The Supreme Executive Power () was the provisional government of Mexico that governed between the fall of the First Mexican Empire in March 1823 and the election of the first Mexican president, Guadalupe Victoria, in October 1824. After Emperor Agustín abdicated, the sovereignty of the nation passed over to Congress, which appointed a triumvirate, made up of Guadalupe Victoria, Pedro Celestino Negrete, and Nicolás Bravo, to serve as the executive, while a new constitution was being written.
During this period the government oversaw the transition of the nation from monarchy to a republic, abolishing all titles of nobility, changing the national symbols, and removing from power the remnants of the imperial government. Iturbide himself and his family were exiled to Europe, and when he attempted to return in July 1824, he was captured and executed.
A major challenge proved to be the multiple military revolts that flared up in the provinces, and in one case in the capital itself. The causes varied, ranging from agitation in favor of establishing a federation, anti-Spanish sentiment, and even efforts aiming at restoring the empire.
Elections for a new congress were held in October 1824, and the new legislature proceeded in the task of writing a new constitution, debates over the matter mainly being concerned with whether the new republic should take the form of a federation, or a centralized republic. The former faction triumphed, and the result was the 1824 Constitution of Mexico, and the Supreme Executive Power was replaced by the First Mexican Republic.
Background Independent Mexico was originally a monarchy: "constitutional and moderate" according to the Treaty of Córdoba. The new country adopted the name of the Mexican Empire.
The Plan of Iguala had provided for a Bourbon monarch to be placed on the Mexican throne, but when the offer was refused, a barracks revolt in the capital declared Agustín de Iturbide as emperor; congress, in search of stability and surrounded by Iturbide's military partisans, acquiesced. Iturbide was officially proclaimed Emperor of Mexico on May 18, 1822.Álvarez Cuartero, Izaskun; op. cit.; p. 266 However, the Constitutional Empire soon found itself being torn by conflicts between the emperor and Congress. Deputies were imprisoned simply for expressing their disagreements with Iturbide and finally, Iturbide decided to abolish the Congress, establishing instead a National Junta subservient to him.
The lack of a congress, the arbitrary nature of the emperor and the absence of solutions to the serious problems that the country was facing increased conspiracies to change the imperial system. Antonio López de Santa Anna proclaimed the Plan of Casa Mata, and was later joined by Vicente Guerrero and Nicolás Bravo. Iturbide then was forced to reestablish the Congress and in a vain attempt to save the order and keep the situation favorable to his supporters, he abdicated the crown of the empire on March 19, 1823.
The transition from a monarchy to a republic The First Constituent Congress declared itself installed on 29 March in Mexico City, being supported by the provincial deputations—each composed of a political chief and an intendant—on the condition that a new Congress be convened following the precepts of the Plan of Casa Mata.Benson, 150–151 On 31 March, the Congress issued three decrees: the first abolished the imperial Executive Power, which had been in operation since 19 May 1822 through the Regency; the second established that a collegiate body called the Supreme Executive Power would be appointed, composed of three members who would alternate its presidency; and the third announced the names of the members chosen within Congress: Nicolás Bravo, Guadalupe Victoria, and Pedro Celestino Negrete. As the first two were not present in the capital at the time, the following day José Mariano Michelena and José Miguel Domínguez were appointed as substitutes while the members of the triumvirate were unavailable. was appointed as sole minister in charge of all the secretariats of state.Arias, 1888; 93
After the Emperor restored Congress on April 7, it concentrated on dealing with the abdication of Iturbide. The abdication was not officially recognized, as Iturbide's election was declared to have been forced upon congress by threat of violence, and hence the throne was not legally his in the first place. The debates in congress over this matter became very heated. When a deputy attempted to declare that his vote for the emperor, representing the wishes of his district, had been free and uncompelled, the chamber rose in hostile uproar. Iturbide's coronation, titles of nobility, and hereditary succession were declared null and void. The Supreme Executive Power was asked to expedite the departure from the country of the former Emperor, who was granted an annual pension of 25,000 pesos on the condition that he would leave the country. Despite the controversy, the Plan of Iguala and the Treaty of Córdoba which had established the empire, were declared null and void.
On May 11, escorted by Nicolás Bravo, and supervised in his embarkation by Guadalupe Victoria at La Antigua, Iturbide and his family left the country on the British merchant frigate Rowllins, with Livorno as his destination.Arias, 1880; 95 Upon Bravo's return to the capital, the Executive named new ministers: Lucas Alamán to Interior and Exterior Relations, Francisco de Arrillaga to the Treasury, Pablo de La Llave to Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs, and to War and Marine.
Political prisoners were liberated, Iturbide's council of state was abolished, and a new Supreme Court was established.
