Liberal Party (Mexico)
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The Liberal Party (, PL) was a loosely organised political party in Mexico from 1822 to 1911. Strongly influenced by French Revolutionary thought, and the republican institutions of the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, it championed the principles of 19th-century liberalism, and promoted
republicanism Republicanism is a political ideology that encompasses a range of ideas from civic virtue, political participation, harms of corruption, positives of mixed constitution, rule of law, and others. Historically, it emphasizes the idea of self ...
,
federalism Federalism is a mode of government that combines a general level of government (a central or federal government) with a regional level of sub-unit governments (e.g., provinces, State (sub-national), states, Canton (administrative division), ca ...
, and
anti-clericalism Anti-clericalism is opposition to clergy, religious authority, typically in social or political matters. Historically, anti-clericalism in Christian traditions has been opposed to the influence of Catholicism. Anti-clericalism is related to secul ...
. They were opposed by, and fought several civil wars against, the Conservative Party.


History

The federalist
Constitution of 1824 A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organization or other type of entity, and commonly determines how that entity is to be governed. When these princ ...
represented a triumph for liberal thought. During the
First Mexican Republic The First Mexican Republic, known also as the First Federal Republic (), existed from 1824 to 1835. It was a Federal republic, federated republic, established by the 1824 Constitution of Mexico, Constitution of 1824, the first constitution of ...
era, the party's chief ideologists were
Lorenzo de Zavala Manuel Lorenzo Justiniano de Zavala y Sánchez (October 3, 1788 – November 15, 1836), known simply as Lorenzo de Zavala, was a Mexican and later Tejano physician, politician, diplomat and author. Born in Yucatán (state), Yucatán under Vicero ...
and
José María Luis Mora José María Luis Mora Lamadrid (12 October 1794 – 14 July 1850) was a priest, lawyer, historian, politician and liberal ideologist. Considered one of the first supporters of liberalism in Mexico, he fought for the separation of church and st ...
. When President
Valentín Gómez Farías Valentín Gómez Farías (; 14 February 1781 – 5 July 1858) was a Mexican physician and liberal politician who became president of Mexico twice, first from 1833 to 1834, during the period of the First Mexican Republic, and again from 1846 ...
sought to pursue an anti-clerical campaign in 1833, among other liberal reforms, his government was overthrown, and the triumphant conservatives replaced the constitution with the
Siete Leyes ''Las Siete Leyes'' (, or Seven Laws was a constitution that fundamentally altered the organizational structure of Mexico, away from the federal structure established by the Constitution of 1824, thus ending the First Mexican Republic and creating ...
inaugurating a decade of the
Centralist Republic of Mexico The Centralist Republic of Mexico (), or in the anglophone scholarship, the Central Republic, officially the Mexican Republic (), was a unitary political regime established in Mexico on 23 October 1835, under a new constitution known as the () ...
. By the time the federalist constitution was restored during the
Mexican American War Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...
, a new generation of liberals had grown to public prominence. After a constitutional convention was inaugurated in 1856, men such as
Melchor Ocampo Melchor Ocampo (4 January 1814 – 3 June 1861) was a Mexican lawyer, scientist, and politician. A zambo and a radical liberal, he was fiercely anticlerical, perhaps an atheist, and his early writings against the Catholic Church in Mexico gaine ...
,
Benito Juárez Benito Pablo Juárez García (; 21 March 1806 – 18 July 1872) was a Mexican politician, military commander, and lawyer who served as the 26th president of Mexico from 1858 until his death in office in 1872. A Zapotec peoples, Zapotec, he w ...
, Ignacio Ramírez, and Miguel Lerdo de Tejada, pursued unprecedented liberal reforms, including a continuation of the anti-clerical measures which were first attempted in 1833. These measures would be known as
La Reforma In History of Mexico, the history of Mexico, (from Spanish language, Spanish: "The Reform"), or reform laws, refers to a pivotal set of laws, including a Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1857, new constitution, that were ...
and ultimately be codified in the
Constitution of 1857 The Political Constitution of the Mexican Republic of 1857 (), often called simply the Constitution of 1857, was the Liberalism in Mexico, liberal constitution promulgated in 1857 by Constituent Congress of Mexico during the presidency of Ignacio ...
. The
War of Reform The Reform War (17 December 185711 January 1861) or War of Reform (), also known as the Three Years' War (), and the Mexican Civil War, was a complex civil war, civil conflict in Mexico fought between Mexican liberals and conservatives with re ...
with conservatives ensued and the conflict blended into the
Second French Intervention in Mexico The second French intervention in Mexico (), also known as the Second Franco-Mexican War (1861–1867), was a military invasion of the Republic of Mexico by the French Empire of Napoleon III, purportedly to force the collection of Mexican de ...
and the establishment of the
Second Mexican Empire The Second Mexican Empire (; ), officially known as the Mexican Empire (), was a constitutional monarchy established in Mexico by Mexican monarchists with the support of the Second French Empire. This period is often referred to as the Second ...
. Still, it ended with a decisive liberal triumph in 1867.
Porfirio Díaz José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori (; ; 15 September 1830 – 2 July 1915) was a General (Mexico), Mexican general and politician who was the dictator of Mexico from 1876 until Mexican Revolution, his overthrow in 1911 seizing power in a Plan ...
, who became president in this era, had been a noted partisan of the liberals during the era of La Reforma, and even as he became in practice a dictator for life, his administration, and his intellectual supporters the Cientificos, continued to view themselves as the progressive heirs of La Reforma. The Constitution of 1857 would remain in effect until the
Mexican Revolution The Mexican Revolution () was an extended sequence of armed regional conflicts in Mexico from 20 November 1910 to 1 December 1920. It has been called "the defining event of modern Mexican history". It saw the destruction of the Federal Army, its ...
.


