Plutarco Elías Calles
Who was Plutarco Elías Calles?
Mexican general and politician who served as President from 1924 to 1928 and later as the powerful leader behind the Maximato period. He founded the National Revolutionary Party, which dominated Mexican politics for decades.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Plutarco Elías Calles (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Plutarco Elías Calles, originally named Francisco Plutarco Elías Campuzano, was born on September 25, 1877, in Heroica Guaymas, Sonora. He became one of Mexico's key political leaders after the revolution. Starting out as a schoolteacher and small businessman, he joined Venustiano Carranza's Constitutional Army during the Mexican Revolution. His skills in both military and administrative roles helped him stand out. His involvement in the revolution paved the way for his political career, serving under Presidents Carranza, Adolfo de la Huerta, and Álvaro Obregón.
Calles became president in 1924 on behalf of the Laborist Party, running Mexico's first populist presidential campaign. He promised land redistribution, more rights for workers, and democratic governance. His presidency from 1924 to 1928 focused on modernizing the country, with advancements in education, infrastructure, and public health. However, his government also imposed strict anticlerical measures that greatly limited the Catholic Church's role, sparking the Cristero War (1926-1929), a violent clash between government forces and Catholic rebels that resulted in many deaths.
After president-elect Álvaro Obregón was assassinated in 1928, Calles showed notable political skill by setting up a system to curb the political instability Mexico had faced since its independence. He founded the National Revolutionary Party (later the Institutional Revolutionary Party) in 1929, which would control Mexican politics for the next seventy years. During the Maximato period (1929-1934), Calles held significant behind-the-scenes power while three different presidents were officially in office.
Calles's influence started to fade during Lázaro Cárdenas's presidency, as Cárdenas succeeded in opposing his authority and eventually exiled him to the United States in 1936. Calles spent almost ten years in exile before returning to Mexico in 1941 and lived quietly until he passed away in Mexico City on October 19, 1945. Even with the contentious parts of his rule, such as religious persecution and the authoritarian nature of the Maximato, Calles played a critical role in forming the institutional setup that brought political stability to modern Mexico.
Before Fame
Born into modest circumstances in Sonora, Calles worked as a schoolteacher and managed small businesses before the Mexican Revolution changed his life. The revolutionary period that began in 1910 allowed ambitious individuals like Calles to move up through military and political ranks, as traditional power structures toppled and new leaders emerged from various social backgrounds.
Calles joined the Constitutionalist forces led by Venustiano Carranza, standing out as both a skilled military commander and an effective administrator. His service in the Constitutional Army during the most intense phases of the revolution built his reputation within the revolutionary movement and gave him the network of relationships that would be key to his later political success.
Key Achievements
- Served as 47th President of Mexico from 1924 to 1928
- Founded the National Revolutionary Party, which evolved into the dominant PRI
- Established the Banco de México and implemented major economic reforms
- Controlled Mexican politics during the Maximato period (1929-1934)
- Modernized Mexico's educational system and infrastructure during his presidency
Did You Know?
- 01.He was originally named Francisco Plutarco Elías Campuzano but later adopted the surname Calles
- 02.During his presidency, he established Mexico's central bank, the Banco de México, in 1925
- 03.He was known as the Jefe Máximo (Supreme Chief) during the Maximato period when he controlled Mexico from behind the scenes
- 04.Calles owned extensive agricultural properties and became quite wealthy through his business ventures
- 05.He was exiled to the United States by President Lázaro Cárdenas in 1936 and lived in California for several years