Santiago de Liniers, who had served as the viceroy of the Río de la Plata from 1804 until the British invasions of 1806 and 1807, found himself at the center of a power struggle after the May Revolution of 1810. The revolution had resulted in a push for independence from Spanish rule, leading to the establishment of a junta in Buenos Aires. Following his capture in a failed counter-revolution aimed at reinstating royalist authority, Liniers faced trial by the revolutionaries. His trial largely reflected the tensions between loyalists and the new revolutionary leaders seeking to solidify their control over the territory. The execution took place in the midst of increasing political turmoil and violence, showcasing the struggle for power within the region amidst the broader context of early South American independence movements. Liniers was executed by firing squad, a fate that was emblematic of the era's political retribution. His execution highlighted the revolutionary government's determination to eliminate any vestige of royalist power and was pivotal in solidifying the independence movement in the Río de la Plata region.