La Reforma

La Reforma ; liberal political and social revolution in Mexico between 1854 and 1876 under the principal leadership of Benito Juarez

The Beginning

La Reforma , the principal development in 1854-1876 was the culmination of a struggle between the Liberal government/state and the Mexican Catholic church. They wanted to set themselves to the task of dismantling the conservative political structure to create a more modern, democratic, secular, and capitalist Mexico. They also wanted to take away power from the church because they were scared that the church would overpower them. This event began in 1854 with first the Plan of Ayutla. The plan of Ayutla was a liberal pronouncement of the removal of dictator Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. After the fall of Santa Anna in 1855, Juarez and the liberals enacted the Ley Juarez. The Ley Juarez placed stringent restrictions on military and ecclesiastical courts which was the first step to enforcing equality before the law. This law was the first significance piece of legislation passed by the new liberal government. In 1857 the congress, in which the moderate liberals held sway, drafted a liberal federalist constitution ; it ended special jurisdiction for the clergy, limited the power of the church , placed the army under ultimate civilian control, abolished hereditary titles and imprisonment for debt, and gave Mexican citizens their first genuine bill of rights. This caused a furious reaction from the church and conservatives but also caused a schism between the Liberals.

The planning of the Reform War ( Guerra de Reforma)

In the same year ( 1857) the Liberals created a new law ( Ley Lerdo) which meant that any ecclesiastical lands that were not used for religious reasons or day to day were auctioned or sold. The church saw this law as an attack on traditional Mexican values and the Church's role. In response, conservative General Félix Zuloaga, clergy, military, and landowners launched the Plan of Tacubaya ( The Reform War or La Guerra de Reforma) in December 1857, rejecting the constitution and dissolving Congress. This pronouncement declared the new Constitution of 1857 void, dissolved the liberal Congress, and called for a new framework that would preserve conservative principle. This led to the formation of two rival governments: a conservative one in Mexico City and a liberal one under Benito Juárez, who established his capital in the port of Veracruz.

The Reform War ( Guerra de Reforma)

The first year of the war was marked by numerous conservative victories due to their more organized military forces. However, the liberals maintained control of coastal regions, allowing them access to customs revenue to fund their war effort and secure arms imports. Both sides sought international recognition; the United States recognized the Juárez government and provided naval support to protect Veracruz, while European powers initially leaned towards the conservatives. In July 1859, from Veracruz, Juárez issued the "Laws of Reform," which nationalized most church property, suppressed monasteries, and established civil marriage and a civil registry for births and deaths. These actions, while highly controversial, provided the liberal war effort with new funds and cemented their ideological stance.The tide of the war turned as liberal generals accumulated battlefield victories. The decisive battle took place at Calpulalpan on December 22, 1860, where the liberal forces under Jesús González Ortega decisively defeated the main conservative army led by Miguel Miramón. Liberal troops entered Mexico City on January 1, 1861, and Juárez returned on January 11, 1861, to restore constitutional government.