Félix María Zuloaga
Encyclopedia
Félix María Zuloaga Trillo (31 March 1813 – 11 February 1898) was a Mexican
general and a Conservative leader in the War of Reform. In the late 1850s and early 1860s, Zuloaga served as unconstitutional interim conservative president of Mexico (in opposition to the constitutional president, Benito Juárez
of the Liberal Party).
before entering a seminary in Mexico City, which he left. He returned to Chihuahua, enlisting in the civil militia in 1834. He participated in campaigns against the Apaches and Comanches.
He returned to the capital in 1838 and entered the army as a second lieutenant of engineers. He took part in the Pastry War
against the French (1838) and the War of Texas Independence
. Initially a liberal in politics, in 1840 he defended the government of President Anastasio Bustamante
(who had both liberal and conservative connections). The following year he was allied with Antonio López de Santa Anna
. He fought the separatists in Yucatán
and directed the fortifications at Monterrey
. During the war with the United States
he was mayor of Chihuahua.
He rejoined the army, and in 1838 was named president of the Council of War of the garrison of Mexico City.
In 1854 he fought against the liberals supporting the Plan de Ayutla, and was taken prisoner. He was now a brigadier. In 1855 he was a representative of Chihuahua in the Junta of Representatives of the States that met in Cuernavaca
.
, but on December 17, 1857 he came out against the newly proclaimed constitution and joined in a coup d'état
staged by a junta of generals and leading Catholic clergy. Two days later, the wavering moderate President Ignacio Comonfort
accepted the reactionary Plan de Tacubaya, thus abandoning the Constitution of 1857. Various liberals protested, including Benito Juárez
, the president of the Supreme Court and constitutional vice president, next in line to succeed to the presidency, but they were arrested and imprisoned.
The leaders of the junta became uneasy after President Comonfort announced he was assuming extraordinary powers for himself. On January 11, 1858, General Zuloaga demanded the president's resignation (although Comonfort and Zuloaga had been friends). Comonfort resisted for ten days, and during that time he freed Juárez and the other liberals who had been jailed. Upon Comonfort's ouster, Juárez assumed the presidency in accordance with the constitution, but Zuloaga was in military command of the capital, and Juárez left to establish his government in Guanajuato
. This was the beginning of the War of the Reform. Comonfort left the country, repudiated by all parties.
Zuloaga was selected by the backers of the anti-constitutional junta, conservative generals and Catholic clergy, to serve as interim president of Mexico on (January 21, 1858). He held this position until December 24, 1858, when he was deposed by General Manuel Robles Pezuela
(as a substitute for General Miguel Miramón
, who was on campaign), under the Plan de Navidad. Robles Pezuela held the presidency until January 21, 1859, and, on January 24, Zuloaga returned to office. (José Mariano Salas also claimed the conservative presidency briefly.) Zuloaga's second term lasted until February 1, 1859, and he was replaced by Miramón.
On May 9, 1860, Zuloaga issued a proclamation reclaiming the presidency, but the following day Miramón had him arrested. Miramón was reported to have told Zuloaga upon his arrest, "I will teach you how to win the presidency." Zuloaga escaped from León, Guanajuato
, on August 3, 1860, and marched to Mexico City. However the Governing Council (conservative junta) there refused to recognize him as president.
He was president again for two years (from December 28, 1860 to December 28, 1862), but in name only, because he spent this time on campaign.
. Zuloaga tried to ally himself with the French during the Second Empire
, but without success. In 1865 he was exiled to Cuba. He returned to Mexico years later, after the death of Juárez. He did not reenter politics, but became a tobacco merchant. He died in Mexico City in 1898.
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...
general and a Conservative leader in the War of Reform. In the late 1850s and early 1860s, Zuloaga served as unconstitutional interim conservative president of Mexico (in opposition to the constitutional president, Benito Juárez
Benito Juárez
Benito Juárez born Benito Pablo Juárez García, was a Mexican lawyer and politician of Zapotec origin from Oaxaca who served five terms as president of Mexico: 1858–1861 as interim, 1861–1865, 1865–1867, 1867–1871 and 1871–1872...
of the Liberal Party).
Early years
Zuloaga was born in Álamos, Sonora. He attended primary school in ChihuahuaChihuahua, Chihuahua
The city of Chihuahua is the state capital of the Mexican state of Chihuahua. It has a population of about 825,327. The predominant activity is industry, including domestic heavy, light industries, consumer goods production, and to a smaller extent maquiladoras.-History:It has been said that the...
before entering a seminary in Mexico City, which he left. He returned to Chihuahua, enlisting in the civil militia in 1834. He participated in campaigns against the Apaches and Comanches.
He returned to the capital in 1838 and entered the army as a second lieutenant of engineers. He took part in the Pastry War
Pastry War
The Pastry War was an invasion of Mexico by French forces in 1838.-Background:The war arose from the widespread civil disorder that plagued the early years of the Mexican republic. In 1828, President Manuel Gómez Pedraza ejected Lorenzo de Zavala from the office of governor of the state of México...
against the French (1838) and the War of Texas Independence
Texas Revolution
The Texas Revolution or Texas War of Independence was an armed conflict between Mexico and settlers in the Texas portion of the Mexican state Coahuila y Tejas. The war lasted from October 2, 1835 to April 21, 1836...
. Initially a liberal in politics, in 1840 he defended the government of President Anastasio Bustamante
Anastasio Bustamante
Anastasio Bustamante y Oseguera was president of Mexico three times, from 1830 to 1832, from 1837 to 1839 and from 1839 to 1841. He was a Conservative. He first came to power by leading a coup against president Vicente Guerrero...
