the years. Overall, the revolution created panic among the local and Spanish elites and hopes among groups of slaves and "pardos". Initially the revolutionary creoles sought to avoid all contact with the island and avoid the Haitian insurgent model considering that it would produce a race war in Spanish America. However, from 1812-1813 due to the difficulties of the war of independence a faction of the creoles elite began to establish ties with the Republic of South Haiti through diplomatic contacts and privateers. These early relationships, rather timid, were the condition of possibility of a major change that occurred in 1816. In that year, due to the re-conquest of the royalist expedition, most separatist leaders fled the mainland and were forced to exile in Haiti, one of the few places where they found refuge. In that context, President Alexandre Petion established a pact with Simón Bolivar offering military support in exchange of the abolition of slavery in Spanish America. This agreement turned out to be crucial because it made possible the victorious patriot counteroffensive and because it gave a reformist social dimension to the revolutionary process in Venezuela and Colombia. Thus, from 1816 to 1821, numerous contacts were established and even the government of Jean-Pierre Boyer (successor Alexandre Petion) collaborated with two other expeditions lead by Gregor MacGregor to free Panama and Rio Hacha. However, the change was not complete and even during these years, the creole leaders continued to have anxieties towards the menace of Haitian like revolution exploding in the Spanish mainland. Finally, the end of the war of independence opened a new context in which those fears were intensified due to internal popular mobilization. This led to a new scenario ...
En este trabajo me propongo analizar la influencia de la revolución de Haití en las independencias de Venezuela y Colombia durante los años 1804-1825. Mi intención es demostrar que las repercusiones del proceso haitiano fueron vastas, complejas y sufrieron importantes cambios durante el transcurso de los años. En líneas generales, la revolución generó pánico entre las élites criollas y peninsulares y esperanzas entre grupos de esclavos y pardos. Inicialmente los sectores criollos revolucionarios buscaron evitar todo contacto con la isla y eludir el modelo insurgente haitiano por considerar que produciría en la Tierra Firme una guerra de razas y una hecatombe similar a la que, en su opinión, allí había acontecido. Sin embargo,a partir de 1812-1813 debido a las dificultades de la guerra de independencia una fracción de la élite criolla comenzó a estrechar vínculos con la República del Sur de Haití a través de contactos diplomáticos y corsarios. Estas primeras relaciones,más bien tímidas, fueron la condición de posibilidad de un cambio importante que sobrevino en 1816. En dicho año, debido ala reconquista de la expedición realista, la mayoría de los líderes independentistas huyeron de Tierra Firme y tuvieron que exiliarse en Haití, uno de los pocos lugares donde encontraron refugio y apoyo. En aquel contexto, se dio el pacto entre Alexandre Petión y Simón Bolívar, por el cual el primero se comprometió a aportar armas, barcos y hombres a la causa patriota a cambio de la emancipación de los esclavos hispanoamericanos. Este acuerdo fue fundamental ya que no sólo posibilitó la exitosa contraofensiva independentista, sino que además le dio un cariz social al proceso revolucionario de Venezuela y Colombia. Así, a partir de 1816 y hasta 1821, se dieron numerosos contactos e incluso el gobierno de Jean Pierre Boyer (sucesor de Alexandre Petión) colaboró con otras dos expediciones a cargo de Gregor Mac Gregor para liberar Panamá y Río Hacha. Sin embargo, el cambio no fue total y aún durante estos años, los líderes criollos continuaron teniendo reparos frente al peligro de la explosión de un nuevo Haití en la Tierra Firme hispana. Por último, el fin de la guerra de independencia abrió un nuevo contexto en el cual aquellos miedos se intensificaron debido a la movilización social interna.Esto derivó en nuevo alejamiento y el gobierno de Colombia no sólo se negó a mantener relaciones con Haití, sino que incluso lo excluyó del Congreso de Panamá. ; In this work I analyze the influence of the Haitian Revolution in the independence of Venezuela and Colombia during the years 1804-1825. My intention is to show that the impacts were vast, complex and underwent significant changes during the course of the years. Overall, the revolution created panic among the local and Spanish