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Juárez's
successor, Lerdo de Tejada attempts to continue his predecessor's
ideas, but is unsuccessful in uniting the country behind him.
Meanwhile, Porfirio Díaz, who was an able military leader
under Juárez, hatches plots against him.
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1876 - Díaz
declares his own candidate president
Despite having won the
re-election, Tejada finds himself ousted by Díaz's candidate. Díaz
himself takes the presidency the following year and rules for the next
thirty-four years.
1910
- Francisco
I. Madero stands against Díaz in the elections
Díaz imprisons his
opponent and declares himself victorious. Madero escapes to Texas and
calls on the nation to come to his aid on 20th
November. Pancho Villa and Pascual Orozco win several battles in
the north and Emiliano Zapata raises Indian support in the southwest.
May 1911 - Orozco
takes Ciudad Juárez
Orozco's success is
repeated with a string of Revolutionary victories. Díaz has fled into exile
by the end of the month.
2nd October 1911 - Madero
is elected president
Although victorious,
Madero has no idea of the forces he has unleashed. He frees the press,
encourages the formation of unions and introduces genuine democracy, but
does nothing about the condition of the peasantry or redistribution of land.
Zapata prepares to rise again...
