Benito Juárez
Benito Juárez was a Zapotec indigenous lawyer who rose to become Mexico's most revered president, serving from 1858 to 1872. Born in a mountain village in Oaxaca and orphaned at three, he taught himself Spanish and law, eventually becoming governor of Oaxaca. His La Reforma program (1855-1861) separated church and state, confiscated church property, established civil marriage, and secularized cemeteries — transforming Mexico's legal foundation. When the Reform War (1858-61) ended in liberal victory, he became president. His 1861 suspension of foreign debt payments triggered the French Intervention; for five years he led guerrilla resistance from northern Mexico while Maximilian ruled the capital. When Napoleon III withdrew French troops under US and Prussian pressure, Maximilian was captured and executed at Querétaro (1867) on Juárez's orders. He rejected pleas for clemency, understanding that pardoning an imposed emperor would invite future interventions. His phrase 'El respeto al derecho ajeno es la paz' (Respect for others' rights is peace) became a foundational principle of Mexican foreign policy.
- Lived: 1806 CE – 1872 CE
- Nationality: mexican
- Roles: president, lawyer, head_of_state, reformer
