It was the efforts of the humanitarian and progress-orientated liberals that struck a significant blow at Mexico's indigenous people

Arguably, only in the wake of the War of Independence (1810-1821) did indigenous identity truly suffer. In one of the greatest ironies of history, it was the efforts of the humanitarian and progress-orientated liberals that struck a significant blow at Mexico's indigenous peoples. With all people suddenly equal in the eyes of the law, it seemed counterproductive  to persist in encouraging indigenous peoples to speak in their own language. No longer could a native person go to court and find a translator: that person would need to speak Spanish.

C. Townsend, Fifth Sun (2019), 207