BETWEEN DREAMED UNITY AND FRAGMENTED REALITY: POST-INDEPENDENCE CENTRAL AMERICA (1824-1839)

Abstract

This article analyzes the complexities of the process of fragmentation of the Central American Federation (1824–1839), with an emphasis on the liberal reforms promoted by Francisco Morazán and the conservative resistances that were articulated in the post-independence period. From the confrontation between divergent political projects, the intra-oligarchic conflicts, regional disputes and social exclusions that marked the short federative experience are evident. In addition to examining the symbols, discourses, and institutions created to sustain republican unity, the study highlights the limits of Central American liberalism in the face of local sociopolitical realities, as well as the tensions between centralization and autonomy in the different states of the region.