Causes, consequences and confrontations of the Ayutla revolution

It was carried out in the state of Guerrero, located in southern Mexico, the Ayutla revolution was a pioneering movement in many relevant historical events in this country, one of them, the execution of the liberal reform, which was an action opposed to the government of president for life Antonio López de Santa Anna.

The abuses, the state of misery in which the nation had been plunged, and the sale of a part of the Mesilla, northern territory of what is currently the nation of Mexico, was the spark that started the outbreak of this war, which pursued the removal of a dictator who was considered a traitor, because after having been part of the liberal ranks, a Once established in power, he had turned his back on those who had seconded him, turning to the benefit of wealthy sectors such as the military and those belonging to the clergy.

As a result of this movement, important changes were implemented in the constitution of the state of Ayutla, where a system that pursued social equality was established.

The beginning: the promulgation of the Ayuteca plan.

The development of the Ayutla revolution saw its beginning in widespread discontent, motivated by decisions made by the dictator Antonio López de Santa Anna, who under the protection of his title of Serene Highness, developed a government of abuses and outrages, betraying the premises that positioned him as president. Many of the guidelines that conditioned the rise to power of Santa Anna were established in the well-known Jalisco planMany of them were violated once he positioned himself as a dictator, and among the one that stands out the most, we can mention the censorship of the population's right to freedom of expression, with the prohibition of the use of the printing press. Needless to say, this led to popular discontent, and the natural reaction of the oppressed was the circulation of clandestine publications against the government, and the emergence of conspiratorial liberal groups.

Government corruption, which, at the cost of poverty and hunger of the population, led to illicit enrichment both from Antonio López de Santa Anna himself, and from the people who were close to him. This began to awaken the repudiation of the population, activating the deepest desire for a change, and the pillars of what would later explode as a revolution of transformations began to be orchestrated, in which the favored sectors such as the ecclesiastical, and certain groups military, they would lose the benefits and the special treatment that the Santa Anna administration had offered them.

Another aspect that unleashed discontent was the sale of a large extension of the Mesilla territory, the execution of which was motivated by the satisfaction of personal interests and the social group that supported it. This decision was repudiated by the nationalist sectors, since it condemned the inhabitants of that region to the loss of their identity, having to submit to the jurisdiction of a new nation.

The manifesto of Ayutla plan, Of which Florencio Villareal, Juan Álvarez and Ignacio Comonfort (main exponents of the insurrection) were participants in its promulgation, it was promulgated on March 1, 1854, considering itself the starting point of the Ayutla revolution. The Ayutla Plan is a document in which the causes of discontent were exposed, and actions were presented in response, the main of which are shown below:

1. The dismissal of His Serene Highness, Antonio López de Santa Anna, and of those officials who have followed his corrupt and oppressive line.
2. The annulment of those statutes that threaten the well-being of the population, among them: the raffle of passports and the usury taxes, imposed on the people, under the name of capitation.
3. The election of an interim president, in which a member of each state will participate, who will have the power to attend and solve problems related to security and independence of the Nation.
4. It was proposed that the main chief, in joint action with a group of 7 people, shape the new liberal state, establishing the new set of laws and statutes that would govern the territory, always respecting the principle that the nation was alone, indivisible and Independent
5. Emphasis is placed on the need that, after its establishment, the new government should pay attention to economic issues, since the state was going through a deep crisis, which had been pronounced with government policies. Special attention was requested to be paid to issues related to foreign and domestic trade.
6. It was established that the treatment of "enemy of the nation" would be given to anyone who violated the guidelines established in this document. The transformation of the army is urged, into a force that helps to defend the guarantees and rights of the population.

Steps of the Ayutla revolution

Before the appearance of the aforementioned Ayutla Plan, the reaction of the people was immediate, and unanimous: total support and strength for the proposal of the liberals, therefore, with great concern for the strength of the movement, the response of the conservative government was immediate , and their actions sought to stop the action of the insurgents by:

• Increase in the tax rate in order to raise funds for the war (this far from appeasing the discontent, motivated various sectors to join the struggle of Juan Álvarez).
• Death penalty for those found with a copy of Ayutla's plan, and for civilians who carry weapons.

