JOSÉ MARÍA PINO SUÁREZ: BIOGRAPHY AND WORK - HISTORY - 2025

José María Pino Suárez (1869 - 1913) is known for having been vice president of Mexico during the mandate of Francisco I. Madero between 1911 and the date of his death. Pino Suárez also held other political positions such as the governor of Yucatán, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Public Instruction and Fine Arts, and the presidency of the Senate.

He was one of the founders of the Club Antireeleccionista in Mérida, and apart from his activity in the country's political life, he also practiced as a lawyer and journalist. Within this last facet, his work as founder of El Peninsular stands out, a newspaper that fought a tough battle against power defending freedom of expression.

Pino Suárez had another great passion: poetry. From a very young age he managed to publish some of his poems in various magazines and, later, two of his books achieved some success in Mexico and Europe.

His death was framed during the events of the Tragic Ten. The uprising led by Victoriano Huerta against President Madero ended with the assassination of him and his vice president, Pino Suárez.

Childhood and studies

José María Pino Suárez came to the world on September 8, 1869 in Tenosique, Tabasco. Born into a well-off family, he suffered the death of his mother shortly after his birth. His father, owner of many businesses, sought a private tutor for him to carry out his studies.

Already in adolescence, Pino Suárez traveled to Mérida, in the state of Yucatán, to continue his training. He entered a Jesuit school, the Colegio de San Ildefonso, one of the best known throughout the country for having adapted the curricula used in French high schools.

Once that stage was over, he began to study Law at the Yucatan School of Jurisprudence, obtaining his degree in 1894.

First jobs

With the title of lawyer obtained, his first jobs were framed in that activity. He went on to open his own law firm in Mexico City, where he established his residence in 1896 after his wedding.

It was around this time that he also began to build a certain reputation as a writer. Without neglecting his work as a lawyer, he began to publish some of his poems in the weekly Pimienta y Mostaza and in other publications.

After 3 years in the capital, Pino returned to Mérida. There he teamed up with his father-in-law to enter the business world.

Journalist

It was his success in these businesses that allowed him to raise enough money to buy a printing press and found his own newspaper in 1904. He named it El Peninsular and its beginnings were very promising. In the first year, it built a very good reader base, which attracted many advertisers.

The newspaper had a fairly marked social content and published several reports denouncing the systematic exploitation of peons on the estates in the area. This caused the landowners to start putting pressure on the companies that were advertised in the newspaper, seriously jeopardizing their economic viability.

Pino Suárez embarked on a battle to defend freedom of expression and publication. Among his actions is the creation, along with other colleagues, of the Association of the Yucatecan Press.

This experience of confronting the powerful was the future vice president's first approach to the world of politics.

His political life

At that time, the time had not yet come for him to fully immerse himself in political life. In fact, Pino Suárez kept quite a distance from any public visibility for three years, from 1906 to 1909.

Meeting with Francisco I. Madero

This voluntary isolation was to be changed by a fortuitous event. In 1909, Porfirio Díaz seemed to have admitted the possibility of holding free elections, with opponents at the polls. Some opponents had organized to present a candidate, Francisco I. Madero, and had started the campaign.

In June of that year, Madero visited Veracruz to promote his candidacy. Paradoxically, that visit was a public failure, since only 6 people received it upon arrival in the city, one of them being José María Pino Suárez.

He had been captivated after reading a book by Madero called The Presidential Succession in 1910 and it can be said that at that time they joined their political and personal destinies. Already collaborating with the presidential candidate, José María founded the Club Antireeleccionista in Mérida and became its president.

Meanwhile, Porfirio Díaz had decided to imprison Madero and did not release him until after the elections. With clear signs of fraud, Díaz proclaims himself president, but this time the opponents react and proclaim the Plan of San Luis.

In accordance with this plan, Madero assumes the provisional presidency. One of his first decisions was to appoint Pino Suárez as governor of Yucatán from June 5 to August 8, 1911.

Shortly afterwards, he also assumed the Secretary of Justice, holding the position until November 13, 1911.

vice presidency

Not everything was easy in those first moments of Pino Suárez's political life. Within his party there appeared a sector that did not agree with the importance it was acquiring.

Given the proximity of the elections, that sector had in mind another name to occupy the vice presidency, but Madero decided decisively for Pino, silencing the debate.

As expected, Madero and Pino Suárez comfortably win the elections. The elected vice president left the government of Yucatán to dedicate himself entirely to his new position, which was joined by the Secretary of Public Instruction.

Tragic Ten and murder

However, the legislature was short-lived. In many areas of society, Maduro and Pino Suárez were seen as a threat to their interests, from the Church to large landowners.

Only two years after taking office, a group led by the military man Victoriano Huerta and Porfirio Díaz's nephew, Félix, took up arms against him. They were also supported by the US ambassador, strongly opposed to Madero.

The hostilities lasted 10 days, known as the Tragic Ten. The confrontation ended with the triumph of the coup plotters, and Pino Suárez and Madero were arrested and locked up in prison. Huerta is running for president.

In an attempt to give it a semblance of legitimacy, Huerta concocts a political ploy involving Lascurain Paredes, a member of the Madero government. For it to work, the president and vice president had to resign.

In circumstances that have not yet been fully clarified, Lascurain convinces the two arrested politicians to resign in exchange for saving their lives. In the end, both give in and resign from their positions.

This is where the treachery of Huerta's men takes shape. Instead of releasing them, on February 22, 1913, the two were killed on their way to the Mexico City prison. The transfer had been approved to be able to carry out the ambush that ended their lives.

Recognitions

The widow of José María Pino Suárez was the one who collected in 1969 the Belisario Domínguez medal in recognition of the politician's struggle in favor of democracy. The remains of the known as "The Knight of Loyalty" rest in the Rotunda of Illustrious Persons since November 1986.

Literary works of Pino Suárez

Although it is the political life of Pino Suárez that made him a historical figure, his poetic work can also be highlighted. According to critics, his style was somewhat reminiscent of Gustavo Adolfo Becker, with a late romanticism.

The two most prominent books he authored were Melancolías (1896) and Procelarias (1903). Both works were published in Mexico and Europe.

Reference

1. Presidency of the Republic. José María Pino Suárez 1869-1913. Obtained from gob.mx
2. Durango.net. Jose Maria Pino Suarez. Obtained from durango.net.mx
3. The truth. Why were Francisco I. Madero and José María Pino Suárez assassinated? Obtained from laverdadnoticias.com
4. The biography. Biography of José María Pino Suárez (1869-1913). Retrieved from thebiography.us
5. Encyclopedia of Latin American History and Culture. Pino Suárez, José María (1869–1913). Retrieved from encyclopedia.com
6. Werner, Michael. Concise Encyclopedia of Mexico. Recovered from books.google.es
7. Mexico 2010. José María Pino Suárez. Obtained from english.bicentenario.gob.mx
8. Michael C. Meyer, Angel Palerm. The Mexican Revolution and its aftermath, 1910–40. Retrieved from britannica.com