On 16 May 1823, from San Agustín de las Cuevas, Vicente Guerrero issued a manifesto to his compatriots reaffirming his opposition to the imperial regime and calling for national unity. Finally, due to the absence of Guadalupe Victoria, Guerrero was appointed substitute member of the Supreme Executive Power. On 21 May, the call was issued to form the new Congress. On 23 June, the provisional structure of the Supreme Court of Justice was established, composed of three chambers. On 19 July, Congress issued the decree declaring “good and meritorious the services rendered to the nation in the first eleven years of the war of independence and eminently meritorious in a heroic degree” to Miguel Hidalgo, Ignacio Allende, Juan Aldama, Mariano Abasolo, José María Morelos, Mariano Matamoros, Leonardo and Miguel Bravo, Hermenegildo Galeana, José Mariano Jiménez, Xavier Mina, Pedro Moreno, and Víctor Rosales. Their names were ordered to be inscribed in gold letters in the Congress hall, and commemorative monuments were to be erected at the places where they were executed. Their remains were exhumed so that on 16 September 1823 they could be transferred from distant locations to the Mexico City Cathedral. On 29 August, Guadalupe Victoria and Vicente Guerrero were likewise declared meritorious of the nation. On 11 September, Benedicto López was declared meritorious, and a pension was granted to his widow. On 3 October 1823, the Treaty of Union, League, and Perpetual Confederation between Colombia and Mexico was signed.
On July 19, 1823, Congress honored 11 deceased heroes who had fought for Mexican independence: Miguel Hidalgo, Ignacio Allende, Juan Aldama, Mariano Abasolo, José María Morelos, Mariano Matamoros, , Leonardo Bravo, Galeana, Jiménez, Mina, Pedro Moreno, and Rosales. Their names were ordered to be inscribed in gold over the congressional chamber, and monuments were ordered to be raised in their places of death. The remains which could be found were exhumed in order to hold a state funeral for them. In the aftermath of the ceremonies, a mob plotted to visit the tomb of Hernán Cortés in order to desecrate his bones, and the government had to send for the remains to be hidden and protected.
The political opposition to Iturbide at this time also led to a change in the commemoration of Mexican Independence. The War of Mexican Independence went through multiple phases, not at all under the same leadership or with the same aims, and in 1821, it was Iturbide who had finally gained independence from Spain, leading to a commemoration of the matter on the anniversary of his army's entrance into Mexico City on September 27. However, with the fall of Iturbide, the commemoration of independence was moved to September 16, commemorating the Cry of Dolores that had begun the struggle for independence.
Administrative measures During the provisional government, the captaincies general established by Iturbide were replaced by military commands; political prisoners were released; the issuance of paper money ordered by the National Instituent Junta was suspended; Miguel Santa María—who had supported the Plan of Veracruz against Iturbide—was invited to return to Mexico to resume his functions as plenipotentiary minister of Gran Colombia; and the appointment of the ministers of the Supreme Court of Justice was declared null.Arias, 1880; 96–97 The crown was ordered removed from the eagle on the national coat of arms. Servando Teresa de Mier proposed changing the colors of the flag to white and blue in remembrance of those used by the insurgents and on the standards of Moctezuma, but it was decided to retain green, white, and red. In general, and without yet determining the definitive form of government of the nation, everything relating to the empire was eliminated.Domínguez, 2004; 652 To provide financial resources to the treasury, existing tobacco stocks were sold at low prices, the temporalities of the Jesuits and some assets of the Hospitallers, as well as those of the Inquisition, were alienated. It was necessary to resort to a loan from the English house Staples and a loan with the house Manning and Marshall, representatives of Barclay, Herring, Richardson and Company of London.
Financial issues Executive Triumvirate Nicolás Bravo Guadalupe Victoria Pedro NegreteMarch 31, 1823 – October 10, 1824
Substitute Members José Michelena Miguel Domínguez Vicente GuerreroApril 1, 1823 – October 10, 1824 July 2, 1823 – October 10, 1824 The insolvency of the government was one of the most pressing issues at hand. The state was nearly bankrupt and the provisional government chose to accept the debt inherited from the Spanish Viceroyalty. On April 11, 1823, the government decreed an end to the printing of paper money. On June 27, 1823, a poll tax was established. Anticipating the unpopularity of the measure, two days later the executive published a public appeal, explaining that the government was facing a grave financial crisis, and that the poll tax was established as a matter of necessity. The government sought to reform the treasury, reducing the bureaucracy involved in the collection of taxes, and setting up a system of auditors.
Loans were needed, and the government sent agents to England, which already had a reputation for sponsoring Latin American nations during the wars of independence. It was also assumed that granting loans to Mexico would give England a vested interest in the political success and independence of the Mexican nation. On May 1, 1823, Congress approved the borrowing of £3,200,000 from Goldschmidt & Co.
Three English commissioners by the name of Harvey, Ward and O'Gorman arrived in January 1824 in order to produce a report from the British government on the state of affairs in Mexico. The latter would stay as the first British consul to Mexico City.
Loss of Central America and revolts against the government