26 Facts About Juan Cortina

Juan Nepomuceno Cortina Goseacochea, known by his nicknames Cheno Cortina, the Red Robber of the Rio Grande and the Rio Grande Robin Hood, was a Mexican rancher, politician, military leader, outlaw and folk hero.

Juan Cortina was an important caudillo, military general and regional leader, who effectively controlled the Mexican state of Tamaulipas as governor.

The "Wars" were raids targeting Anglo-American civilians whose settlement Juan Cortina opposed near the several leagues of land granted to his wealthy family on both sides of the Rio Grande.

Juan Cortina was born in Camargo, Tamaulipas Mexico, the son of Trinidad Cortina and Estefana Goseacochea, a wealthy cattle-ranching family.

Juan Cortina became an important political boss for the South Texas Democratic Party, and although the new local authorities invalidated many of his land claims, he remained a large rancher.

Many landowners of Mexican ancestry suffered from this situation as well, and eventually, Juan Cortina came into conflict with an influential group of lawyers and judges of Brownsville, whom he accused of expropriating land from Mexican Texans or "Tejanos", who were unfamiliar with the American legal system.

Juan Cortina pulled the man up to his horse and quickly left the scene.

Juan Cortina's enemies had fled in the meantime, and during the occupation of Brownsville, he issued a famous proclamation to reveal his intentions to both communities.

Juan Cortina retained control over Brownsville until 30 September 1859, when he evacuated the town at the urging of influential residents of Matamoros.

Later the same month, the Brownsville Tigers were joined by a group of Texas Rangers, and Juan Cortina decided to attack them.

Juan Cortina retreated up the Rio Grande, until on December 27,1859 Heintzelman and Ford engaged him in the Battle of Rio Grande City.

Juan Cortina's forces were decisively defeated, losing sixty men and all their equipment.

The First Juan Cortina War had finished, and with increasing pressure from both the United States and Mexican Government to cease all hostile activities, Juan Cortina remained away from the scene for more than a year.

In May 1861, the much shorter Second Juan Cortina War took place.

The American Civil War had just begun, and Juan Cortina, who had aligned himself with the Federal Government of the United States, invaded Zapata County.

Ignacio Zaragoza and succeeded in establishing Archduke Maximilian of Habsburg as Maximilian I, sovereign of Mexico, Juan Cortina sensed the opportunity to consolidate his power in the Tamaulipas region and switched sides by joining the invaders.

Juan Cortina resigned from the office in 1866 in favor of Generals Jose Maria Jesus Carbajal and Santiago Tapia.

The attitude of the Anglo American Texans towards Juan Cortina changed completely with the defeat of the Confederacy and his important role in the defense of the Mexican Government, and after returning to his estates in Matamoros in 1870 he was formally invited on several occasions as guest of honor of the city of Brownsville.

Juan Cortina supported General Porfirio Diaz, military hero of the French intervention in Mexico and political rival of Benito Juarez and his successor Sebastian Lerdo de Tejada.

Juan Cortina attempted to raise an army from the local population and sheltered Diaz following his failed rising.

In 1875, Juan Cortina was arrested and brought to Mexico City.

Juan Cortina was allowed to return to Tamaulipas, where he tried to raise an armed force.

Jose Canales, a longtime enemy of Juan Cortina, was sent to carry out the order and decided to bring him to Mexico City instead, fearing popular reprisals from the people of Tamaulipas.

Juan Cortina was kept at the military prison of Santiago Tlaltelolco, without being tried or sentenced.

Juan Cortina remained there until 1890, when he was removed from prison and placed under house arrest in a comfortable home in Azcapotzalco, northwest of Mexico City.

Juan Cortina remained there until his death on October 30,1894.