MANUEL DEL REFUGE GONZÁLEZ FLORES: BIOGRAPHY - HISTORY - 2024

Manuel del Refugio González Flores (1833-1893) was president of the Mexican government during the years 1880 and 1884, being one of those who intervened in the long term of Porfirio Díaz, of whom he was a supporter and friend. Military rather than political, he had an important presence in the armed conflicts that developed during that time in the country.

His career moved from supporting the conservative cause during the War of the Reform to putting himself under the command of Benito Juárez after the French intervention. It is in this last war that he meets Porfirio Díaz, on whose side he would no longer move throughout his career.

As a politician he held more positions apart from the presidency, as head of the Ministry of War and the Navy, governor of Michoacán or deputy for Oaxaca. Despite being considered quite skilled in managing politics, he was accused of corruption by his opponents, something common throughout the Porfiriato.

In the same way, he suffered accusations from a close friend of Díaz for a very different matter. Salvador Quevedo y Zubieta, the name of the accuser, began a campaign claiming that González suffered from a great sexual appetite, having taken a Russian woman to his farm as a kind of concubine

Childhood and early years of González Flores

The future president of Mexico came to the world on June 18, 1883. He was born in Matamoros, a city in the State of Tamaulipas.

His childhood took place in that same place, as did his primary stage. His biographers affirm that he was a brilliant student, although when he finished elementary school he began to work without continuing his studies.

In this way, when he was still very young, he began to serve in a family business, as a clerk and bartender.

Entry into the army

Also quite young was his incorporation to the army. At the age of 18 he entered military life, having as a mission in that early period to combat banditry in the area.

Soon he was being well regarded and promotions would not be long in coming. In 1855 he had already been appointed lieutenant for his merits in combat, when he was part of the army of Santa Anna.

His entry into the convulsive political life of the country, often linked to arms, occurred when he decided to support the conservatives during the War of the Reform. This war, also called the 3-year war, was a true civil war that divided Mexico into two camps.

The victory of the Liberals made it have to avail itself of the Amnesty Law promulgated by the new government of Benito Juárez.

French intervention

The French intervention in Mexico makes González change the conservatives for the liberals. The death of his father at the hands of US troops during the war between the two countries had not been forgotten by the then military man.

Therefore, when he sees that there are new foreign troops attacking his nation, he offers his services to the Juarez army.

It was precisely during that conflict that he met a character who was going to mark the rest of his career. Enlisted in the Army of the East, his superior is General Porfirio Díaz, with whom he befriends.

Battle of Puebla

During the siege of Puebla, in 1863, its value drew the attention of everyone in the country. In the battle he was wounded and taken prisoner, but he managed to escape and appear again before Juárez, offering to continue the fight.

During the conflict he continued to rise in the military hierarchy, becoming a brigadier general. Also under the orders of Díaz, he distinguished himself in the battles of La Carbonera and Miahuatlán.

Plan of the Noria and Revolution of Tuxtepec

The fame gained during the war served him to be elected deputy for Oaxaca in 1871. However, he did not last long in the post, as he decided to resign to join Porfirio Díaz in the so-called Plan de la Noria. He intended that Juárez could not stand for reelection, but the rebellion failed.

The next important point in González's life came in the Tuxtepec Revolution. There he was again supporting Díaz, this time to avoid the re-election of Lerdo de Tejada. It was the year 1876 and the support of González with his men was fundamental for the triumph of the uprising.

In one of the battles, the soldier lost his arm due to a shot, which earned him these words from his friend Porfirio: "Compadre, thanks to you we have won, and for that reason you will be my Minister of War."

After the victory of his side, in 1877 he was granted the position of commander of the western region, a position he held for two years.

Later he went through various occupations: major general, interim governor of Michoacán and, finally, minister, as Diaz had promised him.

When the moment came, he left the ministry to prepare for the next election.

Presidency

Despite the fact that González became president in 1880, many historians affirm that it was Díaz who handled the country's politics. González appointed this last Secretary of Development and, later, Governor of Oaxaca, but suspicions considered him the power in the shadows.

Be that as it may, it is certain that it was Díaz himself who chose him to succeed him. González was not very well known at the time, but he was very conciliatory, even with his opponents. It was just what Porfirio needed to calm the spirits of a country exhausted by conflict.

Achievements in government

González Flores' mandate had many shadows, but also some positive aspects. Among these aspects, the normalization of relations with the old French enemy and with the United Kingdom stands out.

In terms of infrastructures, important railway lines were built and he promoted the creation of the telegraphy network.

In January 1882, he legislated so that, after a time of adaptation of just over a year, Mexico would begin to use the decimal metric system at the national level. The National Bank of Mexico was also formed, upon the merger of two other that already existed.

Economic problems

Some of the problems he had to deal with were in the economic area. The country's treasury had very few reserves and some of the hacienda reforms aggravated the situation. Finally, he was forced to borrow abroad, specifically from the British.

The way in which he managed this entire process and other measures adopted to try to alleviate the crisis, made him very unpopular with the people. In addition, accusations of corruption were beginning to emerge.

To make matters worse, the change in the type of currency that led to in 1883 (silver cents were made with nickel) caused a riot to break out in the Zócalo. On that occasion, the president behaved appropriately: he himself went to the square and calmed the tension with his words.

Another popular uprising that he had to face took place in 1884. That year, with a great international crisis, González took out surplus bonds worth 15 million pesos.

The excuse was to pay the foreign debt, but the people did not believe it and thought it was a government ploy to keep that money. The so-called foreign debt riot destroyed the center of the capital for four days.

Corruption

Apart from the economic issue, the main accusation made against González during his term was about corruption.

It seems that those who launched the accusation were his friend Porfirio Díaz and another of his party colleagues. They were trying to prevent the president from having the idea of ​​running again, as Díaz intended to do so.

Latest

At the end of his term, González Flores returned the witness to Porfirio Díaz and was appointed governor of Guanajuato.

While occupying that position, when he was already serving his third term, he died of cancer on May 8, 1893.

References

1. Presidency of the Republic. Manuel González (1833-1893). Obtained from gob.mx
2. EcuRed. Manuel of the González Flores Refuge. Obtained from ecured.cu
3. TheFamousPeople. Manuel González Flores Biography. Retrieved from thefamouspeople.com
4. S9.com. González Flores, Manuel del Refugio. Retrieved from s9.com
5. The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. Manuel González. Retrieved from britannica.com
6. Minster, Christopher. Biography of Porfirio Diaz. Retrieved from thoughtco.com