Ideology


Federalism

The Liberals supported organizing the nation as a federation where each state contained an element of sovereignty shared with the federal government. The liberal Spanish
Constitution of 1812 The Political Constitution of the Spanish Monarchy (), also known as the Constitution of Cádiz () and nicknamed ''La Pepa'', was the first Constitution of Spain and one of the earliest codified constitutions in world history. The Constitution w ...
, promulgated during the last years of colonial rule, divided
New Spain New Spain, officially the Viceroyalty of New Spain ( ; Nahuatl: ''Yankwik Kaxtillan Birreiyotl''), originally the Kingdom of New Spain, was an integral territorial entity of the Spanish Empire, established by Habsburg Spain. It was one of several ...
into provincial deputations with popularly elected assemblies. Federalism can trace itself back to these provincial deputations or committees which fostered a spirit of provincialism and formed local political oligarchies reluctant to relinquish their newfound influence.
Jalisco Jalisco, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in western Mexico and is bordered by s ...
, the states of the North, and Yucatan were already beginning to form their own prominent local identities during colonial times. The Mexican provinces of
Central America Central America is a subregion of North America. Its political boundaries are defined as bordering Mexico to the north, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Central America is usually ...
broke away on their own during the fall of the
First Mexican Empire The Mexican Empire (, ) was a constitutional monarchy and the first independent government of Mexico. It was also the only former viceroyalty of the Spanish Empire to establish a monarchy after gaining independence. The empire existed from 18 ...
. A ''de facto'' state of federalism already existed during the
Supreme Executive Power The Supreme Executive Power () was the provisional government of Mexico that governed between the fall of the First Mexican Empire in April 1823 and the election of the first Mexican president, Guadalupe Victoria, in October 1824. After Emperor ...
, tasked with drafting the first constitution for independent Mexico. The arguments for integrating federation into the new constitution prevailed, motivated by the long struggle during the war of independence to seek as much autonomy as possible, and also an eagerness to reap the salaries that would accompany local bureaucracies. Federalism would end for the moment in 1836, when the Conservatives promulgated the
Siete Leyes ''Las Siete Leyes'' (, or Seven Laws was a constitution that fundamentally altered the organizational structure of Mexico, away from the federal structure established by the Constitution of 1824, thus ending the First Mexican Republic and creating ...
, which replaced the states with departments controlled from Mexico City. In response, many states revolted against such an arrangement which led to the secession of Texas and eventually Yucatan. Revolts to secede or to restore the Liberal system of federalism would continue to agitate the Conservative
Centralist Republic of Mexico The Centralist Republic of Mexico (), or in the anglophone scholarship, the Central Republic, officially the Mexican Republic (), was a unitary political regime established in Mexico on 23 October 1835, under a new constitution known as the () ...
to its very end, and the Constitution of 1824 would be restored in 1846 after the outbreak of the
Mexican American War Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...
. The
Plan of Ayutla The Plan of Ayutla was the 1854 written plan aimed at removing conservative, centralist President Antonio López de Santa Anna from control of Mexico during the Second Federal Republic of Mexico period. Initially, it seemed little different from ...
overthrew the dictatorship of Santa Anna and brought a Liberal government to power in 1853. A motion to once again restore the Constitution of 1824 failed by one vote, and work once again began on drafting a new constitution. The subsequent
Constitution of 1857 The Political Constitution of the Mexican Republic of 1857 (), often called simply the Constitution of 1857, was the Liberalism in Mexico, liberal constitution promulgated in 1857 by Constituent Congress of Mexico during the presidency of Ignacio ...
would once again be federalist, and would remain in effect until the Mexican Revolution in the early twentieth century.


Anti-Clericalism

Liberal efforts at disestablishing the Catholic Church began with the liberal presidency of Valentín Gómez Farías in 1834. The government shut down church schools, assumed the right to make clerical appointments to the church, and shut down monasteries. It was at this point that the government began proposing the nationalization of church lands as well. The Liberal governor of Mexico State, Lorenzo de Zavala would also carry out anti-clerical measures, including the suppression of monasteries. Conservative backlash led to the fall of the Gómez Farías administration. The issue of nationalizing church lands was brought up again in 1847 by Gómez Farías once more who had once again found himself in the presidency during the
Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War (Spanish language, Spanish: ''guerra de Estados Unidos-México, guerra mexicano-estadounidense''), also known in the United States as the Mexican War, and in Mexico as the United States intervention in Mexico, ...
. This time Gómez Farías urged the nationalization of church lands as a means of funding the war effort, but the efficacy and prudence of such a measure was questioned by Conservatives, even by moderate liberals. There were clashes in the cabinet over the matter, and another Conservative revolt known as the Revolt of the Polkos once again toppled Gómez Farías. A final and ill-fated Conservative effort to fight back against the anti-clerical measures of the Liberal Party took place during the pivotal La Reforma period which was inaugurated by the Plan of Ayutla that brought the liberal Juan Alvarez to power. This time it was not only the nationalization of church lands, but the question of religious freedom, and the jurisdiction of canon law over clergy that was brought to fore during the discussions regarding the drafting of the
Constitution of 1857 The Political Constitution of the Mexican Republic of 1857 (), often called simply the Constitution of 1857, was the Liberalism in Mexico, liberal constitution promulgated in 1857 by Constituent Congress of Mexico during the presidency of Ignacio ...
. Church properties not related to religious functions were nationalized, priests remained under the jurisdiction of canon law only in non-civil cases, and for the first time a Mexican Constitution did not declare Catholicism as the state religion. Conservative backlash would trigger the Reform War, and it was during the war that the liberal president Benito Juarez went much further than the earlier reform measures by nationalizing all the remaining church properties in order to fund the war effort. The Conservatives would eventually lose the war in 1860, and the liberal measures remained entrenched.


