Enrique Gorostieta
Encyclopedia
Enrique Gorostieta Velarde (Monterrey
, 1889 - Atotonilco el Alto
, 2 June 1929) was a Mexican
soldier. He was one of the leaders of the Cristero Rebellion.
Gorostieta followed a military education at the Heroic Military College of Chapultepec
and served in the Porfirian army. During the Mexican Revolution
he served in the Federal Army of counterrevolutionary dictator Victoriano Huerta
, being Huerta's youngest general, and after Huerta's fall fought with Juan Andrew Almazán, but soon fled Mexico for Cuba and later the United States. Upon his return to Mexico he worked as a soap manufacturer, but found the work boring, and sought a return to military activity.
In 1926 the National League for the Defense of Religious Liberty
chose him to lead the Cristeros, an army of Catholic rebels fighting against the government forces of president Plutarco Elías Calles
.
As a Mason and life-long anti-clerical, Gorostieta's motivation for taking command of the rebels was not only the high salary he was offered (about 3000 pesos month, or twice the salary of a regular Army General), but also his political ambition. Although Gorstieta's 1928 "Plan de Los Altos" called for changes to the 1916 Constitution's Article 27 (which the Cristeros saw as restricting the rights of Catholics) and — more important to Gorostieta — install a Gorostieta regime on the country. Philosophically, he believed in a return to the Juarez-inspired 1857 Constitution's view of non-interference and toleration for religion, rather than the Calles' administration's reading of the 1916 Constitution as demanding subordination of religious organizations to the state. Although openly contemptuous of his subordinates' religious faith (several of his officers were priests), he respected the military acumen of the Jalisco farmers under his command, and believed he could turn them into a professional fighting force equal to the regular army.
His importance as a Cristero leader was in bringing military discipline to an unorganized insurgency. He is credited with turning Cristero "armies" into a Cristero Army, which, for a time, was winning battles in the limited region where it operated: rural Jalisco, Michoacan, Colima and Zacatecas. However, without support from the Mexican church or the Vatican and torn by internal dissention, the Cristeros were largely irrelevant as a political or military force as a negotiated settlement was worked out between the Vatican and the Mexican state over interpretations of the Church's rights under the Constitution.
Nineteen days before a cession of hostilities, based on an agreement worked out by U.S. Ambassador Dwight Morrow
, was to take effect Gorostieta was killed following a Mexican government intelligence operation (2 June 1929). With the movement rapidly collapsing, Gorostieta was attempting a retreat into Michoacan, where he hoped to recruit followers and continue the rebellion. A federal officer, who had infiltrated Gorostieta's inner circle, tipped off the Mexican cavalry to the general's presence in Atotonilco, Jalisco, and killed him in a short firefight.
in the upcoming film Cristiada
, an epic historical drama also starring Eva Longoria
, Eduardo Verástegui
and Peter O'Toole
.
Monterrey
Monterrey , is the capital city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León in the country of Mexico. The city is anchor to the third-largest metropolitan area in Mexico and is ranked as the ninth-largest city in the nation. Monterrey serves as a commercial center in the north of the country and is the...
, 1889 - Atotonilco el Alto
Atotonilco El Alto
Atotonilco El Alto is a town and municipality, in Jalisco in central-western Mexico. The municipality covers an area of 638.15 km².Atotonilco means Atotonilco El Alto means The High for honor Cristero War...
, 2 June 1929) was a Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
soldier. He was one of the leaders of the Cristero Rebellion.
Gorostieta followed a military education at the Heroic Military College of Chapultepec
Chapultepec
Chapultepec Park, more commonly called the "Bosque de Chapultepec" in Mexico City, is the largest city park in Latin America, measuring in total just over 686 hectares. Centered on a rock formation called Chapultepec Hill, one of the park's main functions is to be an ecological space in the vast...
and served in the Porfirian army. During the Mexican Revolution
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
he served in the Federal Army of counterrevolutionary dictator Victoriano Huerta
Victoriano Huerta
José Victoriano Huerta Márquez was a Mexican military officer and president of Mexico. Huerta's supporters were known as Huertistas during the Mexican Revolution...
, being Huerta's youngest general, and after Huerta's fall fought with Juan Andrew Almazán, but soon fled Mexico for Cuba and later the United States. Upon his return to Mexico he worked as a soap manufacturer, but found the work boring, and sought a return to military activity.
