Amenazas a la fidelidad, seguridad y confianza Real: el servicio de correo interno en el Nuevo Reino de Granada tras las reformas de Pando, 1764-1810

Abstract

Driven by the Bourbon Dynasty, spain tried to strengthen the state apparatus and widen the scope of its functions in its American domains. One of the results this had was the decision of the Crown to assume the management and control of the mail system, which brought substantial improvements in the expansion of the routes and reduction of the travel time, but some flaws and issues were still evident. This work attempts to examine the obstacles that hindered the proper operation of the postal service in the framework of the reforms implemented halfway the 18th century by Commissioner Joseph Antonio de Pando, namely: fraud, delays, violations; interceptions; and loss of letters and parcels. These obstacles led to a loss of prestige for the sector, and were an additional sign of the weakening and crisis of the colonial politic - administrative regime.