Republicanism

The Liberal Party was staunchly republican throughout its entire existence which did not always put it in opposition to the Conservative Party. Both parties joined in condemning José María Gutiérrez de Estrada when he suggested in 1840 that Mexico ought to invite a foreign monarch to establish a Mexican monarchy. Mexican historian
Justo Sierra Justo Sierra Méndez (January 26, 1848 – September 13, 1912), was a Mexican prominent liberal writer, historian, journalist, poet and political figure during the Porfiriato, in the second half of the nineteenth century and early twentieth ...
has argued that the unpopularity of monarchy caused the Conservatives to endorse republicanism lest the Liberal Party be perceived as the only republican party. In 1845, the perception that President Mariano Paredes was considering constitutional change towards monarchy triggered a storm of opposition in the liberal press. Many liberal newspapers began changing their names to support republicanism. ''El Monitor Constitucional'' (The Constitutional Monitor) changed its name to '' El Monitor Republicano'' (The Republican Monitor). ''El Siglo XIX'' (The Nineteenth Century) changed its name to ''El Republicano'' (The Republican). Carlos Maria Bustamante began to publish a newsletter titled ''Mexico no quiere rey y menos a un extranjero'', (Mexico doesn't want a king, let alone a foreign one). Republican critics of Paredes also pointed out that monarchy was unsuitable to the country because Mexico had no
nobility Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally appointed by and ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. T ...
to support such an institution. "With powerful arguments they maintained that the idea of a monarchy in Mexico was not only contrary to the wishes of the Mexican people, but also one that was not at all feasible, there being no such thing as a nobility in the country." Even the Conservative statesman, Antonio de Haro y Tamariz, agreed with these points, sarcastically suggesting that the government start granting titles to generals. The Liberal Party was in power when the
Second French Empire The Second French Empire, officially the French Empire, was the government of France from 1852 to 1870. It was established on 2 December 1852 by Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, president of France under the French Second Republic, who proclaimed hi ...
launched an invasion of Mexico, the Second French Intervention, in 1861 with the intention of overthrowing the government of Mexico and replacing it with a monarchical client state, the
Second Mexican Empire The Second Mexican Empire (; ), officially known as the Mexican Empire (), was a constitutional monarchy established in Mexico by Mexican monarchists with the support of the Second French Empire. This period is often referred to as the Second ...
, a scheme that gained the collaboration of the Conservative Party, which previously however had expressed republican principles, causing the Liberal ambassador to the United States,
Matias Romero Matías is the Portuguese version of Matthias. Matías is very popular in Latin America especially in Argentina. In German-speaking Europe it is most often written as Matthias. It appears in this form in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland. Alterna ...
to remark that ''“the French government has been and is, then, the true and only author of the project to establish a monarchy in Mexico, which can only be conceived...by persons who did not know the present situation of the republic and the ideas and tendencies of its people, or who believe the Mexican nation is an automaton with which one may do as one pleases.'' “ Five years of war would follow during which the French invaders struggled to gain control of the entire country, made worse by the end of the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
in 1865, which allowed the United States to supply
materiel Materiel or matériel (; ) is supplies, equipment, and weapons in military supply-chain management, and typically supplies and equipment in a commerce, commercial supply chain management, supply chain context. Military In a military context, ...
to the Mexican Republic and place diplomatic pressure on France to leave the continent. Emperor Maximilian was captured, tried, and executed by the Liberal government in 1867.


