For this President’s
Day in the United States, we’re honoring the first black president in the
Americas. No, not Obama – this guy was Vicente Ramón Guerrero Saldaña, the
first black and indigenous president of Mexico.
Known as the George Washington and the Abraham Lincoln of Mexico,
Guerrero was a leading general in the Mexican War for Independence, and
abolished slavery in 1829, forty years before Lincoln would do the same. Not only that, but he came from the “las
clases populares” aka the working classes of Mexico, and rose from there to
become one of the most influential leaders in Mexican history.
Vicente Guerrero was
born in 1782 in the village of Tixtla in the region of Acapulco to Pedro
Guerrero, an African Mexican and Guadalupe Saldaña, an Indian. His family was
devout supporters of Spanish rule, but Guerrero expressed anti-colonialist
sentiment from early on. In November 1810, when the revolution broke out for
Mexican independence, he was working as a gunsmith and joined the Revolution in
November 1810. Within two years he rose to lieutenant colonel organizing forces
in southern Mexico, leading successful campaigns in the regions of Ajuchitán,
Santa Fe, Tetela del Río, Huetamo, Tlalchapa and Cuautlotitlán.
One of the most popular
stories that took place during Guerrero’s 11 years of fighting happened in
1819, when his aging father begged him to go to the viceroy of New Spain and
offer his sword in surrender. Guerrero replied to this request before his men
with these words: “Compañeros, this old man is my father. He has come to offer
me rewards in the name of the Spaniards. I have always respected my father but
my Motherland comes first.” Today, the line, “My Motherland comes first,” is
the motto for the southern state of Guerrero, named after him after his death.
Between 1810 and 1821, Guerrero
won a total of 491 battles, using guerrilla tactics against the Spanish army.
He always credited the victories to his fellow soldiers, however: “It wasn’t
me, but the people who fought and triumphed.”
Mexico after its
independence, however, became swamped with political turmoil. Guerrero first
collaborated with fellow rebel leader Agustín de Iturbide, under the “Three
Guarantees” proposal: for Mexico to become an independent constitutional
monarchy, for the abolition of the country’s racialized class system between
Spaniards, creoles, mestizos and Indians, and for instituting Catholicism as
the state religion. Once Itubide became
Emperor of Mexico by Congress, however, Iturbide went back on his promises to favor
policies toward the elite landowners. Guerrero broke his alliance and sided
with Antonio López de Santa Anna and Guadalupe Victoria, who backed the Plan of
Casa Mata, which abolished the monarchy in favor of a republic. Iturbide ended
up fleeing the country in March 1823 when support for his Empire failed and the
1824 Constitution was passed the following year.
Guadelupe Victoria was
then elected the first President of Mexico, and in 1828, Guerrero ran for
president against Manuel Gómez Pedraza. Though the upper-class Pedraza won the
popular vote, demonstrations against him by the military on December 3, 1828,
led by Santa Anna, resulted in him renouncing the position and fleeing abroad
to Europe. Guerrero was then instilled as the country’s President on April 1,
1829.
During his brief term
as President, Guerrero made sweeping changes to help the working classes and
the rights of indigenous peoples. Several policies he instigated including
taxes for the rich, protection for small businesses, abolition of the death
penalty, and advocacy for villages to elect their own councils of
representatives. He was a strong advocate for social equality and signed his
correspondence as “Citizen Guerrero.”
Most significantly,
however, was Guerrero’s abolition of slavery on September 16th, 1829. That
declaration, unfortunately, was the action that led to his downfall. Texas,
which was part of Mexico’s territory at the time, threatened revolt, backed by
its class of white American slave-holders, and Guerrero later made Texas
territory an exception of his declaration. Further dissatisfaction against
Guerrero generated from the upper-classes and other ambitious military leaders,
such as Santa Anna. Attacks were mounted on members of Guerrero’s appointed
cabinet from conservative political factions until his minister of war had to
resign. A revolt was staged against Guerrero in December 1830 and he was
removed from office. He returned to the southern states to drum up another
rebellion in response.
Eventually, Guerrero
was captured through a ruse. The new minister of war, José Antonio Facio, paid
a Genoese captain fifty thousand pesos to invite Guerrero aboard his vessel in
Acapulco. Onboard, Guerrero was kidnapped and taken into custody in Oaxaca for
trial. He was executed on February 14th, 1831.
Thus, despite his
widespread popularity, Guerrero’s downfall was marked by racial and class fears
of the time. History professor Jan Bazant of the Colegio de Mexico summed it up
the best: “Guerrero’s execution was perhaps a warning to men considered as
socially and ethnically inferior not to dare to dream of becoming president.”
Nevertheless, Guerrero today is remembered for his strident nationalism as one
of Mexico’s greatest heroes.
More Resources:
Vincent, Theodore G.
The Legacy of Vicente Guerrero: Mexico’s First Black Indian President
No comments:
Post a Comment