Mexico’s Día de la Revolución

The story of the Mexican Revolution and the actions of various revolutionaries are key parts of the historical narrative of modern Mexico. If you have ever visited during the middle of November, you will have likely seen parades of people, especially children, in traditional or turn-of-the-20th century military dress. Such events are common across the country in the days around El Día de la Revolución, or Revolution Day, which is a federal holiday celebrated on the 20th of November every year.  These festivities reflect the impact the Revolution is seen as having on the day to day lives of people across the whole nation. Despite this, rather than being a single event with a clear outcome, the Mexican Revolution was made up of more than a decade of violence with shifting alliances between a wide range of groups and interests.

The Mexican Revolution

In the lead up to the Revolution, Mexico was seen as a relatively stable nation, despite murmurs of industrial unrest under the increasingly authoritarian rule of President Porfirio Díaz and the growing influence of foreign businesses. This changed when Díaz, who had been in power since 1876, decided to abrogate his earlier pledge to stand down and retire rather than seek re-election in 1910. His attempt to maintain power by imprisoning his election rival, Francisco Madero, sparked a variety of uprisings in different parts of the country. Spurred on by an exhortation to rebel from the escaped Madero, the putative revolutionaries were initially successful, with Díaz standing down and going into exile in May 1911, allowing Madero to assume control.

President Porfirio Díaz

Rather than spelling the end of a relatively bloodless revolution, Madero’s ascension in fact marked the beginning of one of the most unstable periods in modern Mexican history. While many groups across the country had headed Madero’s call to action against Díaz, most had completely different ideas of what change the revolution should be seeking, and the goals of many of the regional leaders were irreconcilable. Madero’s regime lasted less than two years, before he was forced out of office by a military coup, and assassinated within days, supposedly on the orders of his successor Victoriano Huerta. 

Huerta was seen as a counter-revolutionary figure, and his even briefer presidency was marked by widespread violence in both the north and the south of the country. Various figures, including state governors, raised revolutionary armies against him in the north, while his forces were split by the continued need to engage the forces of Emiliano Zapata to the south, who had been in open rebellion since the early days of Madero’s government. The federal army proved unable to subdue the forces arrayed against them, leading to Huerta’s fall in July 1914.

The various factions which had opposed Huerta were unable to come to agreement after their military success, which resulted in further conflict, with former allies turning their respective armies against one another. Eventually Venustiano Carranza, the former governor of Coahuila, who had been one of the leaders of the rebellion in the north, was installed as president in 1915, and recognized by foreign powers in October of that year. Violence continued however, with Pancho Villa’s forces remaining active in the north, and Emiliano Zapata continuing his campaign in the south until his death in 1919.

One of the most notable events of Carranza’s time as president, was the creation of Mexico’s Constitution in 1917. The writing of this document was a fraught process, with competing interests attempting to exert influence over the final wording. In the end the Constitution became one of the most liberal and worker friendly constitutions in the world. Universal (male) suffrage, the separation of church and state and the protection of workers’ rights were controversial and fiercely contested inclusions.

Despite the clear constraints placed on the federal government by the new constitution, Carranza attempted to hand pick his own successor in 1920, leading to yet another coup and his own death from causes unknown. Former supporters and allies opposed his selection and after overthrowing him installed an interim government under Adolfo de la Huerta until elections were held in October of that year, bringing revolutionary general Álvaro Obregón to power.

1920 is often seen as the end of the revolution, although unrest continued for much of the following two decades. Key revolutionary figures continued to play major roles in government, including every presidency until 1946. By the end of the conflict over 900,000 Mexican’s had lost their lives and Mexico had been completely reshaped as a nation.

Quintana Roo in the Revolution

At the outbreak of the revolution, Quintana Roo had only recently been reincorporated into Mexico after the end of the Maya resistance and the Maya free state in the early years of the twentieth century. Support for the Revolution in the region was mixed, with roughly even numbers supporting and opposing the federal government of Porfirio Díaz. The area was still largely unpopulated, with small towns scattered throughout what was still mostly impenetrable jungle. A combination of distance from the epicenter of the Revolution, and this low population, meant that despite sporadic disturbances, there were no major engagements or uprisings in the region.

Perhaps Quintana Roo’s main contribution to the story of the Revolution is its serving as the birthplace of infamous adelita Margarita Neri. Adelitas or Soldaderas were the names given to the women who took up arms during the Revolutionary conflict and fought alongside men for their cause. The image of the adelita has become synonymous with the Revolution, and is prevalent in art, literature and film depicting the period. While these women fighters are widely celebrated, modern historians have also sought to highlight the crucial and often overlooked role many women played in supporting revolutionary forces in non-combatant roles.

Margarita Neri

Margarita Neri was the daughter of a former Mexican general and a Quintanarroense Maya woman, who was one of the very few women to not only fight alongside men, but to lead them in battle. She was renowned as being a fierce soldier, a skilled rider and a ruthless opponent, who had threatened to personally decapitate President Porfirio Díaz. She led over a thousand men in a violent campaign across the states of Tabasco and Chiapas, earning her the sobriquet ‘The Rebel Queen of Morelos’. She was aligned with Emiliano Zapata, whose respect her prowess was said to have earned. Sadly, like many of her compatriots, history does not tell us how her story ended.

Modern Day 

The legacy of the Revolution is still seen in modern day Mexico, with only recent decades seeing the political party named for the Revolution losing its dominance.  Mexican art and culture often focus on the period, and many of the key figures are well known and mythologized. The history and impact are taught in schools from a young age, with children taking part in parades and other events as well as learning about the period. Without a doubt, understanding the history of the Mexican Revolution and how it is remembered is a key part of understanding modern Mexico and its culture.

Revolutionary era clothing and costumes are worn in celebratory parades

If you would like to experience Mexican and Quintana Roo culture for yourself, and work on your Spanish language skills at the same time, check out the Na’atik Immersion Program. With first-class personalized lessons and the opportunity to experience authentic local life through a homestay with a Mexican-Maya family, there really is no better way to learn. As a non-profit organization, all bookings help us to provide education and opportunities to local students. Find out more about our program here.