Telégrafo Mercantil

The "Telégrafo Mercantil, Rural, Político, Económico e Historiográfico del Río de la Plata" (in Spanish, "Merchant, rural, political, economic and historiographic telegraph of the Río de la Plata") was the first newspaper edited in Buenos Aires.

It was founded on 1 April 1801 by Francisco Cabello y Mesa and Manuel Belgrano, and approved by viceroy Avilés.

Its pages offered not only editorials, but also gave rise to poetry, local color notes, general information, and trade matters in the territories of the Viceroyalty of Río de la Plata.

The Telégrafo Mercantil of 11 October 1801, for example, featured an announcement that the area around Quilmes would be open for hunting for leather and hides from the following: vizcachas, deer, foxes, skunks, otters abundant in coastal streams and the Riachuelo, as well as wild dogs (whose hides are used for boots), swans, partridges and seagulls (for their feathers).

The periodical faced economic problems early on, however, as well as disputes with the colonial authorities, who looked askance at the writers' criticism and satire of their manner and policy.