58 Facts About Victoriano Huerta

Jose Victoriano Huerta Marquez was a general in the Mexican Federal Army and 39th President of Mexico, who came to power by coup against the democratically elected government of Francisco I Madero with the aid of other Mexican generals and the US Ambassador to Mexico.

In February 1913, Victoriano Huerta joined a conspiracy against Madero, who entrusted him to control a revolt in Mexico City.

Victoriano Huerta's government resisted the US incursion into the port of Veracruz that violated Mexico's sovereignty.

The Constitutionalist Army, the forces of the northern coalition opposing Victoriano Huerta, defeated the Federal Army.

Victoriano Huerta was forced to resign in July 1914 and flee the country to Spain, only 17 months into his presidency, after the Federal Army collapsed.

Victoriano Huerta's supporters were known as Huertistas during the Mexican Revolution.

Victoriano Huerta is still vilified as a traitor by modern-day Mexicans, who generally refer to him as El Chacal or El Usurpador.

Victoriano Huerta identified himself as indigenous, and both his parents are reported to have been ethnically Huichol, although his father is said to have been Mestizo.

Victoriano Huerta learned to read and write at a school run by the local priest, making him one of the relatively few literate people in Colotlan.

Victoriano Huerta had decided upon a military career early on as the only way of escaping the poverty of Colotlan.

Victoriano Huerta participated in the "pacification campaigns" in Tepic and Sinaloa, where he distinguished himself in combat.

Victoriano Huerta was known for ensuring that his men always got paid, often resorting to finding the money in ruthless ways.

Victoriano Huerta then spent nine years of his military career undertaking topographic studies in the states of Puebla and Veracruz.

Victoriano Huerta traveled extensively to all parts of Mexico in this position.

French cultural influence was very strong in 19th-century Mexico, and Victoriano Huerta's hero was Napoleon.

From 1890 to 1895 Victoriano Huerta lived in Mexico City, becoming a regular visitor to the presidential residence at Chapultepec Castle, and was seen as part of Diaz's "court".

Victoriano Huerta confirmed his reputation for ruthlessness by refusing to take prisoners and continuing to attack the followers of Neri even after Diaz had signed a ceasefire.

In December 1900 Victoriano Huerta commanded a successful military campaign against Yaqui in Sonora.

From 12 April-8 September 1901 Victoriano Huerta put down a rebellion in Guerrero, completely "pacifying" the state.

Victoriano Huerta commanded about 500 men in his campaign against the Maya, starting in October 1901, and fought 79 different actions over the course of 39 days.

Victoriano Huerta was then promoted to Brigadier General and awarded the Medal of Military Merit In May 1902 he was promoted commander of federal army forces in Yucatan, and in October 1902 he reported to Diaz that he had "pacified" the Yucatan.

Victoriano Huerta's health began to decline, and perhaps because of his heavy drinking he complained he could not go outside in the sunshine without wearing sunglasses, and he suffered bouts of uncontrollable nervous shaking.

Victoriano Huerta then applied his technical training by taking up the position of Head of Public Works in Monterrey and planning a new street layout for the city.

Victoriano Huerta applied successfully to rejoin the army with his former rank and was accepted.

Victoriano Huerta did not play a major role in the early stages of the Revolution that led to the resignation of Diaz, although he commanded the military escort that gave Diaz safe conduct into exile in May 1911.

Victoriano Huerta's forces burned villages supporting the rebellion and attacked their residents.

Victoriano Huerta had a record of opposing revolutionaries and intrigues with Madero's enemies.

Victoriano Huerta pledged allegiance to President Madero, and carried out Madero's orders to crush anti-Madero revolts by rebel generals such as Pascual Orozco, who had helped topple Diaz and then rebelled against his regime.

Victoriano Huerta had at his command troops of the Mexican Federal Army and these were joined by irregulars led by Pancho Villa, at Torreon in April 1912.

