Bases Orgánicas

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Bases Orgánicas, meaning Organic Bases, was a Mexican constitution that took effect in 1843 during the Centralist Republic. It was the second and last constitution of that period, following the Centralist setup of the Siete Leyes. The move came after political turmoil and a coup against President Anastasio Bustamante in 1841, with Santa Anna playing a key role. A Council of Notables drafted the Bases Orgánicas, which was put into place after six months of provisional rule.

The Bases Orgánicas reflected the era’s struggle between conservatives who favored a strong central government and liberals who wanted federal power. Mexico had previously swung from a federalist 1824 constitution to a more centralized 1834 framework, and unrest, secessionist pressures (like Yucatán and Texas), and recurring rebellions continued to shape politics.

Key features of Bases Orgánicas:
- Model and territory: The country was divided into departments (not states). The president held significant centralized power and appointed department governors.
- The president: Elected for five years by the departments, with strong veto powers and authority to issue local laws. He also named a 17‑member presidential council and four ministers (justice, finance, war, relations).
- Legislature: A bicameral Congress with a Chamber of Deputies and a Senate.
- Deputies: Chosen by departmental electoral colleges, with roughly one deputy for every 70,000 inhabitants.
- Senate: 63 members; about two‑thirds elected by departmental assemblies from the landed, mining, commercial, and manufacturing elites, and the remaining third chosen by the other branches from distinguished individuals.
- Judiciary: A Supreme Court with local courts, plus a perpetual court‑martial appointed by the president.
- Voting and elections: Only male citizens earning at least 200 pesos a year could vote. Elections used a multi‑step system of electors (primary and secondary) to form the electoral college that chose deputies and departmental assemblies.
- Political units: The Bases continued the practice of using departments as the main political divisions, keeping strong central control over regional governance.

In short, Bases Orgánicas established a centralized, department‑based system with a powerful president, a two‑chamber legislature, and a restricted electorate, reflecting the era’s centralist goals.