Francisco de Miranda y la Inquisición española : el Santo Oficio instrumento de la política de estado

Abstract

The author, who is an expert on XV/llth century matters, examines the case of 'precursor' Francisco de Miranda (1750-1816). «whose vicissitudes let us know how the Central Government in Madrid, conditioned by the century-long «incercia» of national unity, identijied the political defendant as a presumed hetherodox, and this manoeuvre allowed that Government to prosecute this 'reo de Estado' by means of the lnquisition, which also wanted to take the Venezuelan creo/e to court, under the accusation of 'Volterianism '. Although the author. an expert on XV/llth century international affairs, adopts a modest approach and promises to remain within the limits o.f casuistics, his article offers a number of considerations and ideas on the origin of creolism and on the European diplomatic situation. Without them, Miranda 's case would not overcome the narrow bounds with which «national» problems are confronted.