elites and hopes among groups of slaves and "pardos". Initially the revolutionary creoles sought to avoid all contact with the island and avoid the Haitian insurgent model considering that it would produce a race war in Spanish America. However, from 1812-1813 due to the difficulties of the war of independence a faction of the creoles elite began to establish ties with the Republic of South Haiti through diplomatic contacts and privateers. These early relationships, rather timid, were the condition of possibility of a major change that occurred in 1816. In that year, due to the re-conquest of the royalist expedition, most separatist leaders fled the mainland and were forced to exile in Haiti, one of the few places where they found refuge. In that context, President Alexandre Petion established a pact with Simón Bolivar offering military support in exchange of the abolition of slavery in Spanish America. This agreement turned out to be crucial because it made possible the victorious patriot counteroffensive and because it gave a reformist social dimension to the revolutionary process in Venezuela and Colombia. Thus, from 1816 to 1821, numerous contacts were established and even the government of Jean-Pierre Boyer (successor Alexandre Petion) collaborated with two other expeditions lead by Gregor MacGregor to free Panama and Rio Hacha. However, the change was not complete and even during these years, the creole leaders continued to have anxieties towards the menace of Haitian like revolution exploding in the Spanish mainland. Finally, the end of the war of independence opened a new context in which those fears were intensified due to internal popular mobilization. This led to a new scenario in which the government of Colombia not only refused to maintain relations with Haiti but even excluded this country from the Congress of Panama. ; Fil: Martinez Peria, Juan Francisco. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Saavedra 15. Instituto de Historia Argentina y Americana ; Argentina
El manto de silencio que ha cubierto la revolución haitiana, no sólo ha ocluido la radical trascendencia de aquel proceso, sino que además, ha invisibilizado la tradición intelectual que emergió allí al calor de dicho acontecimiento. Este olvido resulta evidente cuando uno examina los estudios generales sobre la historia de las ideas en América Latina y en especial los que abordan el período de la independencia. Haití generalmente brilla por su ausencia y cuando se lo menciona, son escasísimas las referencias a la producción teórica-ideológica haitiana. Tal omisión es sumamente lamentable, porque impide tener una mirada más amplia de los debates político-intelectuales de aquella época. Y particularmente, porque fue en el Haití revolucionario donde surgieron las corrientes teóricas más radicales, largamente más críticas que las del resto de la región. Buscando subsanar esta miopía historiográfica, en este trabajo me propongo analizar brevemente la obra de Jean Louis Vastey (1781-1820) el más destacado de los intelectuales haitianos de dicho período. En tal sentido, mi intención es aportar a su redescubrimiento, subrayando su relevancia como un precursor del anti-colonialismo radical en la región. ; The mantle of silence that has covered the Haitian Revolution has both occluded the radical importance of the process, and the intellectual tradition that appeared in the island after its success. This omission is noticeable when one examines the studies on the history of ideas in Latin America and especially those dealing with the independence period. Haiti is generally absent, and when it's mentioned very few references are made to the intellectual currents in the island. This oblivion is extremely unfortunate because it has prevents us of having a more complete idea of the political and cultural debates of that time. And, particularly because it was in Haiti where the more radical intellectual currents appeared. Attempting to fill this historiographical vacancy, in this article I intend to briefly discuss the ideas of Jean Louis Vastey (1781-1820) the most prominent of Haitian intellectuals of that period. Only just recently studied in the English-speaking academia, it is still almost an absolute unknown in the Latin American context. In this regard, I intend to contribute to its rediscovery, underlining its importance as a pioneer of the radical anticolonial tradition of Latin America. ; Fil: Martinez Peria, Juan Francisco. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Saavedra 15. Instituto de Historia Argentina y Americana ; Argentina
