Victoriano Huerta

Jose Victoriano Huerta Marquez (December 23 1850 – January 13 1916) was a Mexican military officer and President of Mexico.

Related Topics:
December 23 - 1850 - January 13 - 1916 - Mexican - President of Mexico

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Huerta was born in the town of Colotlán, Jalisco, son of Jesus Huerta and Refugio Marquez who was puportedly of Huichol descent. He entered the Mexican Army at the age of 17, distinguished himself and gained admission to the Military Academy at Chapultepec.

Related Topics:
Colotlán - Jalisco - Huichol - Chapultepec

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During the Porfirio Díaz administration he rose to the rank of general, and fought to subdue the Chan Santa Cruz Maya people of Yucatán and against the rebels of Emiliano Zapata.

Related Topics:
Porfirio Díaz - General - Chan Santa Cruz - Maya people - Yucatán - Emiliano Zapata

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After Díaz went into exile Huerta initially pledged allegiance to the new administration of Francisco Madero, and he was retained by the Madero administration. However, Huerta secretly entered into a plot — el Pacto de la Ciudadela — with the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, Henry Lane Wilson, and Félix Díaz, Porfirio Díaz's nephew, to overthrow Madero.

Related Topics:
Francisco Madero - U.S. - Ambassador - Henry Lane Wilson - Félix Díaz

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Huerta had Madero and vice-president José María Pino Suárez captured, and (after a very short term of office by Pedro Lascuráin) on February 18 1913 Huerta proclaimed himself provisional president of Mexico. Four days later Madero and Pino Suárez were executed.

Related Topics:
José María Pino Suárez - Pedro Lascuráin - February 18 - 1913

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Huerta established a harsh military dictatorship. US President Woodrow Wilson became hostile to the Huerta administration, recalled ambassador Henry Lane Wilson, and demanded Huerta step aside for democratic elections. When Huerta refused, and with the situation further exacerbated by the Tampico Affair, President Wilson landed US troops to take over Mexico's most important seaport, Veracruz.

Related Topics:
US President - Woodrow Wilson - Tampico Affair - Veracruz

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There were also numerous domestic revolts against Huerta, including those led by Zapata, Pancho Villa, and Venustiano Carranza.

Related Topics:
Zapata - Pancho Villa - Venustiano Carranza

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Victoriano Huerta bowed to pressure and resigned the Presidency on July 14 1914.

Related Topics:
July 14 - 1914

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He went into exile, first traveling in England, then Spain, then to the United States. He was discovered to be plotting to return to power in Mexico — in both Spain and Washington, he had been negotiating with German agents to secure the Kaiser's support for a coup d'état. He was arrested in Newman, New Mexico, USA, on June 27 1915 together with Pascual Orozco and charged with conspiracy to violate US neutrality laws. After some time in a US Army prison at Fort Bliss, he was released on bail but remained under house arrest due to risk of flight to Mexico. While so confined he drank very heavily and died of alcohol poisoning in El Paso, Texas.

Related Topics:
England - Spain - German - Kaiser - Newman, New Mexico - June 27 - 1915 - Pascual Orozco - Conspiracy - Fort Bliss - Alcohol poisoning - El Paso, Texas

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Huerta's treachery is still vilified by modern-day Mexicans, who generally refer to him as El Chacal — "The Jackal".

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Victoriano Huerta should not be confused with Adolfo de la Huerta, who was briefly President of Mexico in 1920.

Related Topics:
Adolfo de la Huerta - 1920

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