Bernardo de Monteagudo
*Bernardo de Monteagudo was born on this date in 1789. He was an Afro Argentine political leader at the time of independence.
Monteagudo became involved very early in the independence movement and was arrested several times. In 1808, he wrote Diálogo entre Atahualpa y Fernando VII, in which he criticized the colonial system. Monteagudo talked about the need for independence and favored the use of terror and the death penalty for those who opposed it. He also favored the installation of a dictatorship responsible to a popular assembly to ensure independence and freedom.
As a consequence of his radicalism, Monteagudo was opposed by other independence leaders and was sent into exile several times. In 1817, he went to Chile, where José de San Martín gave him an important governmental position. He accompanied San Martín on his expedition to Peru. There, he became minister of war, following a hardline policy against the Spaniards and those suspected of opposing independence. His policies created such resentment that a rebellion broke out on 25 July 1822. He was murdered in Lima, Peru on January 28, 1825.
