How did the indigo trade affect Indigenous workers in colonial El Salvador?

During the 18th century, the recovery of the colonial economy in El Salvador was driven by increased exports of indigo. This trade fostered the development of sophisticated commercial agriculture and the establishment of large estates managed by influential provincial families.12

For the Indigenous population, however, the indigo boom had severe consequences. It placed an additional, heavy burden on an already exhausted workforce. This labor was often extracted through systems like the repartimiento, which mandated forced labor for colonial agricultural projects. Although legal frameworks existed to regulate these labor practices, they were frequently ignored in practice, leading to the exploitation and brutal treatment of Indigenous workers. Consequently, the prosperity of the colonial elite was built directly upon the systemic overwork and suffering of the Indigenous people.123