José de León Toral
Encyclopedia
José de León Toral , December 23, 1900 - Mexico City
, February 9, 1929) was a Roman Catholic militant who assassinated general Álvaro Obregón
, president elect of Mexico
in 1928.
León Toral was born in Matehuala
into a family of Catholic miners in the state of San Luis Potosí
. León Toral moved to Mexico City
during the Mexican Revolution
, and witnessed the then constitutionalist general Obregón closing churches and arresting priests who were suspected of collaboration with the dictator Victoriano Huerta
. In 1920 he joined the League for the Defense of Religious Freedom which opposed the governments of Obregón (1920–1924) and Plutarco Elías Calles
and reportedly was also involved in the Cristero movement. In 1927 two of his friends Humberto and Miguel Pro
were executed after having been convicted (wrongly) of plotting to assassinate Obregón. Because of this, and having been incited by a Catholic nun, Concepción Acevedo de la Llata (La Madre Conchita), León Toral decided he should assassinate Obregón.
On July 17, 1928, two weeks after Obregón had been elected president, León Toral entered La Bombilla, a restaurant in San Ángel
during a banquet organized to honor general Obregón, disguised as a caricaturist. León Toral made a caricature of Obregón and Aarón Sáenz
, and showed it to Obregón, who told him the drawing had good likeness and suggested he continue. After Obregón turned around to sit down, León Toral suddenly drew a gun and shot Obregón five or six times in the back, killing him instantly.
León was arrested immediately and pleaded guilty, claiming he killed Obregón in order to facilitate the establishment of the Kingdom of Christ. Madre Conchita was also arrested and received a 30 year prison sentence. León Toral was sentenced to death and executed by firing squad in February 1929. His last words were ¡Viva Cristo Rey! (Long Live Christ the King!), the battle cry of the Cristeros.
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, February 9, 1929) was a Roman Catholic militant who assassinated general Álvaro Obregón
Álvaro Obregón
General Álvaro Obregón Salido was the President of Mexico from 1920 to 1924. He was assassinated in 1928, shortly after winning election to another presidential term....
, president elect of Mexico
President of Mexico
The President of the United Mexican States is the head of state and government of Mexico. Under the Constitution, the president is also the Supreme Commander of the Mexican armed forces...
in 1928.
León Toral was born in Matehuala
Matehuala
Matehuala is the fourth-largest city in the Mexican state of San Luis Potosí. It is located at around , at an elevation of about 1,500 m. Matehuala is also the municipal seat of the municipality of the same name, located in the northern part of the state, on the border with the southwestern...
into a family of Catholic miners in the state of San Luis Potosí
San Luis Potosí
San Luis Potosí officially Estado Libre y Soberano de San Luis Potosí is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is San Luis Potosí....
. León Toral moved to Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
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...
, and witnessed the then constitutionalist general Obregón closing churches and arresting priests who were suspected of collaboration with the 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...
. In 1920 he joined the League for the Defense of Religious Freedom which opposed the governments of Obregón (1920–1924) and 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...
and reportedly was also involved in the Cristero movement. In 1927 two of his friends Humberto and Miguel Pro
Miguel Pro
Miguel Agustín Pro Juárez , also known as Blessed Miguel Pro, was a Mexican Jesuit priest, executed without trial during the persecution of the Catholic Church under the presidency of Plutarco Elías Calles after trumped up charges of involvement in an assassination attempt against former President...
were executed after having been convicted (wrongly) of plotting to assassinate Obregón. Because of this, and having been incited by a Catholic nun, Concepción Acevedo de la Llata (La Madre Conchita), León Toral decided he should assassinate Obregón.
On July 17, 1928, two weeks after Obregón had been elected president, León Toral entered La Bombilla, a restaurant in San Ángel
San Ángel
San Ángel is a colonia or neighborhood of Mexico City, located in the southwest in Álvaro Óbregon borough. Historically, it was a rural community, called Tenanitla in the pre Hispanic period. Its current name is derived from the El Carmen monastery school called San Ángel Mártir...
during a banquet organized to honor general Obregón, disguised as a caricaturist. León Toral made a caricature of Obregón and Aarón Sáenz
Aarón Sáenz Garza
Aarón Sáenz Garza was a Mexican politician. He was born in Monterrey, Nuevo León.Sáenz Garza served as Secretary of Foreign Affairs during Calles' time as President and continuously defended the Calles Administration's decision to cut oil to the United States when US Secretary of State Frank...
, and showed it to Obregón, who told him the drawing had good likeness and suggested he continue. After Obregón turned around to sit down, León Toral suddenly drew a gun and shot Obregón five or six times in the back, killing him instantly.
León was arrested immediately and pleaded guilty, claiming he killed Obregón in order to facilitate the establishment of the Kingdom of Christ. Madre Conchita was also arrested and received a 30 year prison sentence. León Toral was sentenced to death and executed by firing squad in February 1929. His last words were ¡Viva Cristo Rey! (Long Live Christ the King!), the battle cry of the Cristeros.