Liberals


Presidents

*
Guadalupe Victoria Guadalupe Victoria (; 29 September 178621 March 1843), born José Miguel Ramón Adaucto Fernández y Félix, was a Mexican general and politician who fought for independence against the Spanish Empire in the Mexican War of Independence and afte ...
– A leading insurgent commander during the Mexican War of Independence, Victoria would go on to become the first President of Mexico, and the only one to serve a full term until 1852. *
Vicente Guerrero Vicente Ramón Guerrero Saldaña (; baptized 10 August 1782 – 14 February 1831) was a Mexican military officer from 1810–1821 and a statesman who became the nation's second president in 1829. He was one of the leading generals who fought ag ...
– Second president of Mexico; also known for abolishing slavery, which had mostly ceased to exist in Mexico except for Texas. *
Valentín Gómez Farías Valentín Gómez Farías (; 14 February 1781 – 5 July 1858) was a Mexican physician and liberal politician who became president of Mexico twice, first from 1833 to 1834, during the period of the First Mexican Republic, and again from 1846 ...
– attempted a series of sweeping anti-clerical reforms during his first presidency in 1832, but was overthrown in response. He also briefly served as president during the
Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War (Spanish language, Spanish: ''guerra de Estados Unidos-México, guerra mexicano-estadounidense''), also known in the United States as the Mexican War, and in Mexico as the United States intervention in Mexico, ...
during which he was similarly overthrown. His reforms would later be more successfully implemented during La Reforma. * Santa Anna – While known for repeatedly switching sides he began his public life as a liberal and was first elected to the presidency as a liberal in 1832. He also briefly returned to liberal principles at the beginning of the Mexican–American War when he played a role in restoring the Constitution of 1824. *
José Joaquín de Herrera José Joaquín Antonio Florencio de Herrera y Ricardos (February 23, 1792 – February 10, 1854) was a Mexican statesman who served as president of Mexico three times (1844, 1844–1845 and 1848–1851), and as a general in the Mexican Army d ...
– overthrown by hardliners in the years leading up to the
Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War (Spanish language, Spanish: ''guerra de Estados Unidos-México, guerra mexicano-estadounidense''), also known in the United States as the Mexican War, and in Mexico as the United States intervention in Mexico, ...
. The terrible results of the war vindicated his peace policy, and he was elected again immediately after the war, being the first Mexican president to complete his term since 1824. *
Pedro María de Anaya Pedro Bernardino María de Anaya y Álvarez (20 May 1794 – 21 March 1854) was a Mexican soldier who served twice as interim president of Mexico during the Mexican-American War. Inbetween presidencies, he directly participated in the fighting ...
served two brief presidencies during the
Mexican American War Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...
. *
Mariano Arista José Mariano Martín Buenaventura Ignacio Nepomuceno García de Arista Nuez (26 July 1802 – 7 August 1855) was a Mexican soldier and politician who also became president of Mexico. He was in command of the Mexican forces at the opening batt ...
– Succeeded José Joaquín de Herrera and was also known for a peaceful, moderate era of rule, before being overthrown over sweeping budget cuts. *
Juan Álvarez Juan Nepomuceno Álvarez Hurtado de Luna, generally known as Juan Álvarez, (27 January 1790 – 21 August 1867) was a general, long-time caudillo (regional leader) in southern Mexico, and president of Mexico for two months in 1855, following ...
Caudillo A ''caudillo'' ( , ; , from Latin language, Latin , diminutive of ''caput'' "head") is a type of Personalist dictatorship, personalist leader wielding military and political power. There is no precise English translation for the term, though it ...
long based in the ''
Tierra Caliente ''Tierra caliente'' is an informal term used in Latin America to refer to places with a distinctly tropical climate. These are usually regions from 0 to 3,000 feet above sea level.Zech, W. and Hintermaier-Erhard, G. (2002); Böden der Welt – Ein ...
''. He helped overthrow the last dictatorship of Santa Anna through the
Plan of Ayutla The Plan of Ayutla was the 1854 written plan aimed at removing conservative, centralist President Antonio López de Santa Anna from control of Mexico during the Second Federal Republic of Mexico period. Initially, it seemed little different from ...
inaugurating
La Reforma In History of Mexico, the history of Mexico, (from Spanish language, Spanish: "The Reform"), or reform laws, refers to a pivotal set of laws, including a Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1857, new constitution, that were ...
and reaching the presidency. He later resigned hoping that the more moderate Ignacio Comonfort could better implement reforms. *
Ignacio Comonfort Ignacio Gregorio Comonfort de los Ríos (; 12 March 1812 – 13 November 1863), also known as Ignacio Comonfort, was a Mexican politician and soldier who was also president during La Reforma. He played a leading role in the liberal movement und ...
– The
Constitution of 1857 The Political Constitution of the Mexican Republic of 1857 (), often called simply the Constitution of 1857, was the Liberalism in Mexico, liberal constitution promulgated in 1857 by Constituent Congress of Mexico during the presidency of Ignacio ...
was promulgated under his rule, but the subsequent backlash caused Comonfort to support a self coup known as the Plan of Tacubaya, which triggered the
Reform War The Reform War (17 December 185711 January 1861) or War of Reform (), also known as the Three Years' War (), and the Mexican Civil War, was a complex civil conflict in Mexico fought between Mexican liberals and conservatives with regional var ...
, and then caused Comonfort to back away from the Conservatives and resign the presidency. *
Benito Juárez Benito Pablo Juárez García (; 21 March 1806 – 18 July 1872) was a Mexican politician, military commander, and lawyer who served as the 26th president of Mexico from 1858 until his death in office in 1872. A Zapotec peoples, Zapotec, he w ...
Oaxaca Oaxaca, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Oaxaca, is one of the 32 states that compose the political divisions of Mexico, Federative Entities of the Mexico, United Mexican States. It is divided into municipalities of Oaxaca, 570 munici ...
n lawyer who later became governor of that state. He was among the liberals exiled in 1853 by Santa Anna, but returned to the nation during the
Plan of Ayutla The Plan of Ayutla was the 1854 written plan aimed at removing conservative, centralist President Antonio López de Santa Anna from control of Mexico during the Second Federal Republic of Mexico period. Initially, it seemed little different from ...
and was later made president of the Supreme Court which brought him to the presidency at the resignation of Comonfort. He remained president through the Reform War and the Second French Intervention before dying in office in 1872. *
Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada y Corral (; 24 April 1823 – 21 April 1889) was a Mexican liberal politician and jurist who served as the 31st president of Mexico from 1872 to 1876. A successor to Benito Juárez, who died in office in July 1872, ...
– Brother of the liberal statesman Miguel Lerdo de Tejada. Succeeded Juarez upon his death but was overthrown by another liberal, Porfirio Diaz. His presidency was also known for a program of railroad construction. *
Porfirio Díaz José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori (; ; 15 September 1830 – 2 July 1915) was a General (Mexico), Mexican general and politician who was the dictator of Mexico from 1876 until Mexican Revolution, his overthrow in 1911 seizing power in a Plan ...
– A leading liberal commander during the Second French Intervention. His presidency would eventually develop into a decades long dictatorship known as the
Porfiriato The Porfiriato or Porfirismo (, ), coined by Mexican historian Daniel Cosío Villegas, is a term given to the period when General Porfirio Díaz ruled Mexico under an Authoritarianism, authoritarian military dictatorship in the late 19th and e ...
.


