Juan Andreu Almazán

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Juan Andreu
May 12, 1891 — 1965

General Juan Andreu Almazán in May 1916
Place of birth Flag of Mexico Guerrero, Mexico
Place of death Flag of Mexico Mexico City, Mexico
Allegiance Liberation Army of the South
Years of service 1912 — 1920
Rank General Officer
Battles/wars Mexican Revolution

General Officer Juan Andreu Almazán (May 12, 1891 – 1965) was a Mexican revolutionary soldier, politician, and businessman.

[edit] Early life

Juan Andreu was born on May 12, 1891 in the municipality of Olinalá of the State of Guerrero. He was born to Juan Andreu Pareja, a farmer of Catalan ethnicity, and María Almazán Nava, who was, according to Juan Andreu Almazán, a descendant of Moctezuma I.

[edit] Political and military career

In 1907, he enrolled in a medical school in Puebla, where he started political and military opposition against the then-dictator Porfirio Díaz. He worked for Francisco I. Madero's presidential campaign to prevent Díaz's re-election. When the Mexican Revolution began, he joined the revolutionary party and abandoned his studies.

As an early supporter of Francisco Madero, he followed him into exile in October 1910.[1] In April 1911 he appeared in Morelos and made contact with Zapata. There he presented himself as an agent of Madero, and convinced Zapata to fight under Madero’s banner.[2]

In November 1911, almost immediately after Madero was elected president, Zapata broke with Madero and renewed his fight against the government of Mexico City.[3] Juan Andrew Almazán sided with Zapata and joined the rebellion against Madero.

When Madero was deposed by Victoriano Huerta in February 1913, Huerta put out peace feelers to all the rebel groups. Zapata had a great dislike of Huerta, and refused to make peace. Almazán, however, had no dislike of Huerta, and elected to follow Huerta. He was given a combat command, and thereafter, became associated with Pascual Orozco, who had also joined Huerta.[4] He and his forces fought against the forces of Pancho Villa.

When Huerta was defeated in August 1914, Almazán and several other generals associated with Orozco and known as ‘Colorados’, moved south and joined forces with Zapata. Still, Zapata did not integrate them into his forces, but allowed them to operate mainly in the state of Puebla.[5]

The high-water mark of Almazán’s military career came in December 1914, when his Colorado forces, supported by the forces of Zapata, forced the Constitutionalist army of Carranza out of the city of Puebla, claiming it for the Liberation Army of the South, and the Government of the Convention.[6]

The glory was short lived, however, because the following month, Obregón’s Constitutionalist army forced Almazán and the Colorados out of Puebla.[7] Thereafter, Almazán continued to fight against Carranza and his government as a guerrilla faction.

Almazán continued to associate himself with Zapata until the summer of 1916. In the early summer, Felix Diaz returned to Mexico and called for the rebel forces of Mexico to join him in the fight against Carranza. As Zapata’s cause seemed to be failing, Almazán chose to align himself with Felix Díaz.[8]

Throughout 1915, 1916 and 1917, Almazán operated in the area of Guerrero, Puebla and Oaxaca, primarily as an independent rebel force, yet putting out public pronouncements that he supported either Zapata or Felix Díaz.[9]

In early 1918, he changed is base of operations and operated in northeast Mexico, as a rebel force supporting Felix Díaz.[10]

With the Agua Prieta revolt of 1920, Almazán supported the rebel forces that removed Carranza and established Obregón as President. For his support, Obregón’s government confirmed his rank as a general. In 1921, he was promoted to Division General, the highest rank in the army. During the 1920s he became director and principal stockholder of a road-building firm, and began investing his profits in industrial and real estate holdings in Monterrey, Mexico City and Acapulco. He was loyal to President Calles, and as Communications Minister in Ortiz Rubio’s cabinet in the early 1930s, he enlarged his already considerable fortune by granting government concessions, such as the Pan American highway construction job from Laredo to Mexico City to his own company. During the Cardenas administration, he acquired vast holdings in silver mines. By 1939 he had become on of Mexico’s wealthiest citizens.[11]

In May 1939, he requested retirement from the Mexican Army, which was granted to him in June 30, 1939. In July 25, 1939, he announced publicly his right-wing candidacy for president in the elections that would take place the following year. For this purpose, he founded the Partido Revolucionario de Unificación Nacional (National Unification Revolutionary Party). He was also supported by the Laborist Party.

[edit] References

  1. ^ William Weber Johnson, “Heroic Mexico”, 1968, pg 46
  2. ^ Womack, “Zapata and the Mexican Revolution”, 1968, pg 80
  3. ^ Womack, “Zapata and the Mexican Revolution”, 1968, pg 126
  4. ^ William Weber Johnson, “Heroic Mexico”, 1968, pg 133
  5. ^ William Weber Johnson, “Heroic Mexico”, 1968, pg 232
  6. ^ Womack, “Zapata and the Mexican Revolution”, 1968, pg 141
  7. ^ Womack, “Zapata and the Mexican Revolution”, 1968, pg 154
  8. ^ Womack, “Zapata and the Mexican Revolution”, 1968, pg 263
  9. ^ Henderson, “Felix Díaz, the Porfirians and the Mexican Revolution” 1981, pg 114
  10. ^ Henderson, “Felix Díaz, the Porfirians and the Mexican Revolution” 1981, pg 137
  11. ^ Edwin Lieuwen, “Mexican Militarism” 1968, pg 133
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