(who had both liberal and conservative connections). The following year he was allied with Antonio López de Santa Anna
Antonio López de Santa Anna
Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón , often known as Santa Anna or López de Santa Anna, known as "the Napoleon of the West," was a Mexican political leader, general, and president who greatly influenced early Mexican and Spanish politics and government...
. He fought the separatists in Yucatán
Yucatán
Yucatán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Yucatán is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 106 municipalities and its capital city is Mérida....
and directed the fortifications at Monterrey
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...
. During the war with the United States
Mexican–American War
The Mexican–American War, also known as the First American Intervention, the Mexican War, or the U.S.–Mexican War, was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848 in the wake of the 1845 U.S...
he was mayor of Chihuahua.
He rejoined the army, and in 1838 was named president of the Council of War of the garrison of Mexico City.
In 1854 he fought against the liberals supporting the Plan de Ayutla, and was taken prisoner. He was now a brigadier. In 1855 he was a representative of Chihuahua in the Junta of Representatives of the States that met in Cuernavaca
Cuernavaca
Cuernavaca is the capital and largest city of the state of Morelos in Mexico. It was established at the archeological site of Gualupita I by the Olmec, "the mother culture" of Mesoamerica, approximately 3200 years ago...
.
Conservative president of Mexico
Zuloaga fought against the conservatives in two campaigns in PueblaPuebla
Puebla officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Puebla is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 217 municipalities and its capital city is Puebla....
, but on December 17, 1857 he came out against the newly proclaimed constitution and joined in a coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
staged by a junta of generals and leading Catholic clergy. Two days later, the wavering moderate President Ignacio Comonfort
Ignacio Comonfort
Ignacio Gregorio Comonfort de los Ríos was a Mexican politician and military officer who served as President of Mexico....
accepted the reactionary Plan de Tacubaya, thus abandoning the Constitution of 1857. Various liberals protested, including Benito Juárez
Benito Juárez
Benito Juárez born Benito Pablo Juárez García, was a Mexican lawyer and politician of Zapotec origin from Oaxaca who served five terms as president of Mexico: 1858–1861 as interim, 1861–1865, 1865–1867, 1867–1871 and 1871–1872...
, the president of the Supreme Court and constitutional vice president, next in line to succeed to the presidency, but they were arrested and imprisoned.
The leaders of the junta became uneasy after President Comonfort announced he was assuming extraordinary powers for himself. On January 11, 1858, General Zuloaga demanded the president's resignation (although Comonfort and Zuloaga had been friends). Comonfort resisted for ten days, and during that time he freed Juárez and the other liberals who had been jailed. Upon Comonfort's ouster, Juárez assumed the presidency in accordance with the constitution, but Zuloaga was in military command of the capital, and Juárez left to establish his government in Guanajuato
Guanajuato
Guanajuato officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Guanajuato is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 46 municipalities and its capital city is Guanajuato....
. This was the beginning of the War of the Reform. Comonfort left the country, repudiated by all parties.
Zuloaga was selected by the backers of the anti-constitutional junta, conservative generals and Catholic clergy, to serve as interim president of Mexico on (January 21, 1858). He held this position until December 24, 1858, when he was deposed by General Manuel Robles Pezuela
Manuel Robles Pezuela
Manuel Robles Pezuela . He was unconstitutional provisional President of Mexico from 1858 to 1859 on the conservatory side in the Mexican War of the Reform, serving by appointment of a military junta in opposition to the constitutional President, Benito Juárez who was the head of the liberal...
(as a substitute for General Miguel Miramón
Miguel Miramón
Miguel Gregorio de la Luz Atenógenes Miramón y Tarelo was a Mexican conservative general. He served as unconstitutional interim conservative president of Mexico .Miramón was born in Mexico City into a family of French heritage...
, who was on campaign), under the Plan de Navidad. Robles Pezuela held the presidency until January 21, 1859, and, on January 24, Zuloaga returned to office. (José Mariano Salas also claimed the conservative presidency briefly.) Zuloaga's second term lasted until February 1, 1859, and he was replaced by Miramón.
On May 9, 1860, Zuloaga issued a proclamation reclaiming the presidency, but the following day Miramón had him arrested. Miramón was reported to have told Zuloaga upon his arrest, "I will teach you how to win the presidency." Zuloaga escaped from León, Guanajuato
León, Guanajuato
The city of León, formally León de los Aldama is the sixth most populous city in Mexico and the first in the state of Guanajuato. It is also the seat of the municipality of León...
, on August 3, 1860, and marched to Mexico City. However the Governing Council (conservative junta) there refused to recognize him as president.
He was president again for two years (from December 28, 1860 to December 28, 1862), but in name only, because he spent this time on campaign.
Later life
Upon the triumph of the liberals in the War of the Reform, Zuloaga was declared an outlaw because of his responsibility for the execution of Melchor OcampoMelchor Ocampo
Melchor Ocampo was a Mexican lawyer, scientist, and liberal politician.His home state was renamed Michoacán de Ocampo in his honour.-Studies:...
. Zuloaga tried to ally himself with the French during the Second Empire
Second Mexican Empire
The Second Mexican Empire was the name of Mexico under the regime established from 1864 to 1867. It was created by Napoleon III of France, who attempted to use the Mexican adventure to recapture some of the grandeur of earlier Napoleonic times...
, but without success. In 1865 he was exiled to Cuba. He returned to Mexico years later, after the death of Juárez. He did not reenter politics, but became a tobacco merchant. He died in Mexico City in 1898.
Further reading
- "Zuloaga, Félix María," Enciclopedia de México, v. 14. Mexico City, 1996, ISBN 1-56409-016-7.
- García Puron, Manuel, México y sus gobernantes, v. 2. Mexico City: Joaquín Porrúa, 1984.
- Orozco Linares, Fernando, Gobernantes de México. Mexico City: Panorama Editorial, 1985, ISBN 968-38-0260-5.