# Provincial deputation in Spanish America

The Diputación Provincial, Spanish for Provincial Deputation, was a type of institution created by the Spanish Constitution of 1812 to provide a representation of the territorial divisions of both Spain and the Hispanic American territories of the Spanish Empire, during the term of the Cortes of Cádiz. The Cortes created new structures for home rule, the provincial deputations and the constitutional ayuntamientos (local governments). The provincial deputations were a way by which regions ruled by juntas and areas in rebellion in the Americas could keep local control, but maintain their ties to the larger Spanish Empire.
The term "province" in America had an imprecise meaning. The American deputies with the word referred to the small province (Partido), while the European deputies did with great province (kingdom, viceroyalty). The Spanish courts identified province with Intendancy. Previously, the decree of the Supreme Central Junta defined the American territories not as colonies, but as an integral part of the Hispanic Monarchy.
With the constitution and the creation of provincial deputations, the Cortes abolished the viceroyalties; the provincial deputations dealt directly with the government in Spain. The province was governed by a Jefe Político (political chief) appointed by the central government, and a seven-member Diputación Provincial (provincial council), popularly elected. With the absolutist restoration in Spain in 1814 and 1823, the provinces as political entities disappeared and their territories were again included in the restored viceroyalties. However, by 1825 all but Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines remained of The Indies, following the Spanish American wars of independence.

## American Provinces of Spain under the Spanish Constitution of 1812

A commission of American deputies subsequently presented its opinion on May 1, 1812, to have the number of American provinces described in the Spanish Constitution of 1812 raised to twenty. This was approved by the Cortes. Later, the American deputies demanded an even greater subdivision, and after the installation of the Trienio Liberal in 1820, the Spanish Cortes agreed in their decree of May 9, 1821, to convert all intendancies into provinces. However, these provinces were merely nominal, since many of the territories were part of the new independent Spanish-American states. In any case, all the provinces were directly dependent on Madrid, autonomous and without any institutional relationship among themselves. The province was subdivided into partidos, governed by Jefes Políticos Subalternos (sub-level political chief).
American Provinces and Intendancies of Spain under the Spanish Constitution of 1812 :
| Province | Jurisdictional territories | Capital |
| Province of New Spain [es] | Intendancy of Mexico Intendancy of Oaxaca Intendancy of Puebla de los Ángeles [es] Intendancy of Valladolid [es] | Mexico City |
| General Command of the Internal Provinces of the East | Nueva Extremadura New Kingdom of León Nuevo Santander Texas | Monterrey |
| General Command of the Internal Provinces of the West | Alta California Baja California New Navarre Nueva Vizcaya Santa Fe de Nuevo México | Durango |
| San Luis Potosí | Intendancy of San Luis Potosí Intendancy of Guanajuato [es] | Guanajuato |
| Intendancy of Guadalajara [es] | Intendancy of Guadalajara Intendancy of Zacatecas | Guadalajara |
| Captaincy General of Yucatán | | Mérida |
| Province of Guatemala [es] | Intendancy of Guatemala Intendancy of San Salvador Intendancy of Comayagua [es] Intendancy of Ciudad Real de Chiapas [es] | Guatemala |
| Province of Nicaragua and Costa Rica [es] | Province of Nicaragua [es] Province of Costa Rica [es] | León |
| Captaincy General of Cuba | Western Department [es] West Florida East Florida | La Habana |
| Captaincy General of Puerto Rico | Puerto Rico Spanish Virgin Islands | San Juan |
| Cuba | Eastern Department [es] | Santiago de Cuba |
| Captaincy General of Santo Domingo | Santo Domingo | Santo Domingo |
| Captaincy General of Venezuela | Barinas Province Guayana Province Maracaibo Province Margarita Province Intendancy of Caracas [es] | Caracas |
| New Kingdom of Granada | Antioquia Province [es] Cartagena Province Chocó Province [es] Pamplona Province Pasto Province [es] Popayán Province Santa Marta Province Santafé de Bogotá Province Tunja Province | Santa Fe |
| Province of Quito [es] | Governorate of Quito Governorate of Guayaquil [es] | Quito |
| Province of Lima | Intendancy of Huamanga Intendancy of Huancavelica Intendancy of Lima Intendancy of Tarma Intendancy of Trujillo General Command of Maynas | Lima |
| Province of Cuzco | Intendancy of Arequipa Intendancy of Cuzco Intendancy of Puno | Cuzco |
| Province of Chile | Intendancy of Concepción [es] Intendancy of Coquimbo [es] Intendancy of Chiloé Intendancy of Santiago [es] | Santiago |
| Province of Río de la Plata | Intendancy of Buenos Aires [es] Intendancy of Córdoba del Tucumán [es] Intendancy of Salta del Tucumán Intendancy of Paraguay Governate of the Misiones Guaraníes [es] | Buenos Aires |
| Upper Peru | Intendancy of Cochabamba [es] Intendancy of Chuquisaca Intendancy of La Paz [es] Intendancy of Potosí [es] Intendancy of Puno Political and military government of Moxos [es] Political and military government of Chiquitos [es] | Chuquisaca |