Military

* Miguel Casulo de Alatriste – Lawyer and governor of
Puebla Puebla, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Puebla, is one of the 31 states that, along with Mexico City, comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 217 municipalities and its capital is Puebla City. Part of east-centr ...
who fought for the liberals during the Reform War and the Second French Intervention. He was captured and executed during the latter. * Manuel Cepeda Peraza – Liberal general who fought in the
Reform War The Reform War (17 December 185711 January 1861) or War of Reform (), also known as the Three Years' War (), and the Mexican Civil War, was a complex civil conflict in Mexico fought between Mexican liberals and conservatives with regional var ...
and the Second French Intervention *
Ramón Corona Ramón Corona (18 October 1837, Tuxcueca, Jalisco, Mexico – 11 November 1889, Guadalajara, Jalisco) was a liberal Mexican general and diplomat. He served with distinction during the Second French Intervention in Mexico and after the triumph ...
– General who served during the Second French Intervention who later served as Minister to Spain. *
Santos Degollado José Santos Degollado Sánchez (born November 1, 1811, in Hacienda de Robles, Guanajuato, Viceroyalty of New Spain – died June 15, 1861, in Llanos de Salazar, State of Mexico) was a Mexican Liberal politician and military leader. He was rai ...
– Governor of Jalisco who served in the cabinet of President Juarez, and was later thrust into military command with the outbreak of the Reform War. He was not known for his military skill and was later killed in pursuit of the Conservative General Leonardo Marquez shortly after the end of the Reform War. *
Luigi Ghilardi Luigi Ghilardi, also known as Luis Ghilardi, was an Italian general who fought in many different conflicts during the 19th century, and who advocated for republican ideals. His parents were Nicola Ghilardi and Isabella Lucchesi. As a young man h ...
– Italian mercenary who fought in various European conflicts in the cause of republicanism. He traveled to Mexico to fight for the liberals in the
Reform War The Reform War (17 December 185711 January 1861) or War of Reform (), also known as the Three Years' War (), and the Mexican Civil War, was a complex civil conflict in Mexico fought between Mexican liberals and conservatives with regional var ...
and in the Second French Intervention. During the latter he was captured and executed by the French. * Jesús González Ortega – Fiercely anti-clerical Governor of
Zacatecas Zacatecas, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Zacatecas, is one of the Political divisions of Mexico, 31 states of Mexico. It is divided into Municipalities of Zacatecas, 58 municipalities and its capital city is Zacatecas City, Zacatec ...
during the Reform War. He later fought for the liberals during the Second French Intervention and contested the claims of Benito Juarez to the presidency. *
Ignacio de la Llave Ignacio de la Llave y Segura Zevallos (26 August 1818 – 23 June 1863) was a general and the governor of the Mexican state of Veracruz (1861–1862). Life He was born in Orizaba, Veracruz, a nephew of the prominent politician Pablo de la Lla ...
– Governor of
Veracruz Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entit ...
who later fought for the liberals during the Reform War and the Second French Intervention. He died in combat during the latter. * Pedro José Méndez – general who lead guerillas during the Second French Intervention * José María Arteaga – He began his military career during the
Mexican American War Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...
and was later Governor of Queretaro and Governor of
Jalisco Jalisco, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in western Mexico and is bordered by s ...
. He fought for the liberals in the Reform War and the Second French Intervention. In the latter he was captured and executed by the French. *
José María Jesús Carbajal José María Jesús Carbajal (1809–1874) (also spelled Carvajal, Caravajal, Carabajal, and Carbahal) was a Mexican Tejano who opposed the Centralist government installed by Antonio López de Santa Anna, but was a conscientious objector who refus ...
Tejano Tejanos ( , ) are descendants of Texas Creoles and Mestizos who settled in Texas before its admission as an American state. The term is also sometimes applied to Texans of Mexican descent. Etymology The word ''Tejano'', with a ''J'' instead ...
supporter of Federalism who opposed Santa Anna, but refused to aid the
Texas Revolution The Texas Revolution (October 2, 1835 – April 21, 1836) was a rebellion of colonists from the United States and Tejanos (Hispanic Texans) against the Centralist Republic of Mexico, centralist government of Mexico in the Mexican state of ...
. He later supported the Liberals during the Reform War and the Second French Intervention. He served as the governor of
Tamaulipas Tamaulipas, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas, is a state in Mexico; one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 federal entities of Mexico. It is divided into 43 municipalities. It is located in nor ...
. * José María Chávez Alonso – Journalist and publisher who later served as a deputy in the congress which drafted the
Constitution of 1857 The Political Constitution of the Mexican Republic of 1857 (), often called simply the Constitution of 1857, was the Liberalism in Mexico, liberal constitution promulgated in 1857 by Constituent Congress of Mexico during the presidency of Ignacio ...
. He fought in the Reform War and the Second French Intervention. During the latter he was captured and executed by the French. * José María Patoni – Governor of Durango with a background in mining who led liberal troops during the Reform War and the Second French Intervention. * Gregorio Méndez Magaña – Governor of
Tabasco Tabasco, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tabasco, is one of the Political divisions of Mexico, 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into Municipalities of Tabasco, 17 municipalities and its capital city is Villahermosa. It i ...
during the Second French Intervention during which he succeeded in expelling the French from his state. * Pedro Ogazón – Liberal commander during the Reform War and the Second French Intervention who later went on to serve as Minister of War under President
Porfirio Díaz José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori (; ; 15 September 1830 – 2 July 1915) was a General (Mexico), Mexican general and politician who was the dictator of Mexico from 1876 until Mexican Revolution, his overthrow in 1911 seizing power in a Plan ...
. * Carlos Salazar Ruiz – General who fought in the
Reform War The Reform War (17 December 185711 January 1861) or War of Reform (), also known as the Three Years' War (), and the Mexican Civil War, was a complex civil conflict in Mexico fought between Mexican liberals and conservatives with regional var ...
and the Second French Intervention, in the latter of which he was captured and shot by the French. *
Ignacio Pesqueira Ignacio Pesqueira García (1820–1886) was a 19th-century Mexican general and politician. He was the Governor of Sonora over six times, with two of the six terms being an insurgent governor during the Second French intervention in Mexico. Chi ...
– governor of Sonora and general who fought against the French during the Second French Intervention. * Agustina Ramírez – Mother of twelve who sent her sons to join the military during the Second French Intervention. * Nicolás RégulesSpanish-Mexican general who fought in the Reform War and in the Second French Intervention. * Antonio Rosales – Brigadier general during the
Reform War The Reform War (17 December 185711 January 1861) or War of Reform (), also known as the Three Years' War (), and the Mexican Civil War, was a complex civil conflict in Mexico fought between Mexican liberals and conservatives with regional var ...
and the Second French Intervention. * Nicolás Romero – Businessman and later guerilla leader who fought in the Reform War and the Second French Intervention. He was captured and executed during the latter. * Leandro Valle Martínez – Liberal diplomat and general during the Reform War who died in pursuit of Conservative General Leonardo Marquez. *
Ignacio Zaragoza Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín (March 24, 1829 – September 8, 1862) was a Mexican Army officer and politician. He is best known for leading a Mexican army of 3,791 men which defeated a 5,730-strong force of French troops at the battle of Puebla ...
– Liberal commander during the Reform War and the Second French Intervention. He is best known for defeating the French at the
Battle of Puebla The Battle of Puebla (; ), also known as the Battle of May 5 () took place on 5 May 1862, near Puebla de los Ángeles, during the second French intervention in Mexico. French troops under the command of Charles de Lorencez repeatedly failed to s ...
. * Juan Zuazua – Distinguished himself during the
Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War (Spanish language, Spanish: ''guerra de Estados Unidos-México, guerra mexicano-estadounidense''), also known in the United States as the Mexican War, and in Mexico as the United States intervention in Mexico, ...
and the
Reform War The Reform War (17 December 185711 January 1861) or War of Reform (), also known as the Three Years' War (), and the Mexican Civil War, was a complex civil conflict in Mexico fought between Mexican liberals and conservatives with regional var ...


