Francisco I. Madero

The portrait shows Francisco I. Madero. Madero started the Mexican Revolution in 1910 in order to overthrow the dictatorial regime of President Porfirio Diaz. From 1911 to 1913 he served as Mexican President, before he was deposed and executed in 1913 by Victoriano Huerta, a general who had served under Díaz. Born into a very wealthy family, Madero was well educated and started to be politically active in 1903. He founded his own newspaper, in which he advocated social justice and democracy. In particular, he criticized the gap between the rich and the poor in Mexico and the repression of Diaz’s critics. For the presidential elections in 1910, Madero organized the “Anti-Reelectionist” party. His campaign became very popular, which is why Diaz arrested him and others on a falsified charge of plotting armed insurrection. Madero was bailed out of jail by his wealthy father, but Diaz had "won" the election. In response, Madero called for armed revolution. Pancho Villa and Pascual Orozco commanded Madero’s army in the Battle of Juarez in April/May 1911, which they won. Their victory led to Diaz’s resignation and to the election of Madero as Mexican President. Today, the people of Mexico see him as the father of revolution that eventually would do much to level the playing field between the rich and the poor. He married his wife Sara Pérez in 1903.

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