TREATY OF BUCARELI: ANTECEDENTS, CAUSES, CONSEQUENCES - HISTORY - 2025

The Treaty of Bucareli was an agreement reached by the governments of the United States and Mexico in 1923. The negotiations took place from May 15 to August 13 and took place in Mexico City, in a building on the street Bucareli who ended up giving the agreement a name.

This pact had an eminently economic character, since it dealt with American claims after the Mexican Revolution. The 1917 Constitution contained several measures that affected US interests, especially those related to Mexican ownership of oil production.

Alvaro Obregon

For its part, the Obregón government sought recognition from the United States, which had refused to recognize the cabinets that emerged after the revolution.

Although both parties reached an agreement, its application was not easy. None of the Congresses of each country agreed to endorse the Treaty and the Mexican Supreme Court delimited part of its articles so that it was not retroactive, as the Americans wanted.

Background

The complaints of the United States came from the very beginning of the Mexican Revolution. After the overthrow of Porfirio Díaz, the revolutionaries began their struggle to create a constitutional government. On many occasions, the positions were divergent, but finally the revolution triumphed.

Venustiano Carranza, the first president of Mexico to emerge after the Revolution, promulgated the Constitution in 1917. It had a marked social character, with a multitude of articles that established the expropriation of land and its distribution among the peasants. Likewise, it established public ownership of the country's natural wealth.

Alvaro Obregon

Álvaro Obregón came to the government of Mexico in 1920. The politician had led a revolt, that of Agua Prieta, against the candidate that Carranza wanted to place in the presidency. The United States argued that, given the way it came to power, it could not recognize the new president.

However, in 1923, a year after the end of the legislature, the situation changed. The American Union urged Americans to recognize the Mexican government before new elections.

Obregón considered this as one of the most important issues. His internal enemies were trying to win the support of the neighbor to the north and he tried to maintain influence in the next government.

Furthermore, he was a less nationalist president than Carranza had been. Obregón, given the precarious economic situation of the nation, thought that they were necessary

U.S

The United States claimed that all the legislation issued by post-revolutionary governments had harmed some of their citizens. During the Revolution, a significant number of Americans had lost their property, without any compensation.

Also, possibly most important, the 1917 Constitution established Mexican ownership of oil fields. The US companies that had managed the wells were going to lose their rights if their government did nothing.

Thus, the United States set three conditions to recognize the Mexican government. The first, to clarify how the new situation of the oil industry was going to affect their companies, as well as the agricultural estates in the hands of their fellow citizens. Likewise, he demanded that the foreign debt, paralyzed by Carranza, be finished.

Lastly, they demanded that compensation be paid to those affected by the revolutionary struggles.

The first reaction was the ruling of the Supreme Court of Justice of Mexico. According to his interpretation, article 27 of the Constitution (the one referring to oil), would not be applied retroactively.

Causes

Constitution of 1917

Even before the Magna Carta was promulgated, Carranza had issued a decree that affected the agricultural possessions of some Americans. It was the decree of January 6, 1915, by which the lands of indigenous groups were restored.

Later, the Constitution delved into these measures. The most important article on the subject was 27, which established that all natural resources found in Mexico belonged to the State. Among those resources, oil stood out by far, whose industry was managed by foreign companies.

Apart from US pressure, Obregón wanted to attract foreign investment that would improve the economy.

Government recognition

The United States had refused to recognize the Mexican rulers. The Agua Prieta revolt, starring Obregón, made the situation worse.

The Americans claimed that he had come to power through violence and that they could not legitimize the situation.

Obregón needs

Beyond Obregón's desire to see his government recognized, there was also a political strategy. The elections were close, just a year away, and he did not want the United States to support any of its enemies.

For all this, in 1923 negotiations began between the two North American governments.

Treaty

After months of negotiation, Fernando Roa and Ramón Ross, on the part of Mexico, and Charles Warren and John H. Payne, finalized the agreement.

Both parties agreed to sign two treaties, apart from an unofficial pact. Thus, the creation of a Special Claims Convention was provided, which would serve Americans affected by the Revolution.

On the other hand, a General Claims Convention should be created, which covered what happened after 1868. In this section was the issue of oil exploitations and other investments made before the new Constitution.

The Mexicans promised to pay compensation to the Americans who complained. They also had to recognize concessions that had been made before 1917, including those from oil companies.

Consequences

At the end of that same year, on November 27, the creation of the Special Claims Convention was approved in the Senate. Three months later, the same thing happened with the General Claims Convention.

In return, the United States recognized the government of Álvaro Obregón.

Revolt of Adolfo de la Huerta

The then Minister of Finance, Adolfo de la Huerta, actively opposed the signing of the Treaty. The politician pointed out that he was conducting his own negotiations to reestablish relations without having to give up so much financially.

Their disagreements led him to resign and announce his candidacy for the elections. However, on December 7, he decided to rise up against the government. The president's supporters defeated the rebels with the help of the US government.

End of treaty

The next Mexican president was Plutarco Elías Calles. The tensions over oil had not disappeared and, finally, he decided to reject the Treaty of Bucareli.

He immediately decided to prepare a new law on the matter, strictly in accordance with article 27 of the Constitution. The United States threatened Mexico with retaliation and called Calles a "communist."

The law was enacted in 1926 and meant the cancellation of permits for US companies to extract oil. At one point, the war seemed inevitable, but it was avoided by direct talks between the two presidents.

The problem, however, was not solved. Years later, President Lázaro Cárdenas ended up nationalizing all Mexican oil.

Urban legend of the Treaty of Bucareli

For a long time, and even today in some sectors, in Mexico there has been the belief that there was a secret clause in the treaty. This, theoretically, prohibited the country from building specialized or precision machinery.

However, there is no evidence for this and historians reject its existence.

References

1. Carmona Dávila, Doralicia. Mexico and the United States sign the Bucareli treaties. Obtained from memoriapoliticademexico.org
2. Notimex. Treaties of Bucareli, sample of the complex Mexico-US relationship. Obtained from mvsnoticias.com
3. Wikipedia. Alvaro Obregon. Obtained from es.wikipedia.org
4. Alchetron. Bucareli Treaty. Retrieved from alchetron.com
5. US Library of Congress. The Obregón Presidency, 1920-24. Recovered from countrystudies.us
6. United State History. US-Mexican Relations. Retrieved from us-history.com
7. Rippy, Merrill. Oil and the Mexican Revolution. Recovered from books.google.es