"Obedezco pero no cumplo" () is a phrase that was used in Spanish America throughout much of the colonial period to describe the attitude of local colonial officials towards the rule of the Spanish Crown. In the Spanish system, the King was represented in the new world directly by a Viceroy, with further powers delegated to regional bureaucrats. These bureaucrats maintained significant autonomy, occasionally resulting in this response to an official royal decree in situations where they believed it to be inappropriate or unjust.