Real Audiencia of Panama

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The Real Audiencia of Panama (in Spanish in full: Audiencia y Cancillería Real de Panamá en Tierrafirme ) was a court with jurisdiction over a judicial district of the Viceroyalty of Peru and an institution of colonial administration (see: Real Audiencia ). The Panamá Audiencia was the third after Santo Domingo and Mexico to be founded by the Spanish in America. For most of its existence, its area of ​​responsibility extended from present-day Panama to the regions of Cartagena and Popayán in present-day Colombia . In contrast to most other audiencias in South America, the Real Audiencia of Panama was dissolved during the Spanish colonial rule, namely in 1752.

The role of the Real Audiencias in the colonies

As part of the colonization of Central and South America by the Spaniards, King Ferdinand V and Charles V issued the "Laws on India" (Spanish: Leyes de Indias ), which also included the "New Laws" ( Leyes Nuevas ) of 1542, in which the crown organized and regulated the administration of the overseas colonies.

The Real Audiencias were responsible for the implementation of the laws and the support of the military governors .

They fulfilled tasks in administration and finance that went far beyond that of a court according to today's understanding, especially as a separation of powers was unknown. In addition to a chairman and four judges (Spanish: Oidores ) there was a public prosecutor (Spanish: fiscal ), but also subordinate executive forces such as a bailiff (Spanish: alguacil mayor ), police forces, translators, etc.

Establishment and history of the Panamá Audiencia

In order to provide administrative and legal support to the conquest of Central and South America, the Spanish crown set up an audiencia in Panama by royal decree of Charles V on February 26, 1538. This initially had responsibility for all Spanish possessions on the mainland from Nicaragua to the south.

The first oidores to arrive in Panama City in 1539 were Francisco Pérez de Robles (appointed as president), Lorenzo Pérez de la Serna and Pedro de Villalobos, and Alonso de Montenegro (who probably came as fiscal ). The Isthmus of Panama was a special stop on the trade routes between South America and Spain. The gold and silver that was mined or stolen in South America had to be towed overland to the Caribbean by the ships that sailed the Pacific, in order to then reach Europe.

Due to mismanagement and allegations of corruption, the first president was soon replaced by Governor Pedro Vásquez de Acuña . In 1543 the Audiencia was moved to Guatemala . Under the direction of Pedro Ramírez de Quiñones , charges were brought against Pérez de Robles.

In 1563 the Crown ordered the Audiencia to be relocated back to Panama near the central trade route. Lope García de Castro was entrusted with the laying . On May 15, 1565, work was resumed in Panama.

The area of ​​responsibility was limited to southern Central America and the northwest of today's Colombia due to the establishment of the audiences in Lima and Bogotá .

King Philip III Subordinated the Audiencia of Panama in July 1614 to the viceroyalty of Peru .

In the new version of the Leyes de Indias of 1680, the tasks and competencies of all audiences, including that of Panama, were described.

With the improvements in navigation and seaworthiness of shipping, the route across the isthmus lost more and more importance; an increasing number of merchant ships from South America chose the route via Cape Horn and Buenos Aires to Europe. Panama lost its economic importance.

After there was again blatant misconduct by members of the Audiencia and the Bourbons restructured the administration of the colonial empire, the area of ​​responsibility was placed directly under the Audiencia of Lima in 1717. However, this turned out to be so impractical that a new decree of July 1722 ordered it to be re-established.

With the founding of the viceroyalty of New Granada in 1739, the final end came. The Audiencia was dissolved by decree of June 20, 1751; the area administered by it was henceforth subject to the jurisdiction of the Audiencia of Bogotá, for the civil and military administration the viceroyalty established a command post ( Comandancia General de Tierra Firme ).

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