Note 102 — Chapter IX · THE AUDIENCIA AND THE GOVERNOR: THE AD INTERIM RULE

Shortly after the death of Archbishop Rojo, Anda received dispatches informing him that peace had been restored between Spain and England;102 at the same time the British received orders to evacuate the city. Now that Anda’s presence in the field as military commander was no longer absolutely required, a three-cornered fight arose among the supporters of Villacorta, Ustáriz and Anda. Each of these contenders was able to advance a reasonable claim. Villacorta was certainly the senior magistrate, and thus he had a better right legally to the office than Anda. Ustáriz was bishop of Nueva Segovia and as such, was entitled to the governorship according to the most recent law. “Anda had in his favor the circumstance of having defended the islands, and of having prevented the English from advancing to the northern provinces; and, above all, he commanded the troops, who were attached to him, and this served to check the pretensions of the others.”103