A visão de Fernando VII e o passado espanhol entre a emancipação e a independência (1810–1816)

– The strong impact the press was able to develop on the public opinion during the XVIIIth century is a matter of common knowledge. Also during the Spanish American revolutionary period, the printed media proved to be a useful tool for spreading reformative ideas, as newspapers like the Gaceta de Buenos Aires show. So the press exerted an outstanding influence on the construction of public awareness on the topics they were able to implement. To deepen current knowledge on the discursive strategies displayed by Buenos Ayrean press and its effects on the discourse regarding national identity, this article analyzes both the early representation of Fernando VII’s and the characterization of colonial times before the Revolution. It aims to show how the image of the king, his officials, the former legal system and protocol issues were depicted with a politically-driven purpose during the crucial years from 1810 to 1816.