Statesmen

* Manuel Doblado – Leading statesman during the Revolution of Ayutla; was later the Liberal Minister of Foreign Relations during the Second French Intervention. * Miguel Lerdo de Tejada – Leading statesman during La Reforma. Drafted the Ley Lerdo. He was also brother of the president Miguel Lerdo de Tejada. *
José María Lafragua José María Lafragua Ibarra was a Mexican Liberalism in Mexico, liberal lawyer, politician, diplomat, and writer. He was born in Puebla, 2 April 1813, the son of Lt. Col. José María Lafragua and Mariana de Ibarra and Veytia. He served in a ...
– Liberal congressman and later minister who served under President Ignacio Comonfort. *
Melchor Ocampo Melchor Ocampo (4 January 1814 – 3 June 1861) was a Mexican lawyer, scientist, and politician. A zambo and a radical liberal, he was fiercely anticlerical, perhaps an atheist, and his early writings against the Catholic Church in Mexico gaine ...
– Liberal governor of Michoacan who later joined the ministry during La Reforma. After the War of Reform, he was assassinated by the Conservative general Leonardo Marquez. *
José María Iglesias José María Juan Nepomuceno Crisóforo Iglesias Inzáurraga (5 January 1823 – 17 December 1891) was a Mexican lawyer, professor, journalist and liberal politician. He is known as author of the Iglesias law, an anticlerical law regulating e ...
– lawyer, professor, congressman, and later Minister of the Treasury. *
Lorenzo de Zavala Manuel Lorenzo Justiniano de Zavala y Sánchez (October 3, 1788 – November 15, 1836), known simply as Lorenzo de Zavala, was a Mexican and later Tejano physician, politician, diplomat and author. Born in Yucatán (state), Yucatán under Vicero ...
– Liberal writer, historian, and statesman who served as Governor of the state of Mexico. During the collapse of the First Mexican Republic, he gained infamy for supporting Texan Independence. * Ezequiel Montes – Liberal jurist, professor, and statesman who served as foreign minister under President Ignacio Comonfort. * Juan José Baz – governor of the
Federal district A federal district is a specific administrative division in one of various federations. These districts may be under the direct jurisdiction of a federation's national government, as in the case of federal territory (e.g., India, Malaysia), or the ...
and partisan of
Valentín Gómez Farías Valentín Gómez Farías (; 14 February 1781 – 5 July 1858) was a Mexican physician and liberal politician who became president of Mexico twice, first from 1833 to 1834, during the period of the First Mexican Republic, and again from 1846 ...
. * Angel Albino Corzo – liberal congressman and governor of
Chiapas Chiapas, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Chiapas, is one of the states that make up the Political divisions of Mexico, 32 federal entities of Mexico. It comprises Municipalities of Chiapas, 124 municipalities and its capital and large ...
. * Juan Antonio de la Fuente – Governor of
Coahuila Coahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Coahuila de Zaragoza, is one of the 31 states of Mexico. The largest city and State Capital is the city of Saltillo; the second largest is Torreón and the thi ...
and served as minister under multiple presidents during
La Reforma In History of Mexico, the history of Mexico, (from Spanish language, Spanish: "The Reform"), or reform laws, refers to a pivotal set of laws, including a Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1857, new constitution, that were ...
. * Manuel Alas Sardaneta y Pompa – Governor of the
state of Mexico The State of Mexico, officially just Mexico, is one of the 32 federal entities of the United Mexican States. Colloquially known as Edomex (from , the abbreviation of , and ), to distinguish it from the name of the whole country, it is the mo ...
who went on to be president of the Supreme Court. *
Manuel Gutiérrez Zamora Manuel may refer to: People * Manuel (name), a given name and surname * Manuel (''Fawlty Towers''), a fictional character from the sitcom ''Fawlty Towers'' * Manuel I Komnenos, emperor of the Byzantine Empire * Manuel I of Portugal, king of Po ...
– Governor of Veracruz who protected President Juarez during the
Reform War The Reform War (17 December 185711 January 1861) or War of Reform (), also known as the Three Years' War (), and the Mexican Civil War, was a complex civil conflict in Mexico fought between Mexican liberals and conservatives with regional var ...
eventually turning Veracruz into the Liberal capital. * Juan José de la Garza – Governor of
