May Revolution
The May Revolution was a direct reaction to Spain's Peninsular War. In 1808, King Ferdinand VII of Spain abdicated in favor of Napoleon, who granted the throne to his brother, Joseph Bonaparte. A Supreme Central Junta led resistance to Joseph's government and the French occupation of Spain, but eventually suffered a series of reversals that resulted in the Spanish loss of the northern half of the country. On February 1, 1810, French troops took Seville and gained control of most of Andalusia. The Supreme Junta retreated to Cadiz and dissolved itself, and the Council of Regency of Spain and the Indies replaced it. News of these events arrived in Buenos Aires on May 18, brought by British ships.
Francisco Xavier Bogarin
Church was strongly involved in the political life of the colonial society. Due to their education Catholic priests were one of the best educated people in the provinces and exposed to the latest intellectual currents. So, it was no surprise that Bogarin was invited to participate in the provincial Congress of 1810, which was called by the provincial governor Bernardo de Velasco after the May Revolution in Buenos Aires. When it met on July 24, the Congress proclaimed continued loyalty to the king Ferdinand VII of Spain. This royalist rejection of May Revolution led to the Paraguay campaign during which Paraguayan troops were victorious over the forces sent by Buenos Aires. This military success and suspicions that governor Bernardo de Velasco is ready to ask for the Portuguese military protection led to the May 14, 1811 Revolution, which started the independence of Paraguay.