Clero y política en La Rioja en los años veinte del siglo XIX

El Teniente de cura Melchor León de la Barra, de revolucionario a “reo de alto crimen”

Abstract

This article focus on an specific political conflict which took place in La
Rioja in 1824. This conflict is analyzed to dig into some questions about
the relationship between religion and politics and specifically in the role
played by the clergy as an interpreter or mediator in certain disputes. This
case was produced after the Davila, one of the “houses” of La Rioja’s elite,
was replaced and witnessed its political influence substantially diminished.
Juan FacundoQuiroga had succeed in El Puesto battle and had become
the most important political and military character in the province.In
this context, Inocencio Moreno, Military Commander of Famatina, and
Melchor Leon de la Barra, clergy adjutant faced each other. The latter was
declared “traitor” by Moreno, who also accused him to preach conspiracy
sermons and to have participated in the Junta Tuitiva at Alto Peru in 1809
when, according to Moreno, de la Barra have been excommunicated by
the Archbishop of Charcas.In order to study this dispute, we will based
on documents from the Brigadier Juan Facundo Quiroga Archive which
contains letters and notifications addressed to Quiroga. We will complete
this research with documents from the Archive of the Archbishopric of
Cordoba and Sucre, and from the National Archive of Bolivia.