American scientists in the Cortes-de-Cadiz during the constitutional phase:: The overseas question

This article studies the performance in the Spanish Cortes of three well known American botanists in the constitutional phase previous to Independence of their countries of origin: Francisco Antonio Zea from New Granada, Jose Maria Lequerica from Quito, and Pablo de la Llave from New Spain. Their political motivations and their positioning vis a vis the Parliamentary debates that took place in regard to problems affecting the American colonies are analyzed through two main sources: the Actas de Bayona and the Diario de Sesiones.