Tamaulipas Tamaulipas, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas, is a state in Mexico; one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 federal entities of Mexico. It is divided into 43 municipalities. It is located in nor ...
, general during the
Reform War The Reform War (17 December 185711 January 1861) or War of Reform (), also known as the Three Years' War (), and the Mexican Civil War, was a complex civil conflict in Mexico fought between Mexican liberals and conservatives with regional var ...
and the Second French Intervention and later minister plenipotentiary to
El Salvador El Salvador, officially the Republic of El Salvador, is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south by the Pacific Ocean. El Salvador's capital and largest city is S ...
and
Guatemala Guatemala, officially the Republic of Guatemala, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico, to the northeast by Belize, to the east by Honduras, and to the southeast by El Salvador. It is hydrologically b ...
* Ignacio Vallarta – Jurist and governor of
Jalisco Jalisco, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in western Mexico and is bordered by s ...
. He was present at the convention that drafted the
Constitution of 1857 The Political Constitution of the Mexican Republic of 1857 (), often called simply the Constitution of 1857, was the Liberalism in Mexico, liberal constitution promulgated in 1857 by Constituent Congress of Mexico during the presidency of Ignacio ...
*
Ponciano Arriaga José Ponciano Arriaga Mejía (1811–1865) was a lawyer and radical liberal politician from the Mexican state of San Luis Potosí. Biography Arriaga rose to prominence in the late 1840s and is particularly known for pushing for the equality o ...
– Lawyer and congressman who would go on to serve as Minister of Justice and President of the Chamber of Deputies. *
Santiago Vidaurri José Santiago Vidaurri Valdez (July 24, 1809 – July 8, 1867) was a controversial and powerful governor of the northern Mexican states of Nuevo León and Coahuila between 1855 and 1864. He was an advocate of federalism. In 1855, he supporte ...
– Influential governor of
Nuevo Leon Nuevo is the Spanish word for "new". It may refer to: * Nuevology, California, a town in California, United States * Nuevo (band), featuring singer and musician Peter Godwin * Nuevo (Bayamón), a settlement in Puerto Rico * "Nuevo", Spanish-langu ...
and
Coahuila Coahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Coahuila de Zaragoza, is one of the 31 states of Mexico. The largest city and State Capital is the city of Saltillo; the second largest is Torreón and the thi ...
and commander of the armies of the north during the
Reform War The Reform War (17 December 185711 January 1861) or War of Reform (), also known as the Three Years' War (), and the Mexican Civil War, was a complex civil conflict in Mexico fought between Mexican liberals and conservatives with regional var ...
. He abandoned the liberal president
Benito Juarez Benito may refer to: Places * Benito, Kentucky, United States * Benito, Manitoba, Canada * Benito River, a river in Equatorial Guinea Other uses * Benito (name) ** Benito Mussolini Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (29 July 188328 April 1 ...
during the
Second French Intervention in Mexico The second French intervention in Mexico (), also known as the Second Franco-Mexican War (1861–1867), was a military invasion of the Republic of Mexico by the French Empire of Napoleon III, purportedly to force the collection of Mexican de ...
and joined the
Second Mexican Empire The Second Mexican Empire (; ), officially known as the Mexican Empire (), was a constitutional monarchy established in Mexico by Mexican monarchists with the support of the Second French Empire. This period is often referred to as the Second ...
leaving to Mexico City to become an adviser to Emperor Maximilian. After the fall of the Empire he was captured and executed by the restored republic. *
José María Lacunza José María Lacunza Blengio (18 August 1809 – 2 January 1869) was a Mexican politician and diplomat. In 1836, with his brother Juan Nepomuceno Lacunza, he founded the , where he published his ''Historical Discourses''. As a columnist he wrote ...
– He served as a Minister during the moderate liberal presidency of Jose Joaquin Herrera. He was also a faculty adviser to the liberal writer Ignacio Ramirez. During the Second French Intervention he accepted a post under the Second Mexican Empire for which he was exiled after the fall of the Empire.


