José María Pino Suárez was a prominent Mexican politician and lawyer who served as Vice President of the Republic from 1911 to 1913.
His brief but intense political career was marked by the fight for democracy and social justice in a country marked by deep inequality and political conflict in Mexico. Born in the state, Pino Suárez studied law at the National Autonomous University of Mexico and graduated He worked as a lawyer and journalist. before becoming a politician. In 1909 he was elected to the Federal Assembly and in 1910 he joined the revolutionary struggle led by Francisco I Madero, which sought to overthrow then President Porfirio Díaz.
After the triumph of the Revolution, Pino Suárez was appointed Vice President of the Republic along with Madero. During his brief tenure, Pino Suárez was a benchmark in many popular sectors, implementing social policies and fighting to defend workers’ rights.
But the relationship between Madero and Pino Suárez was short and eventful. In 1913, both were arrested during a coup led by Victoriano Huerta, and later assassinated in circumstances unknown to this day. His death left a void in Mexican politics and a blow to those seeking radical change in the country.
Despite his short tenure, the figure of José María Pino Suárez continues to be engraved in the collective memory of Mexicans as an example of integrity, community participation and the fight for justice. His legacy has inspired generations of politicians and citizens committed to building a fairer and more equitable Mexico, where the voices of the most disadvantaged are heard and valued.
Jose Maria Pino Suarez Biography
José María Pino Suárez, born on September 8, 1869 and died on February 22, 1913, Vice President of Mexico (1912-1913).
Pino Suárez was a prominent pre-revolutionary and anti-reelection politician who became the only truly popularly elected Mexican vice president, the last individual to hold that position in the 20th century.
He is known for having been Vice President of Mexico during the mandate of Francisco I Madero between 1911 and the date of his death.
José Pino Suárez also held other political positions such as the governorship of Yucatán, the Secretary of Justice, that of Public Instruction and Fine Arts, and the presidency of the Senate.
He was one of the founders of the Anti-reelection Club in Mérida, and apart from his activity in the country’s political life, he also worked as a lawyer and journalist.
Within this last facet, his work as founder of El Peninsular stands out, a newspaper that waged a tough battle against power defending freedom of expression.
The poetry
Pino Suárez had another great passion: poetry. Already from a very young age he managed to publish some of his poems in various magazines and, later, two of his books achieved some success in Mexico and Europe.
His death was framed during the events that occurred in the Tragic Ten. The uprising led by Victorian Orchard against President Madero ended with the assassination of him and his vice president, Pino Suárez.
Studies
José María Pino Suárez came into the world on September 8, 1869 in Tenosique, Tabasco. Born into a well-to-do family, he suffered the death of his mother shortly after his birth.
His father, owner of many businesses, looked for a private tutor for him to carry out his studies.
As a teenager, Pino Suárez moved to Mérida, in the state of Yucatán, to continue his training.
He entered a Jesuit school, the Colegio de San Ildefonso, one of the most famous throughout the country for having adapted the curricula used in French high schools.
Once that stage was over, he began to study Law at the Yucatán School of Jurisprudence, obtaining his degree in 1894.
first jobs
With the title of lawyer obtained, his first works were framed in that activity. He went on to open his own law firm in Mexico City, where he took up residence in 1896 after his wedding.
It was at this time that he also began to build a certain reputation as a writer. Without neglecting his work as a lawyer, he began to publish some of his poems in the weekly Pepper and Mustard and other publications.
After 3 years in the capital, Pino returned to Mérida. There he partnered with his mother-in-law to enter the business world.
Journalist
It was success in these businesses that allowed him to raise enough money to buy a printing press and found his own newspaper in 1904.
He named it El Peninsular and its beginnings were very promising. In the first year, he built a very good reader base, which attracted a lot of advertisers.
The newspaper had quite a marked social content and published various reports denouncing the systematic exploitation of laborers on the haciendas in the area.
This caused the landowners to start putting pressure on the companies that advertised in the newspaper, seriously endangering their economic viability.
Pino Suárez embarked on a battle to defend freedom of expression and publication. Among his actions is the creation, along with other colleagues, of the Yucatecan Press Association.
This experience of confronting the powerful was the first approach of the future vice president to the world of politics.
His political life
At that time, the time had not yet come for him to fully immerse himself in political life. In fact, Pino Suárez remained quite far from any public visibility for three years, from 1906 to 1909.
