The Rosas Era: Politics, Conflicts, and Commerce
Allies and Opponents
Rosas enjoyed widespread support in Buenos Aires Province. Hacendados, merchants, the military, and the middle class backed his administration, viewing him as a source of order and prosperity. He also had the backing of the rural lower classes and some urban sectors, particularly in Buenos Aires. However, Rosas aimed to silence all opposition, both federalist and Unitarian. This led to numerous dismissals of civilian employees and military personnel, including members of the church. He mandated the use of a scarlet red ribbon, a symbol of unconditional political support. To enforce his repressive policies, some of his supporters formed the *COB*, a group responsible for violent actions against political enemies. Due to the increasing persecution, many opponents, primarily Unitarians, dissident federalists, and members of the Generation of 37, chose to emigrate, mostly to Montevideo.
The Generation of 37
In the 1830s, European romanticism reached the Río de la Plata, introduced by Esteban Echeverría. Along with other young writers like Gutiérrez, Alberdi, Cané, López, and Alsina, he formed a group known as the Generation of 37. They began meeting in 1837 in literary salons. These intellectuals published a magazine called Moda and attempted to counter Rosismo with republican ideas. However, they faced persecution from the regime and were forced to emigrate. From exile, they continued to express their opposition to Rosas through newspapers and literary works.
Rosas’s Trade Policy
Rosas implemented a protectionist trade policy, designating Buenos Aires as the sole port of entry and exit for goods. Despite protests from coastal provinces, he restricted free navigation of the Paraná and Uruguay rivers. In 1835, he enacted a customs law that favored local economies by imposing high tariffs on competing foreign products. This law also prohibited the import of certain goods that could be produced locally. While well-received internally, it did not resolve the problems of landlocked provinces.
The French Blockade
French commercial interests felt disadvantaged during the 1830s. Rosas prevented them from trading directly with coastal provinces and levied taxes on goods arriving from Montevideo, where the French had warehouses. In 1838, the conscription of French citizens into military service and the arrest of a French diplomat led to diplomatic complaints. In the absence of a satisfactory response, the French fleet blockaded the port of Buenos Aires. French émigrés supported the blockade and the rebellion in Montevideo and the coastal provinces led by Lavalle. British intervention, concerned about the blockade’s impact on their own interests, led to the 1840 Mackau-Arana Convention. France lifted the blockade in exchange for most-favored-nation status, trading rights on the Río de la Plata, and exemption from military service for its citizens.
The Anglo-French Blockade
In 1839, Rosas intervened in Uruguayan politics to support his ally, Manuel Oribe. This concerned Britain and France, who had strong commercial interests in the Río de la Plata region and sought open trade via the Paraná and Uruguay rivers. In 1843, Oribe, with support from Buenos Aires, besieged Montevideo. Foreign émigrés and Unitarians in the city organized its defense and appealed to European powers for intervention. Britain and France demanded the withdrawal of Argentine forces. Rosas refused, leading to an Anglo-French blockade of Buenos Aires in 1845. Aiming to control the internal rivers and trade with coastal ports, the Anglo-French fleet sailed up the Paraná. Rosas ordered resistance, and on November 20, 1845, fighting occurred around Vuelta de Obligado. Despite the resistance, the foreign ships continued their journey. However, they found impoverished coastal provinces with limited resources to purchase imported goods. Rosas remained steadfast in his support for Oribe, his non-recognition of the Montevideo government, and his rejection of free navigation on the internal rivers. Diplomatic efforts by France and Britain failed. This situation harmed British traders, who faced high tariffs in Buenos Aires. Consequently, the British government resumed the blockade in 1847, followed by France the next year.