Final answer:
European events, particularly the Napoleonic Wars, weakened Spanish control and inspired Latin American revolutionaries. Enlightenment ideals influenced creole elites, leading to independence movements spearheaded by figures like Bolívar and San Martín. British economic interests and mercenaries also contributed to the liberation efforts.
Step-by-step explanation:
One pivotal event in Europe, that had a major effect on Latin American revolutionaries’ ability to win independence, was the upheaval caused by the Napoleonic Wars. The French invasion of the Iberian Peninsula and the capture of Spain by Napoleon in 1808 disrupted the traditional structures of power and legitimacy that bound the colonies to their European rulers. Specifically, the removal of the Spanish king and placement of Joseph Bonaparte on the throne by Napoleon compromised the loyalty of criollos (creoles) and prompted the formation of juntas, or local councils, in the Americas to rule in the name of the deposed Spanish king.
Across Latin America, creole elites were informed by the Enlightenment ideals, desiring to establish these principles within their own governance structures. The political elites were already dissatisfied with the mercantilist system that benefitted the home countries at the expense of the colonies. With Spain weakened and disoriented by the Napoleonic Wars, revolutionaries such as Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín led movements from Northern to Southern regions of South America, sparking widespread independence efforts, which culminated in the liberation of nearly all Spanish colonies by 1824.
Moreover, the early 19th century saw Great Britain's interest in these emerging nations due to the potential for new markets for its industrial products. This interest, combined with the availability of English and Irish mercenaries after the Napoleonic Wars, provided additional, though indirect, assistance to the cause of freedom in Latin America.