Victoriano Huerta offered Orozco's supporters amnesty, which might have weakened their forces already suffering from lack of money and arms.

Victoriano Huerta's task was to undermine Madero militarily without betraying his own complicity and began military operations that weakened Madero's forces.

The Victoriano Huerta government was promptly recognized by all the western European governments, but not the government of the United States.

Victoriano Huerta, who had come to power by coup and was implicated in the murder of Madero, but was initially open to recognizing Victoriano Huerta provided that he could "win" an election that would give him a democratic veneer.

Victoriano Huerta moved quickly to consolidate power within Mexico with the support of state governors.

Victoriano Huerta sought support from Pascual Orozco, whose rebellion against Madero Victoriano Huerta had been in charge of suppressing.

Orozco had rebelled against Madero and Victoriano Huerta had overthrown him, so there was the possibility of gaining his support.

Victoriano Huerta sought recognition of his soldiers' service to the overthrown of Madero and pay; pensions and care of soldiers' widows and orphans, agrarian reforms, government payment of Orozquista debts that financed the campaign against Madero, and employment of Orozquistas as rurales.

Victoriano Huerta agreed to the terms, and Orozco threw his support to Victoriano Huerta on 27 February 1913.

Victoriano Huerta attempted to build further support for his government, and the urban working class in Mexico City made important gains before being suppressed.

Victoriano Huerta sought to diffuse agrarian agitation, which fueled the rebellion in Morelos led by Emiliano Zapata.

Molina Enriquez joined the Victoriano Huerta government heading the Department of Labor.

Abraham Gonzalez refused and Victoriano Huerta had him arrested and murdered in March 1913.

The most important challenge from a state governor was by Venustiano Carranza, governor of Coahuila, who drafted the Plan of Guadalupe, calling for the creation of a Constitutionalist Army to oust the usurper Victoriano Huerta and restore constitutional government.

Pascual Orozco, whom Victoriano Huerta fought when serving President Madero, now joined with Victoriano Huerta as a counter-revolutionary.

Victoriano Huerta disliked cabinet meetings, ordered his ministers about as if they were non-commissioned officers and displayed in general a highly autocratic style.

US President Woodrow Wilson became hostile to the Victoriano Huerta administration, recalled ambassador Henry Lane Wilson and demanded Victoriano Huerta step aside for democratic elections.

The Federal Army Victoriano Huerta took over in February 1913 on paper numbered between 45,000 and 50,000 men.

Victoriano Huerta continued to increase the strength of the army, issuing a degree for conscripting 150,000 men in October 1913; another degree for conscripting 200,000 men in January 1914 and one for a quarter of million men in March 1914.

Victoriano Huerta had to follow a defensive strategy of keeping the army concentrated in large towns, since his soldiers in the field would either desert or go over to the rebels.

Victoriano Huerta's patriotic campaign was a complete failure in the countryside.

When Victoriano Huerta refused to call elections, and with the situation further exacerbated by the Tampico Affair, President Wilson landed US troops to occupy Mexico's most important seaport, Veracruz.

Victoriano Huerta went into exile, first traveling to Kingston, Jamaica, aboard the German cruiser SMS Dresden.

Victoriano Huerta traveled from New York by train to Newman, New Mexico, where he was to be met by Gen.

The German-initiated plan for Victoriano Huerta to regain the Mexican presidency through a coup d'etat was foiled.

Diverse factions and interests in Mexico came together against the Victoriano Huerta regime, including the Zapatistas in Morelos and the Constitutionalists in northern Mexico under Venustiano Carranza.

Once Victoriano Huerta was ousted, the loose coalition fell apart and Mexico was plunged into a civil war between the winners.

Germany's backing of Victoriano Huerta weakened their influence in Mexico while the hostility of the United States to the regime increased it.

One historian argues that Victoriano Huerta's regime was not as conservative or reactionary as portrayed, arguing that he did not attempt to "reincarnate" the Age of Diaz.