Manuel González
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| Manuel González | |
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| In office December 1, 1880 – November 30, 1884 |
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| Preceded by | Porfirio Díaz |
| Succeeded by | Porfirio Díaz |
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| Born | June 18, 1833 Tamaulipas |
| Died | April 10, 1893 (aged 59) Chapingo, State of Mexico |
| Nationality | Mexican |
| Political party | Liberal |
For the Peruvian political figure, see Manuel González Prada. For the Costa Rican writer "Magón", see Manuel González Zeledón.
Manuel del Refugio González Flores (El Moquete, Tamaulipas, June 18, 1833 — April 10, 1893 in Chapingo, State of Mexico) was a Mexican military officer, politician, and, from 1880 to 1884, president of Mexico.
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[edit] Early life and military career
González was born in Tamaulipas. He began his military career in 1847, fighting the invaders from the United States after they killed his father, a farmer. From 1853 to 1855 he fought with the Conservative forces supporting General Antonio López de Santa Anna. At the time of the Plan de Ayutla in 1854, he was with Conservative General Leonardo Márquez in Oaxaca, fighting against Liberal Porfirio Díaz.
In 1856 he was wounded at the Battle of Ocotlán, fighting with rebels against President Ignacio Comonfort. In March 1859 he took part in an attack on Veracruz by Conservative General Miguel Miramón, against the legal, Liberal government of President Benito Juárez. In 1860 he took advantage of an amnesty for the Conservatives decreed by Congress, and offered his services to the Liberals fighting against Maximilian of Habsburg and the French invasion.
González served under Porfirio Díaz. He participated in the defense of Puebla against the French in 1862. He was wounded and taken prisoner, but escaped. In 1863 Díaz made him chief of the Army of the Center. He fought under Díaz in the battles of Miahuatlán and La Carbonera, Oaxaca.
González was taken prisoner by the French a second time in 1865, but he was paroled and rejoined the Mexican army. In 1867 he participated in the sieges of Puebla (where he lost his right arm), and of Mexico City. On September 7, 1867, after Juárez's forces had retaken the capital, the president named him military commander of the Federal District and governor of the National Palace.
From 1871 to 1873 he was a federal congressional deputy from Oaxaca. He supported Díaz in revolt under the Plan de La Noria (Díaz's 1871 unsuccessful revolt against Juárez) and the Plan de Tuxtepec (his successful 1876 revolt against then-President Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada).
On March 13, 1877 he obtained the rank of general of division. Díaz named him governor and military commander of Michoacán (1877-79) and secretary of war and the navy (April 28, 1878 to November 15, 1879).
[edit] As president of the Republic
After elections, Congress declared him president. He served from December 1, 1880 to November 30, 1884, both proceeded and succeeded by Porfirio Díaz. Díaz was a minister in his government. During his administration, the railway from Mexico City to El Paso, Texas was inaugurated and the Banco Nacional de México was founded. Relations with Great Britain were renewed, and Mexico recognized the British debt claims under onerous conditions. This latter concession provoked disturbances in the capital.
He issued nickel coins, which provoked rioting on December 21, 1883. With his characteristic valor, he appeared before the rioters, actually receiving cheers before he finished speaking.
He established agricultural and industrial colonies of 1,500 Italians in the state of Puebla. He declared primary education to be free and obligatory. He inaugurated Mexico's first submarine cable. On December 20, 1882, the metric system of measurements was established in Mexico. A dispute with Guatemala over Chiapas and Soconusco was resolved peacefully.
During his term, the Constitution of 1857 was amended to remove the right of succession to the presidency from the office of president of the Supreme Court. Instead, the president of the Senate was named next in succession, or the president of the Permanent Commission, in the event that the Senate was in recess.
González's administration was generally one of technical progress in Mexico, but there was also much corruption. When Díaz reoccupied the presidency in 1884 he found the treasury empty.
[edit] After the presidency
After his presidency, González was governor of Guanajuato, from 1884 until his death in 1893. He died while he was taking a bath.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- (Spanish) "González, Manuel," Enciclopedia de México, vol. 6. Mexico City, 1996, ISBN 1-56409-016-7.
- (Spanish) García Puron, Manuel, México y sus gobernantes, v. 2. Mexico City: Joaquín Porrua, 1984.
- (Spanish) Orozco Linares, Fernando, Gobernantes de México. Mexico City: Panorama Editorial, 1985, ISBN 968-38-0260-5.
| Preceded by Porfirio Díaz |
President of Mexico 1880–1884 |
Succeeded by Porfirio Díaz |
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