José Miguel Carrera - The first for independence

José Miguel Carrera (1785-1821) is one of the most complex and controversial figures in the history of Chile and South America. Known for his leading role in Chile's independence, Carrera was a military and political leader who fought for the liberation of his country from Spanish colonial rule. However, unlike other heroes such as Bernardo O'Higgins, his legacy is marked by both his successes and his mistakes, and his life was a succession of conflicts with allies and enemies, as well as a constant struggle for power in a turbulent period of Chilean history.

Early years and training

José Miguel Carrera was born on October 15, 1785 in Santiago de Chile, to an aristocratic Creole family. He was the son of Ignacio de la Carrera, a Chilean nobleman of Spanish origin, and Rosa Orellana, a woman of high society. From his childhood, José Miguel showed a bold temperament and a strong sense of justice. At the age of 14, he was sent to Spain to study at the Royal Academy of Noble Arts and Engineers in Guadalajara, where he trained as a soldier, and then at the Royal Academy of San Fernando in Madrid. In Spain, he had access to the enlightened ideas that would deeply influence his thinking and his future struggle for Chilean independence.

Upon his return to Chile in 1808, the political situation in the Spanish Empire was uncertain due to the Napoleonic Wars, and the independence of the American colonies began to loom as a real possibility. Napoleon's invasion of the Iberian Peninsula, which led to the capture of King Ferdinand VII, left the colonies in a power vacuum, paving the way for independence movements in Latin America.

Beginnings of the struggle for independence

In 1810, when the first independence movement took place in Chile, with the formation of the First Government Junta, José Miguel Carrera was a key figure. On September 18, 1810, the Supreme Central Junta of Spain was replaced in Chile by the First National Government Junta, which began a process of emancipation from the Spanish empire. Carrera, as part of the Creole elite, aligned himself with the most radical sectors that promoted a definitive break with Spain.

Carrera was appointed a member of the Junta and soon became known for his charisma and his firm stance in favour of independence. However, his early tensions with other members of the government, such as Bernardo O'Higgins' brothers, would be a harbinger of the internal struggles that would mark his political and military career. Despite the tensions, Carrera was determined to move towards independence, and from 1811 he assumed a more prominent role.

Career as a military leader

In 1811, José Miguel Carrera was appointed commander-in-chief of the Army, and he began to demonstrate his military skills and his desire to centralize power. His focus on independence was determined, but he was often perceived as authoritarian. Carrera took a position against the Spanish monarchy, but was also reluctant to federal ideas that were beginning to gain traction among some sectors of the Creole elite. In favor of a centralist government, he made enemies among those who supported the decentralization of power, including figures such as José de los Santos Fernández.

In 1811, during the so-called Battle of Las Tres Acequias , Carrera fought against royalist forces, but the defeat on that occasion made him lose popular support and that of his own officers. The political situation was unstable and the struggle for power within the junta intensified. In 1812, a coup d'état led to the dissolution of the Junta, and Carrera, although he had been part of the dissidence, ended up being overthrown.

Over the following years, Carrera was a key figure in the internal political struggles for independence. Between 1813 and 1814, he went through various ups and downs, with several exiles, returns to Chile and new attempts to take power. Despite his difficulties, Carrera maintained the intention of unifying and consolidating the country under a single flag.

Exile and the War to the Death

In 1814, after a series of defeats and pressure from the royalists, the Chilean patriots lost control of Santiago and the rest of the country, and Carrera went into exile in Mendoza, Argentina. Despite this defeat, he did not abandon his dream of independence. In exile, he organized several expeditions to recover Chile, but in his attempts he did not have sufficient support from the main independence figures such as San Martín or O'Higgins. On his return to Chile, internal struggles and distrust among the patriotic leaders further weakened his forces.

In the context of the Guerra a Muerte (1814-1817), a period marked by cruelty and radicalization of the struggle for independence, Carrera continued to fight to maintain the patriot cause. The conflict intensified with the intervention of Spanish forces, and opposition between the independence factions sharpened. Carrera was one of the main promoters of a total war against the enemy, without quarter, and his focus on violence and cruelty was a topic of debate and division among patriot leaders. However, his lack of a unified strategy and the growing rivalry with other key figures in the independence process relegated him to the background.

Carrera and O'Higgins: rivalry and political differences

José Miguel Carrera had a conflictive relationship with other independence leaders, particularly Bernardo O'Higgins, who emerged as one of the most influential men in the independence process. The differences between the two were both political and personal. Carrera promoted a centralist structure for Chile, while O'Higgins, more conciliatory, favored a federal government. These ideological differences, added to personal conflicts, led to a break between the two.

In 1817, following the consolidation of O'Higgins' power, Carrera was finally defeated completely in the struggle for political leadership, and despite his valor in battle, the lack of cohesion among the patriot leaders and internal struggles kept him from power. Throughout those years, Carrera also had to deal with internal tensions between the more conservative and liberal sectors within the patriot camp, which contributed to his political isolation.

Later years and death

Finally, after his last failed attempt to seize power in 1821, José Miguel Carrera was captured by O'Higgins' forces and sentenced to death. On September 4, 1821, Carrera was shot in the city of Mendoza, Argentina, at the age of 36. His death marked the end of a life full of struggles, betrayals, and power struggles.

Legacy and controversy

The legacy of José Miguel Carrera is highly controversial. On the one hand, he was a bold and courageous leader, committed to Chilean independence, and a man who fought tirelessly against Spanish rule. However, his impetuosity, his tendency towards authoritarianism and his inability to unify patriotic factions led him to a tragic fate. Unlike O'Higgins, who managed to establish himself as a central figure in Chilean independence, Carrera was perceived by some as a leader divided by his own interests and by his differences with other heroes.

Today, José Miguel Carrera is considered one of the most important founding fathers of Chile. His figure, although polarizing, is part of Chilean historical memory. There are monuments and streets named after him, and his struggle for independence is remembered as an essential part of the construction of the Chilean nation.