(Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, 2021-12-01) Nasif, Samir
The article explores a case brought forward to the Cabildo of Buenos Aires after the annual election of council positions held in January 1804. The sudden resignation of one of the elected mayors triggered a dispute involving several government agencies and even resonating in the Madrid Court. Using documents from multiple sources, and drawing from the methodological contributions of the new political history, the jurisdictional approach to political power, and Inquisition studies, the study focuses on the strategic use of appeals and political powers, as well as on the juxtaposition of privileges and positions among Inquisition “familiares”. It also approaches the dispute as part of the confrontational dynamics of local elite groups, where capitulars’ connections with Court procu-ration mechanisms was highly relevant. Furthermore, the study considers the monarchy’s polysynodal rationale, as well as an evolving global context where certain privileges (especially within the Inquisition’s jurisdiction) were being seriously challenged.