In 1926 the National League for the Defense of Religious Liberty
National League for the Defense of Religious Liberty
National League for the Defense of Religious Liberty or National League for the Defense of Religious Freedom was a religious civil rights organization formed in March 1925 in Mexico which played a crucial role in the Cristero War of 1926-1929...
chose him to lead the Cristeros, an army of Catholic rebels fighting against the government forces of president Plutarco Elías Calles
Plutarco Elías Calles
Plutarco Elías Calles was a Mexican general and politician. He was president of Mexico from 1924 to 1928, but he continued to be the de facto ruler from 1928–1935, a period known as the maximato...
.
As a Mason and life-long anti-clerical, Gorostieta's motivation for taking command of the rebels was not only the high salary he was offered (about 3000 pesos month, or twice the salary of a regular Army General), but also his political ambition. Although Gorstieta's 1928 "Plan de Los Altos" called for changes to the 1916 Constitution's Article 27 (which the Cristeros saw as restricting the rights of Catholics) and — more important to Gorostieta — install a Gorostieta regime on the country. Philosophically, he believed in a return to the Juarez-inspired 1857 Constitution's view of non-interference and toleration for religion, rather than the Calles' administration's reading of the 1916 Constitution as demanding subordination of religious organizations to the state. Although openly contemptuous of his subordinates' religious faith (several of his officers were priests), he respected the military acumen of the Jalisco farmers under his command, and believed he could turn them into a professional fighting force equal to the regular army.
His importance as a Cristero leader was in bringing military discipline to an unorganized insurgency. He is credited with turning Cristero "armies" into a Cristero Army, which, for a time, was winning battles in the limited region where it operated: rural Jalisco, Michoacan, Colima and Zacatecas. However, without support from the Mexican church or the Vatican and torn by internal dissention, the Cristeros were largely irrelevant as a political or military force as a negotiated settlement was worked out between the Vatican and the Mexican state over interpretations of the Church's rights under the Constitution.
Nineteen days before a cession of hostilities, based on an agreement worked out by U.S. Ambassador Dwight Morrow
Dwight Morrow
Dwight Whitney Morrow was an American businessman, politician, and diplomat.-Life:Born in Huntington, West Virginia, he moved with his parents, James E. and Clara Morrow to Allegheny, Pennsylvania in 1875. His father James, was principal of Marshall College, which is now Marshall University...
, was to take effect Gorostieta was killed following a Mexican government intelligence operation (2 June 1929). With the movement rapidly collapsing, Gorostieta was attempting a retreat into Michoacan, where he hoped to recruit followers and continue the rebellion. A federal officer, who had infiltrated Gorostieta's inner circle, tipped off the Mexican cavalry to the general's presence in Atotonilco, Jalisco, and killed him in a short firefight.
Popular culture
Gorostieta will be portrayed by Andy GarciaAndy García
Andrés Arturo García Menéndez , professionally known as Andy García, is a Cuban American actor. He became known in the late 1980s and 1990s, having appeared in several successful Hollywood films, including The Godfather: Part III, The Untouchables, Internal Affairs and When a Man Loves a Woman...
in the upcoming film Cristiada
Cristiada (film)
Cristiada is a drama film and historic epic, currently in post-production, directed by Dean Wright and written by , based on the true story of the Cristero War . Although filmed in Mexico, it is in English...
, an epic historical drama also starring Eva Longoria
Eva Longoria
Eva Jacqueline Longoria is an American actress, best known for portraying Gabrielle Solis on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives...
, Eduardo Verástegui
Eduardo Verástegui
Eduardo Verástegui is a Mexican model, singer, and actor.- Biography :Verástegui was born in Mante, Tamaulipas, México and was raised as a devout Roman Catholic. He moved to Mexico City to pursue modeling, landing work with Calvin Klein among others...
and Peter O'Toole
Peter O'Toole
Peter Seamus Lorcan O'Toole is an Irish actor of stage and screen. O'Toole achieved stardom in 1962 playing T. E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia, and then went on to become a highly-honoured film and stage actor. He has been nominated for eight Academy Awards, and holds the record for most...
.
External links
- The Anti-clerical Who Led a Catholic Rebellion by Jim Tuck at Latin American Studies