Meeting with Francisco I. Madero
This voluntary isolation was going to change due to a fortuitous event. In 1909, Porfirio Díaz seemed to have admitted the possibility of holding free elections, with opponents at the polls.
Some opponents had organized to present a candidate, Francisco I. Madero, and had started the campaign.
In June of that year, Madero visited Veracruz to promote his candidacy. Paradoxically, that visit was a public failure, since only 6 people received it when they arrived in the city, one of them being José María Pino Suárez.
He had been captivated after reading a book by Madero called The Presidential Succession in 1910 and it can be said that at that moment their political and personal destinies united.
Collaborating with the presidential candidate, José María founded the Club Antireeleccionista in Mérida and became its president.
While, Porfirio Diaz he had decided to imprison Madero and did not release him until after the elections. With clear signs of fraud, Díaz proclaimed himself president, but this time the opponents reacted and proclaimed the Saint Louis Plan.
In accordance with this plan, Madero assumes the provisional presidency. One of his first decisions was to appoint Pino Suárez as Governor of Yucatán from June 5 to August 8, 1911.
Shortly after, he also assumed the Ministry of Justice, holding the position until November 13, 1911.
vice presidency
Not everything was easy in those first moments of the political life of Pino Suárez. Within his party, a sector appeared that did not agree with the importance it was acquiring.
Given the proximity of the elections, that sector had another name in mind to occupy the vice presidency, but Madero decidedly bet on Pino, silencing the debate.
As expected, Madero and Pino Suárez comfortably won the elections. The vice president-elect left the Yucatan government to dedicate himself entirely to his new position, to which he joined the Secretary of Public Instruction.
Tragic decade and murder
However, the legislature was short-lived. In many areas of society, Maduro and Pino Suárez were seen as a threat to their interests, from the Church to the big landowners.
Just two years after taking office, a group led by the military Victoriano Huerta and the nephew of Porfirio Díaz, Felix Diaz, took up arms against him. They were also supported by the US ambassador, strongly opposed to Madero.
The hostilities lasted 10 days, known as the Tragic Ten. The confrontation ended with the victory of the coup leaders, and Pino Suárez and Madero are arrested and locked up in prison. Huerta is running for the presidency.
In an attempt to give him a semblance of legitimacy, Huerta concocts a political ploy involving Lascurain Paredes, a member of the Madero government. For it to work, the president and vice president had to resign.
In circumstances not yet fully clarified, Lascurain convinces the two arrested politicians to resign in exchange for saving their lives. In the end, both relent and resign from their posts.
It is there where the betrayal of Huerta’s men materializes. Instead of being released, on February 22, 1913, the two were assassinated on their way to the Mexico City prison.
The transfer had been approved precisely to be able to carry out the ambush that ended their lives.
Acknowledgments
The widow of José María Pino Suárez was the one who collected the medal in 1969 Belisario Dominguez in recognition of the politician’s fight for democracy.
The remains of the man known as «The Knight of Loyalty» rest in the Rotunda of Illustrious Persons since November 1986.
10 curiosities of José María Pino Suárez
José María Pino Suárez is known as the only Mexican Vice President in the country’s history. His short political career was intense and characterized by his fight for social justice and democracy in Mexico.
In addition to his achievements and his legacy, Pino Suárez also has some interesting curiosities that deserve to be highlighted. Here we present 10 curiosities about José María Pino Suárez:
humble origins: Pino Suárez was born in a humble home in the city of Tenosique, in the state of Tabasco. His father was a modest artisan who taught him the value of work and honesty from an early age.Teacher and journalist: Before entering politics, Pino Suárez worked as a teacher and journalist in various media outlets in the country. His academic training in law allowed him to excel in his journalistic career as an editor and columnist.Participation in the Mexican Revolution: Pino Suárez was an active participant in the Mexican Revolution, a conflict that sought to overthrow then-President Porfirio Díaz. He joined the revolutionary forces led by Francisco I. Madero, and fought for the democratization of the country.Youngest Vice President of Mexico: At 41 years old, Pino Suárez became the youngest Vice President in the history of Mexico. He held the position in the company of Francisco I. Madero during the period between 1911 and 1913.First time a Vice President was included in the cabinet: During his tenure as Vice President, Pino Suárez was the first person to hold a position in the presidential cabinet. He was appointed Secretary of the Interior, which allowed him to play an important role in the implementation of public policies and in decision-making…