Showdown at Fort San Diego: With more than 5000 men in his army, López de Santa Anna heads to Acapulco, where the insurgents were. Juan Álvarez had only a force of around 500 men, however, the liberal army managed to face the battle, and His Excellency Highness had to retreat, since he suffered casualties, not counting the men he lost as a result of diseases and desertion. . In revenge, for this defeat, violent actions were initiated against the properties of those who were part of the movement, or who sponsored it in any way.

The Ayutla revolution continued its unstoppable pace, sparking fear in conservativesTherefore, the conservative president asked the governor of Puebla, by letter, to keep its inhabitants isolated from those of Guerrero while the uprising lasted, also requesting that he take measures against those with suspicious behavior.

Great efforts were made on the part of the government to keep the ports under threat from the liberals protected: La Paz, Acapulco, Guaymas and Mazatlán, were the objectives, however, everything was useless, since nothing stopped Juan Álvarez's advance. In view of this, the government initiated defamatory actions, transmitting false news about the defeat of the insurgents and the restoration of order.

Support for the insurrection: In response to the great discontent at the actions of the conservative government, Juan Álvarez's revolution began to gain followers. On the day of the Virgin of Guadalupe, a confrontation occurred in Puebla in which the Puebla Lancers Regiment (which was once led by Antonio López de Santa Anna) was the protagonist. The government put down this insurrectionary action, and ordered the execution of its perpetrators. There was also a pronouncement on the hill of Loreto, in which 100 men from the company of the active battalion of Querétano, spoke in favor of the plan.

Año 1855: At the beginning of the year 1855, the liberal efforts had gained ground in the republic, and at this point, the public opinion of Puebla was not in favor of Santa Anna, however, at the official level, the authorities maintained a neutral attitude, but little little by little the revolution invaded all spaces. By August 15, 1855, the Liberals had achieved Puebla's adherence to the Ayutla plan. Antonio López de Santa Anna, defeated by the Ayutla revolution, leaves the defeated country for New Granada. A transitional government is established, in which Juan Álvarez is installed as president.

Consequences

The victory of the Ayutla Revolution brought a series of events in favor of the reestablishment of the principles of social equality, these can be summarized in the following aspects:

1. Presidency of Juan Álvarez: As of the dismissal of the conservative government, the revolutionary leader Juan Álvarez rises to power, who was only two months in office, however, he exercised forceful actions for the benefit of the peasants. After his resignation, he was succeeded by his comrade in arms, the also liberal Ignacio Comonfort.
2. The enactment of various laws against inequality: In 1855, the Juárez law was promulgated, which established equality between citizens before the law, suppressing the special courts of the clergy and the military. Another important decree was the law of lerdo, which obliges the civil and ecclesiastical population to sell the properties that they were not occupying to the people to whom they had leased them, in order to promote a better use of the wealth.
3. Pardon the exiles: After the defeat of Santa Anna, the new government opened the return of exiles and politically persecuted.
4. Rupture with the church: Clergy resentful that their interests are affected show opposition to the reforms. The assets of the church passed to the public administration, convents were closed and their authority in the registry of civil processes was revoked: marriages, births, deaths.

Main exponents of the Ayutla Revolution

The following were the most influential figures in this liberating movement:

1. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna: Dictator, who comes to power after an agreement between conservatives and liberals, who in the face of the economic crisis that plagued Mexico, agreed to join forces. The political position of this character was described as ambiguous, since throughout history he was active in parties of opposite positions.
2. Juan Alvarez: Mexican military, who had a decisive participation in many of the Mexican conflicts. The main promoter of the enactment of the reform plan and leader of the Ayutla revolution, he led attacks by the rebels and drew up plans that led to the overthrow of President Santa Anna.
3. Florencio Villarreal: Mexican military of Cuban origin, who worked alongside the revolutionaries in establishing reforms.
4. Ignacio Comonfort: Mexican who succeeded Juan Álvarez in the presidency. He executed important reforms of the liberal slogan. His government was characterized by an open confrontation with the Catholic Church, which in conservative governments had gained positions of power, and political participation.