With love, Spain

III.

-How come they can't read or write?- I was horrified.

My little brothers, little sisters and I were in the library.

After three days of meeting them, I realized that they preferred outdoor activities, but that made them dirty and annoyed me with their games, so I thought I would show them how rewarding afternoons could be surrounded by quieter activities like drawing. , music and reading.

In addition, even if they were bastard colonies, they were children of the Spanish Empire, so they had to be educated and trained with the proper manners of the nobility. That was the way things were at that time, it was considered more substantial to keep children locked up to take classes in etiquette, dance, history, politics and letters, you know, form their minds with education and not games.

So my first lesson would be to read and reflect on the word of the Lord.

I gathered the restless children in the library and gave each one a Bible. Before starting the reading, we pray together. I was surprised because they were able to recite the prayer in Latin and knew the prayers perfectly.

I seriously thought it would be a fruitful and calm afternoon, but my illusions were shattered as soon as they opened their bibles and not a single one managed to recite the verses I asked for.

"S-sorry," Insular del Caribe responded with pity, his look so full of sadness reminded me of a puppy waiting to be comforted and wreaked havoc on my heart.

What can I tell you? Even if she is already an adult, Cuba has always seemed to me the most tender of her sisters.

"Have you never had a tutor?" I wasn't upset with them, rather I was rather surprised.

The children looked at me with confusion.

- What is a tutor? - I ask timidly Nueva Granada.

-A tutor is what I'm going to get for you right now- I spoke furiously- Tell the Viceroy that I need his presence immediately!

We waited in tense silence until the president arrived. His obese and sweaty presence repelled me, even more so when I noticed how New Spain cowered in fear and hid behind its brothers.

The viceroy looked suspiciously at the little boy before smiling at me.

-Prince, how could this humble gentleman help you?-He asked as if we were old friends. That made me angry. If it weren't for the diplomacy, respect and good manners with which he was brought up, I would have already launched myself to hit that man.

"Sir, may I know why the colonies have not received instruction in reading?" I asked without hesitation.

"Your father indicated that it was not necessary for these barbarians, excuse me, for the colonies, the mestizos and Indians to learn," he replied with indifference and arrogance.

-Won't it be necessary? Sir, do you seriously believe that these territories, children of your Sovereign, do not deserve the education that corresponds to their status? - I raised an incredulous eyebrow.

"They are your Majesties' orders," he repeated with that same touch of superiority. The indications that were received is to inculcate in the Indians and their children the true religion, as mandated by the Church; we must punish heretics; take care of our regents and comply with the quotas imposed by our king. Colonial education was never considered, my Lord.

If I didn't hit him at that moment, it was out of respect for me, because, as I already said, I don't like to touch dirty things.

-I understand, I will send a letter to my father requesting that the colonies be educated, because, even as mestizos, they are part of the Empire. However, in the time that the letter takes, they will have a tutor.