The Hacienda

The Hacienda takes place in the wake of the Mexican War of Independence. The war took place from 1810 to 1821, resulting in Mexico gaining independence from the Spanish Empire. The Mexican insurgents were ultimately successful in overthrowing the government because of the help of Agustín de Iturbide, a royalist general who switched sides in the middle of the war, joined the insurgency, and helped them win the war. Once the war was over, the insurgents set up the First Mexican Empire with Agustín de Iturbide as its emperor. Yet, political unrest did not end with the war. Vicente Guerrero, the original Mexican leader of the insurgency, deposed Agustín de Iturbide the following year and exiled him from Mexico. In The Hacienda, Beatriz’s father was an insurgent who supported Agustín de Iturbide’s rule, so Vicente Guerrero’s followers executed him.

While the novel does not deal directly with Mexican politics, the uncertainty of Mexico’s future and the direct effects of the war underline the entire narrative. The power dynamics between Criollo people—those of Spanish descent—and Mestizo individuals—those of both Spanish and Indigenous heritage—and the Indigenous population is a constant theme throughout the narrative. The hierarchy of the Spanish casta system ensured that white supremacy continued to exist even when the Spanish Empire was not in power.