Viceroy Luis De Velasco: Viceroys Of New Spain

Viceroy Luis de Velasco was the second viceroy of New Spain, which we now know as Mexico. Velasco is writing letters to King Charles to inform him of what is happening in New Spain. This is part of the administrative practice of a Viceroy, reporting back to Spain with updates on how their colony is doing. It is made clear that Velasco has not been receiving any responses to his letters, in his first paragraph where he says he understands that “the great concerns and wars” are what is stopping a reply from being sent. Even with his respectful manner, it is clear that he desperately wants a reply because he is struggling with the new laws and overpopulation. Velasco as a viceroy did not have much power since the role of a viceroy is “more ceremonial than administrative”
Velasco explains that the new laws made in 1542 which aim to protect native people are creating trouble as Spaniards dislike the laws and the laws don’t protect all native people simply the ones in encomiendas. Native Americans who were not in encomiendas “had to pay tribute and provide labour service to the king”. Velasco says that it would be better if they treated all Native Americans with respect as they were important to Spanish survival. There weren’t many Native people compared to Spanish or African people in New Spain, so expecting a small group of Native Americans to provide food and labour did nothing to improve supplies and was just cruel to them. Following this talk of lack of supplies and Spanish frustration, Velasco brings up overpopulation and asks that they don’t send more people over. Increasing population was not solely an issue for New Spain, it was a problem across many colonies faced throughout the sixteenth and seventeenth century. Such as Lima, whose population went from “13,000 people” in 1593 to “25,454,” in 1614. He brings up problems with supplies and sanitation, linking to his earlier point about