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Benito Juarez's Birthday |
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Benito Pablo Juárez Garcia came from very modest beginnings, but his impact on Mexico was anything but modest! He is to this day revered as a national hero and his impact on the politics of Mexico in his time and to this day are still a source of pride to the Mexican people.
He was born on March 26, 1806 in the mountain village of San Pablo Gueletao, Oaxaxa, which is located in the range known as "Sierra Juárez. He lost his parents, who were full-blooded natives of Zapotec descent at the age of three (3) due to complications from diabetes and was raised by his grandparents for a few years before they also passed away. At this point, his uncle took over the raising of the young Benito. As a child, he worked in the local corn fields and also was a shepherd until he turned 12. This was when he walked to attend school at Oaxaxa de Juárez and live with his sister. Until attending school, he only spoke his parent's native language, Zapotec.
While living with his sister and attending school, he also took a job as a domestic servant where is sister worked for Antonio Maza, a Franciscan priest. Antonio was impressed with the young Benito and saw him as a potential priest and arranged for him to enter the Santa Cruz seminary, where he learned Spanish and studied law before graduating in 1827. He continued his passion for law by attending the Institute of Science and Art and graduated in 1834 with a law degree.
1834 was when Benito began his political career. During school, he was involved in local politics and served as a city councilman in Oaxaxa. He was made a judge in 1841 and quickly became known as a strong anti-clerical liberal and in 1847 was elected the governor of the State of Oaxaxa during the time the United States and Mexico were at war between 1846 and 1848.
However, after many objections to the corrupt military dictatorship of Antonio López de Santa Anna, Benito went into exile. During his time in exile spent in New Orleans, Louisiana (USA), he worked in a cigar factory while helping draft the Plan of Ayutla. This document called for the disposition of Santa Anna and for a convention to be held to create and implement a new constitution. This led to the resignation of Santa Anna in 1855 and the return of Benito to Mexico.
With Benito's dedication and political clout, a new constitution was formed in 1857. Benito was made President of the Supreme Court of Justice and under the constitution, he became "interim" President of Mexico until a new election could be held. It took four (4) more years of legal wrangling and military intervention, but finally, in 1861, Benito Juárez was elected President of Mexico. But with so many issues facing Mexico both internally and abroad, it was a very rough road for both Benito and Mexico over the course of the next years.
Today Benito Juárez is mostly remember for his efforts as a progressive reformer who dedicated his life to democracy, equal rights for his nation's indigenous peoples, his antipathy toward organized religion, especially the Catholic Church and what he regarded as defense of national sovereignty. During his leadership, this period is known in Mexican history as La Reforma del Norte (The Reform of the North) and constituted a liberal political and social revolution with major institutional consequences: the expropriation of church lands, the subordination of the army to civilian control, liquidation of peasant communal land holdings, the separation of church and state in public affairs, and also the almost-complete disenfranchisement of bishops, priests, nuns and lay brothers.
Juárez was controversially re-elected President in 1867 and 1871 and used the office of the presidency to ensure electoral success and suppressing revolts by opponents such as Porfirio Díaz. Benito Juárez died of a heart attack on July 18th 1872. He was reading a newspaper at his desk in the National Palace in Mexico City.
If you happen to be visiting Cozumel around March 21st, please help us celebrating the birthday of Benito Juarez. For more information about how Mexico observes the celebration of Benito Juarez and his impact to Mexican politics, please CLICK HERE for more details about the Federal Holiday - Day Off for Benito Juarez Birthday!
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Copyright 2000 - 2024 Sherri Davis, All Rights Reserved. Contributors retain the copyright to their work. Please do not take art or written content without permission. Other graphics and reference materials are used and attributed as per the Fair Use Provision of The Copyright Act and individual terms of use.
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