Porfirio Diaz History IB. The year of 1910 saw the 80th birthday of Jos de la Cruz Porfirio Diaz, president of Mexico and its dictator for more than 30 years.

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The year of 1910 saw the 80th birthday of José de la Cruz Porfirio Diaz, president of Mexico and its dictator for more than 30 years. He was born in Oaxaca, Mexico, from a mestizo blood and humble family. His early years were filled with economic hardship and tragedy, for instance his father died when he was just three years old, leaving the family impoverished and hopeless. Nonetheless, Porfirio Diaz’ mother named Petrona Mori, constantly struggling to raise 8 children on her own, recognized the importance of any kind of education and enrolled Porfirio in a seminary. He was educated for the Catholic Church, a body having immense influence in the country at the time and ordering and controlling revolutions by the strength given by their filled coffers.

However, Porfirio Diaz’ destiny lay in the world of temporal affairs. He switched his studies from the priesthood to law in the Institute of Science and Art. Known to be a diligent student, he was influenced and inspired by a remarkable figure in the Mexican society and one of his tutors named Benito Juarez, future president and beloved hero. Juarez’ commitment to social justice developed Diaz’ early allegiance to the ideals of liberalism.

Mexico was facing external threats and internal challenges during the second half of the 19th century. The Mexican-American war broke out, despite the warning of the Mexican government of declaring war if the Americans annexed Texas to their territory. Thanks to the spread of nationalist movements, Porfirio Diaz abandoned his studies to become a soldier, giving a drastically turn to his life.  Nevertheless, the United States came to a decisive victory and Texas was ceded to the Americans long before Porfirio could even participate in the war. Diaz returned to his native town until 1854, when, refusing to vote for the dictator Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, he was stung by a taunt of cowardice, and pushing his way to the voting place, he recorded his vote in favor of liberal general Alvarez and the revolutionists, which he identified himself with.

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Thanks to his actions orders were given for his arrest but he placed himself in front of a few revolting peasants that shared his ideals and became known for his bravery, cunning and ability. From that moment on Porfirio became one of the leading spirits in the struggle for reform, under the leadership of Juarez in the War of Reform, a conflict between Liberal and Conservative forces that dominated the country’s history in the 19th century. The liberal faction of this civil war wanted a federalist government, limiting the traditional catholic church, and its military power, while the conservative part wanted ...

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