PASCUAL OROZCO: BIOGRAPHY - HISTORY - 2025

Pascual Orozco was a revolutionary leader during the uprisings of the Mexican Revolution. It was part of the San Luis Plan, led by Francisco Madero, whose objective was to overthrow President Porfirio Díaz in 1910. After the Revolution, Orozco served as the head of the irregular troops in the state of Chihuahua.

Then he led the plan known as the Plan de la Empacadora, with the aim of overthrowing the government of Francisco Madero. After the uprising against President Madero, he aligned himself with the government of Victoriano Huerta, who had taken over the presidency after a coup. Orozco then held the position of brigadier general.

After a year of continuous battles and the US occupation of Veracruz, Huerta resigned from the presidency and went into exile to the United States. Pascual Orozco went into exile together with Huerta and from exile he continued planning the counterrevolution. He was arrested by authorities who discovered the plan.

Escaping from his house arrest to Mexico, he was killed in Texas along with four companions. Pascual Orozco died in 1915. He is considered one of the most important actors in the revolutionary processes in Mexico between 1910 and 1915.

Biography

Early years

Pascual Orozco was born in the Hacienda de Santa Inés on January 28, 1882. The hacienda was located near what is now known as San Isidro Pascual Orozco, in Guerrero, Chihuahua, Mexico.

He was the son of Pascual Orozco and María Amada Orozco y Vázquez, two Basque immigrants. His father was a small middle-class merchant. In addition, he served as an alternate deputy in the State Legislature and had revolutionary ideals.

At 19, Pascual Orozco married Refugio Frías. Orozco was the uncle of Maximiliano Márquez Orozco, an active participant and colonel in the Mexican Revolution.

I work as a muleteer

He worked as a muleteer for the Guerrero mining companies transporting precious metals. After managing to save a modest amount of money, he opened a store in the Sánchez Station.

With this store he produced the sum of money that he could invest in the revolutionary processes that followed.

Maderista revolution

Attracted by the ideals of the Mexican Liberal Party, in 1906 he began to distribute critical literature of the Porfirian regime. With the widespread feeling of an impending revolution, he began bringing arms from the United States in 1909.

Orozco was recruited along with Francisco Villa by Abraham González Casavantes, a leader of the anti-revolutionary in Chihuahua.

In 1910 he was appointed revolutionary chief in the Guerrero district, in the “Benito Juárez” Anti-reelection Club. With no military experience, Orozco demonstrates his capabilities for the position thanks to a natural talent for leadership and courage.

First win

His first triumph occurred in 1911. After surprising the federal troops of General Juan Navarro, he won the battle in the Mal Paso Canyon. Orozco ordered that the federal uniforms be sent to President Porfirio Díaz along with a note that read: "Here are the leaves, send me more tamales."

He quickly obtained the rank of general and came to have Francisco Villa as one of his subordinates. Under the command of Orozco, the taking of Ciudad Juárez takes place, which will be a key turning point for the Maderista Revolution. The Maderista revolutionaries established Ciudad Juárez as a provisional capital.

Government of Francisco Madero

In 1911 Francisco Madero appointed Pascual Orozco as commander of the First Zone of the Rural Police of Chihuahua. The longed-for post of minister of war is given to Venustiano Carranza.

That same year, Pascual Orozco's candidacy for the governorship of Chihuahua was rejected because he was not yet 30 years old. His intention was to be governor from the Centro Independiente Chihuahuense, a party opposed to Madero.

In 1912, Orozco's supporters in Chihuahua stopped Madero's order to send Orozco to fight Emiliano Zapata's troops. Orozco resigned from his post at the headquarters. The government offered him the governorship of Chihuahua and also rejected it.

Rebellion

In March 1912, Pascual Orozco declared himself in rebellion against the government of Francisco Madero. He already had strong support in the region and had taken control of the state capital. Immediately, he also won the support of "The scientists" and the landowners of Chihuahua, who were not satisfied with the Madero presidency.

That same month, the Packinghouse Plan was signed. It was a text that proclaimed the validity of the Constitution of 1857.

He directly attacked President Madero, listing all the crimes committed during his term. He sought to revoke Madero to comply with the agrarian and social reforms that were pending from the San Luis Plan.

Tragic Ten and government of Victoriano Huerta

The Tragic Ten refers to the historical events that happened in February 1919 in Mexico City. It concluded with the overthrow of the presidency of Francisco Madero.

The dissidents commanded by Manuel Mondragón attacked some government offices and decreed a state of siege. In that assault, Lauro Villar was wounded in the National Palace. President Madero appointed Victoriano Huerta as his replacement.

Victoriano Huerta signed the Embassy Pact a few days later, at the United States Embassy. There the betrayal of Huerta is established, dismissing President Madero and his vice president.

Huerta and the Orozquistas

After declaring Victoriano Huerta as president, Orozco meets with government representatives. Huerta decides to incorporate the Orozquista troops into his barracks.

Huerta appointed the Orozquistas to negotiate with Emiliano Zapata to include the southern parties. Pascual Orozco sends his father as leader of the mission. Emiliano Zapata refuses to negotiate and shoots Pascual Orozco Sr. and his company.

To avoid confrontations between Pascual Orozco (son) and Emiliano Zapata, Huerta sends him north to fight with Francisco Villa's counterrevolution. Orozco repeatedly fails in his battles against the northern rebellion.

When Huerta resigned and Francisco Carvajal assumed the presidency, Orozco declared himself in rebellion fearing reprisals. After the last Orozco rebellion failed, Pascual Orozco was forced to emigrate again to the United States.

Exile and death

Pascual Orozco continued planning a new armed rebellion from El Paso, Texas. He even had the support of Victoriano Huerta.

The authorities did not take long to discover the magnitude of Orozco and Huerta's plans, for which reason they were sentenced to house arrest in the United States.

Orozco manages to escape and cross the border. But on August 30, 1915, he was ambushed and killed in the Río Verde Canyon with four companions.

Orozco died in Culberson County, Texas, and his remains were interred in the city of El Paso. In 1923 his body was transferred to Chihuahua, Mexico.

References

1. Caballero, R. (2015). Lynching Pascual Orozco, Mexican Revolutionary Hero and Paradox. Create Space.
2. Katz, F. (1998). The secret war in Mexico: Europe, the United States and the Mexican Revolution. Mexico: Ediciones Era.
3. Kohout, MD (2010). Orozco, Pascual, Jr. Texas: Texas State Historical Association.
4. Meyer, MC (1967). Mexican Rebel: Pascual Orozco and the Mexican Revolution, 1910-1915. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press.
5. Meyer, MC (1984). The rebel from the north: Pascual Orozco and the revolution. Mexico: National Autonomous University of Mexico, Institute of Historical Research.