Carranza, Venustiano (vān

styä`nō kärän`sä), 1859–1920, Mexican political leader. While senator from Coahuila, he joined (1910) Francisco I. Madero Madero, Francisco Indalecio (fränsē`skō ēndälā`syō mäthā`rō)
..... Click the link for more information. in the revolution against Porfirio Díaz. When President Madero was overthrown (1913) by Victoriano Huerta Huerta, Victoriano (vēktōryä`nō), 1854–1916, Mexican general and president (1913–14).
..... Click the link for more information. , Carranza promptly took the field against Huerta. Fighting in the north, he was joined by other insurgents, notably Álvaro Obregón Obregón, Álvaro (äl`värō ōbrāgōn`), 1880–1928, Mexican general and president (1920–24).
..... Click the link for more information. and Francisco Villa Villa, Francisco (fränsēs`kō vē`yä), c.1877–1923, Mexican revolutionary, nicknamed Pancho Villa.
..... Click the link for more information. ; Emiliano Zapata Zapata, Emiliano (āmēlyä`nō säpä`tä), c.1879–1919, Mexican revolutionary, b. Morelos.
..... Click the link for more information. led a peon uprising in the south. Huerta was finally forced to resign and Carranza assumed (Aug., 1914) the executive powers. Villa and Zapata refused to recognize Carranza's authority, however, and plunged the country into another civil war. Carranza, aided by Obregón, emerged supreme by Aug., 1915, although Zapata and Villa continued their rebellions in the south and north. Carranza was pressed by Obregón to accept the Constitution of 1917, which contained potentially radical reform measures that Carranza opposed and subsequently failed to enforce. In 1920, Carranza attempted to prevent Obregón from succeeding him as president, and Obregón revolted. Carranza fled Mexico City, and was ambushed and murdered by a local chieftain in Tlaxcalantongo.

Carranza, Venustiano

Venustiano Carranza, c. 1910.

(credit: Archivo Casasola)

(born Dec. 29, 1859, Cuatro Ciénegas, Mex.—died May 20/21, 1920, Tlaxcalantongo) First president of the post-Porfirio Díaz Mexican Republic (1917–20). The son of a landowner, he was active in politics from 1877. In 1910 he joined the struggle of Francisco Madero against Díaz. A moderate and a nationalist, he favoured political but not social reform. Because he did little to implement the far-reaching reforms called for in the constitution of 1917, his presidency was plagued by social unrest and clashes with the more radical leaders Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata as well as by serious financial problems. His nationalism led him to oppose U.S. intervention in Mexican affairs, even when he stood to benefit from it. He is held responsible for Zapata's assassination and was himself murdered while fleeing an armed rebellion. See also Mexican Revolution.