Why did Central American Creoles oppose Spanish rule?

In the context of the history of Central America and the broader Spanish Empire, Creoles—people of Spanish parentage born in the Americas—opposed Spanish rule primarily due to systemic political and economic marginalization under the Bourbon reforms.12

Key factors driving this opposition included:

• Administrative Exclusion: The Spanish crown increasingly favored peninsular Spaniards for high-ranking positions in church and state, effectively barring American-born elites from political power despite their centuries of service.13
• Economic Restrictions: Bourbon policies were perceived as an unfair attack on Creole wealth. While some benefited from loosened trade restrictions, many desired greater free trade and economic self-determination than the crown permitted.1
• Political Crisis: The Napoleonic Wars and the removal of the Spanish king created a power vacuum. When Spain attempted to reassert control and denied Creoles equal representation in the Cortes, resentment mounted.14
• Repressive Governance: In the Kingdom of Guatemala, the repressive rule of captain general José de Bustamante y Guerra and the annulment of the 1812 constitution by Ferdinand VII further alienated the Creole population, pushing them toward independence.4