The Porfiriato Era (1876-1911)
After the death of Mexican President Benito Juárez in 1872, his general in command of the army, Porfirio Díaz, took over as leader. Díaz actually began his presidency four years later. His time ruling from 1876 to 1911 became known as the Porfiriato Era.
“It is one of the many charming inconsistencies of Mexico that Porfirio Díaz, the military caudillo and bitter enemy of Juárez, should have succeeded the lawgiver of Mexico for a third of a century as an irresponsible despot, under the cloak of the liberal constitution that Juárez and his devoted company fought so long to establish."
-Lesley Bird Simpson, Many Mexicos (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1941), 287.
“It is one of the many charming inconsistencies of Mexico that Porfirio Díaz, the military caudillo and bitter enemy of Juárez, should have succeeded the lawgiver of Mexico for a third of a century as an irresponsible despot, under the cloak of the liberal constitution that Juárez and his devoted company fought so long to establish."
-Lesley Bird Simpson, Many Mexicos (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1941), 287.
At the time, Díaz established a “No Reelection" policy, preventing other presidents from serving consecutive terms. However, he terminated this policy when he was reelected in 1884 after an unqualified Manuel González was elected in 1880. During his second term, Díaz used terror to influence voters with gangs of thugs. When he was unsuccessful in frightening voters, he rigged the votes in his favor, which allowed him to serve seven consecutive terms. In reality, Díaz was a dictator.
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