‘Putting Allende in his rightful place’, the importance of SMA in Independence Day

Published September 2nd, 2021

The insurgent who started the Mexican Independence movement was born in San Miguel, and the antecedents say that there were people from San Miguel de Allende who saw and participated with the Conspirators. The fact of being able to make the figure of Ignacio Allende, with the place that really corresponds to him, that meaning has for the sanmiguelenses to celebrate the patriotic celebrations.

Luis Felipe Rodríguez, chronicler of the city of San Miguel, gives us all the details.

“More than part of the route of independence is an itinerary that has been formulated in recent times, San Miguel de Allende has always considered this celebration important because, although the official history does not record it as such, the sanmiguelenses of that time knew, now yes that in its ink the movement, this was generated very early, it was known very early because already in 1852 the political chief published his book on the geographical features of Don Ignacio de Allende, with testimonies of neighbors who then still lived, had known or participated to the Conspirators.

“This situation was very important because others did not have a general vision as we have today, that made history change because Ignacio Allende was never talked about again, especially because of the differences he had with the priest Miguel Hidalgo, so this situation is important for San Miguel because they have always wanted to highlight the figure that snatches the official history of Don Ignacio, If I go directly to the declaration made to Don Miguel Hidalgo, well, we can see it, it was the father of the nation himself when in his declaration, if I am right it is number 14 the question, he answers, that he did not agree with participating, and there is the insistence from Don Ignacio, at the third time he decides to accept.

The differences they had were due to the way he handled himself, Mr. Hidalgo the priest, if you remember, in Guadalajara he called himself his Serene Highness, something that was already very high, as if he got dizzy with the partition he had and allowed a series of murders in Guanajuato, I cannot call it any other way, there historians are divided, many say that the priest Hidalgo directly directed that, which is false, Lucas Salaman who lived in Guanajuato on that day, assures that he was in the hacienda of Burras directing from there.

It is also in Michoacán, in the old Valladolid, where he accepts that 50 or 60 Spaniards are sacrificed, and 350 that they order to kill also in Guadalajara, and this he accepts it in his process, then it is demonstrated with autograph signatures, that he allows it.

When it has been wanted to change that part, all have the idea that the old man, this way the painting describes it, because there is no photograph of then, but he was not an old man still at his 56 years, but this image has been sold to the Mexicans like others in other events.

That meaning has for the people of San Miguel de Allende, the fact of being able to make the figure of Allende, with the place that really corresponds to him, as the lead initiator of the Independence and that ends up as ‘Generalissimo’ Don Ignacio de Allende, who surprised by the treason of Elizondo where on May 6th a process was formed against him, being sentenced to death”, detailed the chronicler of the city of San Miguel de Allende.