Obregón, Alvaro

Obregón, Alvaro (b. 19 Feb. 1880, d. 19 July 1928). President of Mexico 1920–4 Son of a farm labourer, in 1912 he led a group of armed peasants to support President Francisco Madero in his struggle against General Huerta. His military skills resulted in quick promotion in Carranza's constitutional army. As its military leader he was responsible for the decisive defeat of Villa's troops in 1915. Alarmed by Carranza's attempt to circumvent the new constitution's stipulation that a president must not be re-elected by nominating a puppet candidate, he overthrew Carranza and probably gave the order for his assassination. Elected President himself, he hesitated to institute land reform as promised by the Revolution, fearing that this would entail a decline in production. His main contributions to the stability of the new political order were the coming to terms with the USA, which recognized the new state, the co-opting of moderate labour unions at the expense of anarchists and Communists, and the peaceful transfer of power at the end of his presidency, which occurred for the first time since 1880. He won the 1928 elections, but was murdered by a religious fanatic.