REPUBLICAN RESTORATION IN MEXICO: BACKGROUND, DEVELOPMENT - HISTORY - 2025

The republican r estauration in Mexico ranges from the overthrow of Maximiliano I - and, consequently, the end of the Second Mexican Empire - to the coming to power of Porfirio Díaz. The date of its beginning is usually established around July 15, 1867, and its end in 1876, although some authors delay it until 1883.

The delay of the date until 1883 responds to the fact that in that year Díaz changed certain laws regarding public liberties. In general, this time is considered as a time in which liberal ideas were implanted in the country, trying to leave behind a long period of internal confrontations between conservatives and the most advanced.

Maximilian I, the republican restoration in Mexico begins with his overthrow

This division went beyond ideology, since there were also great differences in relation to the form of government or territorial division. This restoration is also known as the restored Republic and had protagonists who were already known in the Mexican political sphere.

The first was Benito Juárez, president of the new republic. This character had previously held the position, was the protagonist of several revolutionary uprisings and was exiled on two occasions. Apart from Juárez, other characters who participate are Maximiliano I himself, Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada and Porfirio Díaz.

Background to the republican restoration of Mexico

Reform War

Like any historical moment, the republican restoration of Mexico has a history that explains how to get there.

Although there are previous related events, the closest in time is the so-called Reform War, which pitted liberals and conservatives in Mexico.

It developed over three years, from 1858 to 1861, and its contenders represented two ways of conceiving the nation. One way was the liberal one, with a federal design, less ecclesiastical importance, and laws more favorable to the people. Conservatives were centralists, many were monarchists and supporters of the Catholic Church.

Beyond the outcome of the war, two fundamental facts for later history stand out: the arrival to power of the liberal Benito Juárez, and the high debt contracted with several European countries. In addition, the Conservatives had contacted some sectors in Europe to help them.

Maximilian I and the II Mexican Empire

The aforementioned debt led Mexico to declare itself in suspension of payments to Spain, the United Kingdom and France.

This caused that they were about to invade the country in 1862, but the negotiations carried out by the government of Juárez get the Spanish and British to agree to wait a while and withdraw their troops.

The same is not the case with France. Napoleon III had the firm intention of establishing a monarchy in Mexico and from there to provide support to the American Confederates in the Civil War. This is why his troops do penetrate Mexican territory and arrive in the capital on June 10, 1863.

Keep in mind that the French had some internal help. Mexican conservative groups agreed with the creation of a monarchy. Finally, the Archduke of Austria, Maximilian I, is named emperor.

Resistance and defeat of the Empire

One of the surprises that the conservatives took with Maximilian I was that he was much more liberal than they.

In fact, he hardly changed the laws promulgated by Juárez, and even invited him to join the government. Juárez did not accept and the emperor began to lose support among his former supporters.

Meanwhile, the followers of the Liberals established a parallel government and immediately began to battle the monarch. At first the armed actions have no effect, but Maximiliano's position is weakening.

Napoleon III begins to be unhappy about the money he spends to support Maximilian's army and withdraws quite a few troops.

On the other hand, the United States does not recognize the emperor and continues to consider Juarez legitimate president. Supporting the Confederates, who end up losing the war, does not help at all.

The recovered Republic

The taking of Mexico City and the execution of Maximiliano marked the beginning of the so-called restored Republic, which would last 10 years.

Social context

The many years of conflict that Mexico had experienced had caused a truly worrying social and economic situation. Most of the population did not pass the poverty line, and uprisings and rebellions had prevented any improvement.

The country's budget had been devoted more to the purchase of weapons and the army than to helping the neediest layers or creating a labor fabric. Furthermore, foreign credit was ruled out as a consequence of the debts mentioned above.

Looking at the statistics, you can see what the national situation was like: eight million inhabitants, but only two of them working. In addition, there were several million Indians with almost slave labor conditions in the large estates.

Likewise, no government had been involved in modernizing infrastructure or sanitation, which ended up causing illness and death.

Presidency of Juárez

Once Maximilian is overthrown, a brief provisional government is established. Elections are called immediately and Juárez wins without problems. Those four years of government are dedicated to trying to transfer his ideas to the reality of the country. Pay special attention to education, the economy and pacifying the country.

Some of the measures that he takes from the presidency are to negotiate the great debt of the State with foreign creditors, reduce the military budget by reducing the number of troops and try to reach commercial agreements that would attract foreign investment.

Still in the economic field, he also designed some reforms to reactivate mining activity.

Regarding education, he created a free, secular and compulsory system for all Mexican children, leaving religion out of the curriculum.

It is also worth noting that he hired an English company that built a railway between Mexico City and Veracruz. It also orders the modernization of roads, ports and telegraphic networks. During his tenure, many newspapers were also founded, highlighting his defense of press freedom.

Another of the great concerns of Juárez was to end the differences between Mexicans, so he strove to establish a national identity by mixing the indigenous heritage with the influence left by the Spanish.

Elections of 1871 and revolt of the Noria

The following elections were scheduled for 1871. Juárez himself, Lerdo de Tejada, and Porfirio Díaz attend them; the latter had had constant confrontations with the president.

On that occasion there were many suspicions of fraud, but Juárez wins again. Díaz does not accept the result and takes up arms. However, the unexpected death of Juárez from a heart attack totally changes the situation.

Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada is appointed president in 1872 and the defeated attempt by Porfirio Díaz ends with the new president granting him a pardon.

Presidency of Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada

Lerdo de Tejada tries to consolidate the laws promulgated by Juárez, also getting the country to go through a fairly stable stage.

During his mandate the Senate reopened, abolished by the Constitution of 1857. Of course, the only ones who stood up to the government were the clergy and part of the upper classes. Lerdo's work led to his being elected to the position in 1876.

The Porfiriato

Porfirio Díaz, again claiming that the elections had been fraudulent, once again rebelled. In this case, he managed to defeat the federal army.

In November 1876 Díaz reached the capital and organized new voting. He is the only candidate; therefore, he is proclaimed president.

The recovered Republic had ended and the so-called Porfiriato began, which would last more than 30 years.

References

1. Mexico history. Restored Republic - The restoration of the republic. Obtained from independencedemexico.com.mx
2. Wikipedia. Benito Juarez. Obtained from es.wikipedia.org
3. Amador Tello, Judith. Benito Juárez 150 years after the Restoration of the Republic. Obtained from proces.com.mx
4. US Library of Congress. The Restoration. Recovered from countrystudies.us
5. The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. Maximilian. Retrieved from britannica.com
6. Moody Wells, Deborah. Lerdo de Tejada, Sebastian. Retrieved from historicaltextarchive.com
7. Donald J. Mabry, Mississippi State University. Porfirio Diaz (1830-1915). Retrieved from latinamericanstudies.org