Carranza
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
VENUSTIANO, Mexican President; born in Cuatro Ciénegas, State of Coahuila, Mexico, Dec. 29, 1859. VENUSTIANO CARRANZA His parents were wealthy landholders. He was educated in in the pu public schools of his own State and afterward studied law in Mexico City. His eyes were weak, however, and he abandoned the practice of law and returned home to become a rancher. He became prominent in politics and after having served as Judge and Senator became Governor of Coahuila in 1911. He was in the cabinet of President Madero as Secretary of War for a short period and after the assassination of the latter took up arms against Huerta. His forces were swelled by the accession of Villa, and together they forced the resignation and flight of Huerta. Carranza entered Mexico City in triumph, proclaimed himself "First Chief of the Revolution." Quarrels ensued with Villa and an open break took place Sept. 23, 1914, when Villa declared war on Carranza. The latter's forces were victorious and Villa was driven into northern Chihuahua and eastern Sonora. In the meantime a Constitutional Congress had been called and on March 11, 1917, Carranza was elected President of Mexico. During his administration his attitude toward the United States was unfriendly and at times hostile, and several times this country was brought close to the brink of intervention. In 1920 a revolution was started against him on the suspicion that he was planning to manipulate the forthcoming presidential election in favor of Bonillas, one of the candidates. Carranza was forced to flee from the capital and was assassinated on May 22, 1920. See MEXICO.
What Has Changed in the Last Century
Collier's wrote in 1921, only months after Carranza's death, and its outline of his career still holds; the one correction is the date, which Mexican historians now give as 21 May 1920, when he was shot at Tlaxcalantongo in the Puebla sierra while fleeing the Agua Prieta rebellion. What has changed most is his standing. The "unfriendly and at times hostile" attitude toward the United States that alarmed Collier's is now read as the Carranza Doctrine of non-intervention and national sovereignty, and the constitution his 1917 congress produced remains Mexico's governing charter, though heavily amended. In 1942 his remains were placed in the Monument to the Revolution in Mexico City alongside those of Villa, the rival who declared war on him in 1914.
Written for this edition, 2026.