Writers

* Francisco Zarco – Writer who has been characterized as the greatest of the Liberal journalists. He wrote a detailed account of the debates during the drafting of the
Constitution of 1857 The Political Constitution of the Mexican Republic of 1857 (), often called simply the Constitution of 1857, was the Liberalism in Mexico, liberal constitution promulgated in 1857 by Constituent Congress of Mexico during the presidency of Ignacio ...
. *
José María Luis Mora José María Luis Mora Lamadrid (12 October 1794 – 14 July 1850) was a priest, lawyer, historian, politician and liberal ideologist. Considered one of the first supporters of liberalism in Mexico, he fought for the separation of church and st ...
– priest who served as one of leading liberal intellectuals during the
First Mexican Republic The First Mexican Republic, known also as the First Federal Republic (), existed from 1824 to 1835. It was a Federal republic, federated republic, established by the 1824 Constitution of Mexico, Constitution of 1824, the first constitution of ...
. He served in congress and wrote on politics and history. * Ignacio Ramirez – Atheistic writer, who edited many liberal newspapers, and later served as president of the Supreme Court. *
Guillermo Prieto Guillermo Prieto Pradillo (10 February 1818 – 2 March 1897) was a Mexican novelist, short-story writer, poet, chronicler, journalist, essayist, patriot and Liberal politician. According to Eladio Cortés, during his lifetime he was consider ...
– Liberal journalist and poet who would eventually serve in the ministry of several presidents, and played a notable role in
La Reforma In History of Mexico, the history of Mexico, (from Spanish language, Spanish: "The Reform"), or reform laws, refers to a pivotal set of laws, including a Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1857, new constitution, that were ...
. He saved the life of President Benito Juarez in the early stages of the
Reform War The Reform War (17 December 185711 January 1861) or War of Reform (), also known as the Three Years' War (), and the Mexican Civil War, was a complex civil conflict in Mexico fought between Mexican liberals and conservatives with regional var ...
when they were both imprisoned in
Guadalajara Guadalajara ( ; ) is the capital and the most populous city in the western Mexican List of states of Mexico, state of Jalisco, as well as the most densely populated municipality in Jalisco. According to the 2020 census, the city has a population ...
. *
Ignacio Manuel Altamirano Ignacio Manuel Altamirano Basilio (; 13 November 1834 – 13 February 1893) was a Mexican radical liberal writer, journalist, teacher and politician. He wrote ''Clemencia'' (1869), which is often considered to be the first modern Mexican novel ...
– Indigenous Chontal lawyer, novelist, and journalist who took part in
La Reforma In History of Mexico, the history of Mexico, (from Spanish language, Spanish: "The Reform"), or reform laws, refers to a pivotal set of laws, including a Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1857, new constitution, that were ...
. He would eventually also serve as president of the Supreme Court. * Florencio Maria del Castillo – liberal writer, journalist, and congressman. He began his journalistic career writing for ''El Monitor Republicano''. *
Gabino Barreda Gabino Barreda (1818, Puebla – 1881, Mexico City) was a Mexican physician, philosophy, philosopher and politician oriented to French positivism. He served in both the Senate of the Republic (Mexico), Senate and the Chamber of Deputies (Mexico ...
– physician and philosopher who helped implement educational reforms based upon
Positivism Positivism is a philosophical school that holds that all genuine knowledge is either true by definition or positivemeaning '' a posteriori'' facts derived by reason and logic from sensory experience.John J. Macionis, Linda M. Gerber, ''Soci ...
. He was later made ambassador to the German Empire. * Vicente Garcia Torres – journalist and founder of '' El Monitor Republicano''.


References

{{reflist Left-wing parties in Mexico Liberal parties in Mexico Defunct political parties in Mexico Defunct liberal political parties Republican parties 1820s establishments in Mexico 1900s disestablishments in Mexico