Juárez, Benito Pablo

Juárez, Benito Pablo (1806-1872), Mexican statesman, national hero and president of Mexico (1861-1863 and 1867-1872).

Juárez was born of Native American parents on March 21, 1806, near the town of Oaxaca and trained as a lawyer. In 1847 he became governor of the state of Oaxaca and in 1854 issued the Plan of Ayutla, calling for a constituent assembly within a federal constitution. He was imprisoned in 1853 when the Mexican general Antonio López de Santa Anna, a Conservative, seized power. Juárez escaped to New Orleans, Louisiana (United States), but returned to Mexico in 1855 to take part in the revolution in which the Liberals overthrew Santa Anna. Juárez became minister of justice in the new government and instituted a series of liberal reforms that were embodied in the constitution of 1857.

The following year Juárez became provisional president after the outbreak of a revolt led by conservative elements. Soon afterwards he was forced to flee the national capital, Mexico City, and established a new seat of government at Veracruz. He initiated a number of sweeping reforms, including a reduction in the civil power of the Roman Catholic Church by confiscating ecclesiastical property. He defeated the conservative forces in 1860 and 1861, when he established his government in Mexico City and was constitutionally elected president.

Facing financial chaos caused by five years of civil war, Juárez suspended payments to foreign creditors in 1861. France, Spain, and Great Britain intervened, however, and landed troops at Veracruz. Juárez reached a settlement with Great Britain and Spain who then withdrew from Mexico, but the French remained and captured Mexico City. Maximilian, archduke of Austria, the puppet of Emperor Napoleon III of France, was crowned emperor of Mexico in 1864. Juárez moved his capital to the north and continued military resistance. When Maximilian's government fell in 1867, Juárez returned to Mexico City and was re-elected president. However, there was much resistance to him, and in 1871 Porfirio Díaz, an unsuccessful political candidate against Juárez, led a revolt against him. Juárez spent the remaining months of his life attempting to quell this rebellion but died of apoplexy on July 18, 1872, in Mexico City, before its end.