How did Napoleon’s intervention in Spain in 1808 affect Chile?

Napoleon’s intervention in Spain in 1808 was the decisive catalyst for the Chilean struggle for independence. By destabilizing the Spanish monarchy, the intervention effectively threw Chile and other colonies onto their own resources, forcing them to manage their own affairs.12

This shift in power led the colony to take its first steps toward autonomy and self-government. The initial move occurred on September 18, 1810, when a cabildo abierto (open town meeting) in Santiago accepted the resignation of the president-governor and elected a local junta to lead the administration. This event marked the beginning of the movement that would eventually lead to Chile's full independence from Spanish rule.12