PACKHOUSE PLAN: POSTULATES, CONSEQUENCES - HISTORY - 2024

The Plan de la Empacadora, Plan Orozquista or Plan de Chihuahua is the pact signed by Pascual Orozco and his generals in Chihuahua in 1912. It is known by this name for having been the building of the packinghouse where the meeting took place.

Pascual Orozco was a Mexican revolutionary who participated in the capture of Ciudad Juárez in 1911 along with Pancho Villa. He was affiliated with the anti-re-election movement and was initially a supporter of Francisco I. Madero. He participated in battles of the revolution against Porfirio Díaz and, after the breach of the Plan of San Luis, rose up against President Madero.

Pascual Orozco, promoter of the Empacadora Plan

After Francisco Madero's violation of the Plan of San Luis de Potosí, Orozco considers the need to elaborate a plan that will reform the political structure of Mexico. The Empacadora Plan includes important political, agrarian and labor reforms that even went beyond the Plan of San Luis de Potosí.

Many of the reforms proposed in the Empacadora Plan were included in the Mexican Constitution in 1917.

Background

In 1910 the revolution broke out in Mexico after the attempt of a new reelection of President Porfirio Díaz. Among the protagonists of these movements were Francisco Madero and Pascual Orozco. Later Francisco Villa and Emiliano Zapata were annexed, although the latter fought from the south and with some different motivations.

To meet the objectives of the revolution, the Plan of San Luis Potosí is drawn up. It was a text that committed the revolutionaries to specific actions.

In the Packhouse Plan the following actions were highlighted:

- Deposing Porfirio Díaz.

- Prohibit reelection.

- Restoring the land to the peasants.

In 1910, after numerous uprisings, the revolutionaries managed to depose Porfirio Díaz. Francisco Madero automatically assumes the presidency of the country.

However, it does not comply with one of the postulates of the San Luis Plan. Madero does not return the land to the peasants and internal conflicts are immediately generated.

This provokes the enmity with Orozco and Emiliano Zapata is also against. In the south, Zapata fought strongly for the peasantry, and in addition to the proposals of the San Luis Plan, he had certain additional considerations that he included in the Ayala Plan.

The birth of the plan

Orozco is unaware of the Madero presidency and calls a meeting in which the Empacadora Plan is developed. This meeting is held in the La Empacadora building and the name of the document comes from there.

The plan manifests a criticism of Madero's management and a betrayal of the original plan. The motto of the plan will be "Reform, freedom and justice."

Generals José Salazar, Emilio Campa, Benjamín Argumedo and JJ Campos adhere to the document; Colonels Gonzalo Enrile, Demetrio Ponce and Félix Díaz; and Orozco's secretary, José Córdoba.

Postulates

The lengthy document begins with a postulate on the crimes committed by Francisco Madero and his government. He is accused of being a traitor and of being outside the law. It contains accusations of fraud in the 1910 elections and nepotism in the government.

In addition, the plan shows an anti-imperialist tone when it accuses Madero of handing over the country to the United States. He is accused of murdering 20,000 Mexicans and receiving numerous sums of money from American millionaires. In addition, they highlight Madero's complicity with the United States in order to betray the original plan.

After accusing Madero, the document continues with a series of actions to take once the revolution is consecrated. Of these postulates, the following stand out:

- Ignore the debts contracted by Madero and recognize the previous ones.

- Disregard the contracts made by Madero with his relatives on behalf of the State.

- Recognize the public and institutional powers that adhere to the plan.

- Dissolve the public and institutional powers that do not join the plan.

- Eliminate the office of Vice President of the Republic.

- Propose a presidential term of 6 years instead of 4 years.

- Repeal compulsory military service.

- Recognize peasant ownership of land.

- Promote greater municipal autonomy.

- Suppress political bosses.

- Guarantee freedom of expression.

The plan contemplated a revolution with a transitional government with an estimated duration of one year. Then there would be free elections that would determine the president. Neither Pascual Orozco nor any of the revolutionaries would take office as president once the revolution was consecrated.

During that year, an interim elected through an election would be formed. The most prominent revolutionary leaders, members of civil society and officers of the army would participate in this election. A Governing Board formed by three members, or the selection of an interim president, would be formed.

Consequences

Orozco's rise in popularity

After proclaiming the Plan de la Empacadora, Orozco's popularity grew enormously and he immediately had popular support. In addition to workers, peasants and railroad workers, it attracted the attention of vazquistas and conservatives.

Massive uprisings

Massive uprisings and revolutionary revolts followed with Orozco at the front, with Madero in opposition.

Orozco defeats the squad of Secretary of War and Navy, José Gonzalez Salas, in the battle of El Rellano. After this defeat, Salas commits suicide and Victoriano Huerta takes office.

Arms embargo and rise of Madero

The president of the United States, William Taft, who supported Madero, seizes Orozco's arms. This begins the weakening of the Orozquista forces.

In a second battle at El Rellano, Orozco faces the federals led by Huerta. This time the Madero side wins the battle and withdraws the Orozquista forces to Ciudad Juárez, which falls to Huerta in August 1912.

This defeat signifies the end of the Orozco movement as a strong revolutionary front in Mexican history.

Defeat of Orozco

Defeated, Orozco announces his support for Huerta, who appoints him as Brigadier General of the Federal Army. From that position he will suppress the uprisings in Sonora.

He was also appointed as a negotiator with Emilio Zapata to achieve the deposition of arms. Orozco sends his father to negotiate and Zapata shoots him on the grounds of not negotiating with strangers. Orozco thus gains enmity with the rest of the revolutionary groups.

Huerta's presidency

Huerta betrays Madero, overthrows him, assassinates him and occupies the presidency. This will unleash epic battles in Chihuahua between Madero's revolutionary avengers and Huerta's defenders. The encounters between Orozco and Villa stand out.

Finally, the Huerta government would be overthrown by the constitutionalist army led by Venustiano Carranza.

References

1. Camín, H. and. (1990). In the shadow of the Mexican Revolution. Lime and sand.
2. Meyer, M. (1984). The rebel from the north: Pascual Orozco and the revolution. Historical Research Institute.
3. Javier and K. Ficker, S. (2010). New General History of Mexico. The College of Mexico.
4. Herzog, J. (1960). Brief history of the Mexican Revolution. Fund of Economic Culture.
5. Venero, GV (1997). From the crisis of the Bourbon model to the establishment of the Federal Republic. Mexico: Parliamentary Encyclopedia of Mexico, of the Legislative Research Institute of the Chamber of Deputies, LVI Legislature.