Madero’s “The Plan of San Luis Potosí” (1910)
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BACKGROUND: From the 1830s to the 1860s caudillos, local military leaders left over from the wars of independence, often seized national office, pillaged the treasury, and were in turn deposed by others. Social unrest along with often inflexible political regimes has led to a series of revolutions and other upheavals in twentieth-century Latin America. During the late-nineteenth century, when Latin America began exporting raw materials (e.g, metals, fertilizers) and food (e.g., sugar, coffee, wheat, bananas), elites closely linked to the export economy consolidated political power to a narrow few and excluding commoners through voting restrictions This selection comes from the Mexican Revolution of 1910. The Mexican election of 1910 was stolen when Porfirio Diaz—the longtime dictator, had his opponent Francisco Madero, arrested and imprisoned. Madero later issued the Plan of San Luis Potosí which is often seen as the opening salvo of the Mexican Revolution of 1910.
Peoples, in their constant efforts for the triumph of the ideal of liberty and justice, are forced, at precise historical moments, to make their greatest sacrifices.
Our beloved country has reached one of those moments. A force of tyranny which we Mexicans were not accustomed to suf-fer after we won our independence oppresses us in such a manner that it has become intolerable. In exchange for that tyranny we are offered peace, but peace full of shame for the Mexican nation, because its basis is not law, but force; because its object is not the aggrandizement and prosperity of the country, but to enrich a small group who, abusing their influence, have converted the public charges into fountains of exclusively personal benefit, unscrupulously exploiting the manner of lucrative concessions and contracts.
The legislative and judicial powers are completely subordinated to the executive; the division of powers, the sovereignty of the States, the liberty of the common councils, and the rights of the citizens exist only in writing in our great charter; but, as a fact, it may almost be said that martial law constantly exists in Mexico; the administration of justice, instead of imparting protection to the weak, merely serves to legalize the plunderings committed by the strong; the judges instead of being the representatives of justice, are the agents of the executive, whose interests they faithfully serve; the chambers of the union have no other will than that of the dictator; the governors of the States are designated by him and they in their turn designate and impose in like manner the municipal authorities.
From this it results that the whole administrative, judicial, and legislative machinery obeys a single will, the caprice of General Porfirio Diaz, who during his long administration has shown that the principal motive that guides him is to maintain himself in power and at any cost. ...
In Mexico, as a democratic Republic, the public power can have no other origin nor other basis than the will of the people, and the latter can not be subordinated to formulas to be executed in a fraudulent manner. . . ,
For this reason the Mexican people have protested against the illegality of the last election…[and] asked for the nullification of the election by the Chamber of Deputies...I have very well realized that if the people have designated me as their candidate. for the Presidency it is not because they have had an opportunity to discover in me the qualities of a statesman or of a ruler, but the virility of the patriot determined to sacrifice himself, if need be, to obtain liberty and to help the people free themselves from the odious tyranny that oppresses them.
From the moment I threw myself into the democratic struggle I very well knew that General Diaz would not bow to the will of the nation, and the noble Mexican people, in following me to the polls, also knew perfectly the outrage that awaited them; but in spite of it, the people gave the cause of liberty a numerous contingent of martyrs when they were necessary and with wonderful stoicism went to the polls and received every sort of molestation.
But such conduct was indispensable to show to the whole world that the Mexican people are fit for democracy, that they are thirsty for liberty, and that their present rulers do not measure up to their aspirations. ...
With all honesty I declare that it would be a weakness on my part and treason to the people, who have placed their confidence in me, not to put myself at the front of my fellow citizens, who anxiously call me from all parts of the country, to com-pel General Diaz by force of arms, to respect the national will.
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