The Republic of the Rio Grande was one of a series of political movements in Mexico which sought to become independent from the unitary government dominated by Antonio López de Santa Anna; the Republic of Texas and the second Republic of Yucatán were created by political movements that pursued the same goal. Insurgents fighting against the Centralist Republic of Mexico sought to establish the Republic of the Rio Grande as an independent nation in Northern Mexico. The rebellion lasted from 17 January to 6 November 1840.

Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It covers 1,972,550 km2, making it the world's 13th-largest country by area; with a population of almost 130 million, it is the 10th-most-populous country and the most populous Spanish-speaking country. Mexico is organized as a federal constitutional republic comprising 31 states and Mexico City, its capital. It shares land borders with the United States to the north, with Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; as well as maritime borders with the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Caribbean Sea to the southeast, and the Gulf of Mexico to the east.