Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata
Encyclopedia
The Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata (in Spanish
, Director Supremo de las Provincias Unidas del Río de la Plata), was a title given to the executive officers of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata
, according to the form of government
established in 1814 by the Asamblea del Año XIII
. The supreme director would wield executive power for a term of two years.
The Assembly hoped, by its actions, to confront the royalists, who had been emboldened by internal dissension within the patriot camp. To prevent abuses of power, the Directorship would be combined with a State Council of nine members, and would be required to answer to a Congress empowered to carry out legislation.
After the resignation of José Rondeau
, following the Centralist
defeat at the Battle of Cepeda
, the office of Supreme Director was briefly assumed by Juan Aguirre y López
, who endorsed the Buenos Aires cabildo
(City Hall) to name a Governor for the province of Buenos Aires
as the national Congress dissolved itself on 16 February 1820, effectively ending the national central government and giving way to a rather new federal
reorganization for the country, which was immediately formalized by the Treaty of Pilar
on 23 February 1820.
For the traditional liberal historiagraphy, best exeplified by Bartolomé Mitre
works, the aftermath of the dissolution of the Central Government in 1820 led to the "Anarchy of the 1820s" (Anarquía del año 20).
In fact, until 1826 there would not be any central authority among the Argentine Provinces.
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, Director Supremo de las Provincias Unidas del Río de la Plata), was a title given to the executive officers of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata
United Provinces of South America
The United Provinces of South America was the original name of the state that emerged from the May Revolution and the early developments of the Argentine War of Independence...
, according to the form of government
Supreme director
Supreme director was a title used to designate certain heads of state in South America* The Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata , from 1814 to 1820....
established in 1814 by the Asamblea del Año XIII
Asamblea del Año XIII
The Assembly of Year XIII was a meeting called by the Second Triumvirate governing the young republic of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata on October 1812....
. The supreme director would wield executive power for a term of two years.
The Assembly hoped, by its actions, to confront the royalists, who had been emboldened by internal dissension within the patriot camp. To prevent abuses of power, the Directorship would be combined with a State Council of nine members, and would be required to answer to a Congress empowered to carry out legislation.
After the resignation of José Rondeau
José Rondeau
José Casimiro Rondeau Pereyra was a general and politician in Argentina and Uruguay in the early 19th century.-Biography:...
, following the Centralist
Unitarian Party
Unitarianists or Unitarians were the proponents of the concept of a Unitary state in Buenos Aires during the civil wars which shortly followed the Declaration of Independence of Argentina in 1816. They were opposed to the Argentine Federalists, who wanted a federation of independent provinces...
defeat at the Battle of Cepeda
Battle of Cepeda (1820)
The Battle of Cepeda of 1820 took place on February 1 in Cañada de Cepeda, Santa Fe, Argentina.It was the first major battle that saw Unitarians and Federals as two constituted sides. Federal League Provinces of Santa Fe and Entre Ríos joined forces to topple the 1819 centralist Constitution, and...
, the office of Supreme Director was briefly assumed by Juan Aguirre y López
Juan Pedro Julián Aguirre y López de Anaya
Juan Pedro Julián Aguirre y López de Anaya was an Argentine revolutionary and politician.Aguirre was born in Buenos Aires. He fought in the wars against the British troops of 1806/07, rising to the rank of Captain...
, who endorsed the Buenos Aires cabildo
Cabildo (council)
For a discussion of the contemporary Spanish and Latin American cabildo, see Ayuntamiento.A cabildo or ayuntamiento was a former Spanish, colonial administrative council that governed a municipality. Cabildos were sometimes appointed, sometimes elected, but were considered to be representative of...
(City Hall) to name a Governor for the province of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires Province
The Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880...
as the national Congress dissolved itself on 16 February 1820, effectively ending the national central government and giving way to a rather new federal
Federal republic
A federal republic is a federation of states with a republican form of government. A federation is the central government. The states in a federation also maintain the federation...
reorganization for the country, which was immediately formalized by the Treaty of Pilar
Treaty of Pilar
The Treaty of Pilar was a pact signed among the rulers of the Argentine provinces of Santa Fe, Entre Ríos and Buenos Aires, which is recognized as the foundation of the federal organization of the country...
on 23 February 1820.
For the traditional liberal historiagraphy, best exeplified by Bartolomé Mitre
Bartolomé Mitre
Bartolomé Mitre Martínez was an Argentine statesman, military figure, and author. He was the President of Argentina from 1862 to 1868.-Life and times:...
works, the aftermath of the dissolution of the Central Government in 1820 led to the "Anarchy of the 1820s" (Anarquía del año 20).
In fact, until 1826 there would not be any central authority among the Argentine Provinces.
List of Supreme Directors
| Image | Supreme Director | Mandate |
 |
Gervasio Antonio de Posadas Gervasio Antonio de Posadas Gervasio Antonio de Posadas y Dávila was a member of Argentina's Second Triumvirate from 19 August 1813 to 31 January 1814, after which he served as Supreme Director until 9 January 1815.... |
January, 1814 - January 9, 1815 |
| Carlos María de Alvear Carlos María de Alvear Carlos María de Alvear was an Argentine soldier and statesman, Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata in 1815.... |
January 11 - April 18, 1815 | |
 |
José Rondeau José Rondeau José Casimiro Rondeau Pereyra was a general and politician in Argentina and Uruguay in the early 19th century.-Biography:... |
April 20 - 21, 1815 |
| Ignacio Álvarez Thomas Ignacio Álvarez Thomas José Ignacio Álvarez Thomas was a South American military commander and politician of the early 19th century.... |
April 21, 1815 - April 16, 1816 | |
 |
Antonio González Balcarce | April 16 - July 9, 1816 |
| Juan Martín de Pueyrredón Juan Martín de Pueyrredón Juan Martín de Pueyrredón y O'Dogan was an Argentine general and politician of the early 19th century. He was appointed Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata after the Argentine Declaration of Independence.-Early life:Pueyrredón was born in Buenos Aires, the fifth of... |
July 9, 1816 - June 9, 1819 | |
| |
José Rondeau José Rondeau José Casimiro Rondeau Pereyra was a general and politician in Argentina and Uruguay in the early 19th century.-Biography:... |
June 9, 1819 - February 11, 1820 |
 |
Juan Aguirre y López Juan Pedro Julián Aguirre y López de Anaya Juan Pedro Julián Aguirre y López de Anaya was an Argentine revolutionary and politician.Aguirre was born in Buenos Aires. He fought in the wars against the British troops of 1806/07, rising to the rank of Captain... |
February 11 - 16, 1820 |
See also
- List of Heads of State of Argentina
- President of ArgentinaPresident of ArgentinaThe President of the Argentine Nation , usually known as the President of Argentina, is the head of state of Argentina. Under the national Constitution, the President is also the chief executive of the federal government and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.Through Argentine history, the...