Mexico’s Reform War for International Travelers to Mexico City

The Reform War, also known as the Three Years’ War, was a civil war that took place in Mexico from 1858 to January 10, 1861.1 The nation was divided into two major groups: Liberals and Conservatives; both fought for their ideals. The Mexican transformation is attributed to the transition of the political structure in which it sought to establish a democratic capitalist system and put an end to the one that had existed since the Colony and the Empire. In this new system, a national state was formed based on constitutional order, the Mexican people’s need for restructuring by trying to end the privileges of the ruling classes (equality before the law), the reactivation of the economy and the restoration of labor.2 For a time, the liberals and conservatives had parallel governments, with the conservative government based in Mexico City and the liberals in Veracruz.3

As the years went by, the war became bloodier and polarized the people in the nation. The war ended with the definitive defeat of the conservatives at the Battle of Calpulalpan, State of Mexico4 in 1861, and with Benito Juárez installing his administration in Mexico City. Once the Constituent Congress had fulfilled its task of drafting a new constitution, the call was made to hold elections for both federal and state powers. Thus, the first Congress was convened, which would work under the principles of the Magna Carta of 1857. The country had been indebted by both sides, this situation led to the suspension of the payment of foreign debt, which added to the attempts of the defeated party to obtain support in Europe and the interests of different European powers led to the creation of the London Convention, which in turn led to the Second French Intervention.

Both conservatives and liberals agreed that in order to overcome the political crisis, change had to be promoted.5 The Ayutla Revolution, led by Juan Álvarez in 1854, was a revolt as a consequence of the birth of new ways of thinking with the objective of establishing a liberal government and the weariness of Mexican society with the regime of Antonio López de Santa Anna.6

One of the laws that went into effect in 1856, La Ley Lerdo is the nickname given to the Law of Disentailment of the Rustic and Urban Farms of the Civil and Religious Corporations of Mexico. It was issued on June 25, 1856 by substitute president Ignacio Comonfort. This law caused enormous discontent among certain sectors of the population because, from their point of view, it attacked the Catholic religion, which was the belief of the majority of the country. With the Tacubaya Plan, directed by Félix Zuloaga, it was stipulated that the current Constitution would cease to be in force and that Comonfort would remain at the head of the Executive power, limited by the conservatives, to repeal the liberal reforms, to which he refused; the plan also called for an extraordinary congress that would draft a new constitution “in accordance with the national will”, in the meantime dismissing all those authorities that did not support this plan. Part of Comonfort’s team of collaborators resigned from their posts, while Benito Juárez, president of the Supreme Court, Isidro Olvera, president of the Congress, and some deputies were taken to prison.7 Comonfort tried to seek reconciliation with the liberal party; he imprisoned Juárez and carried out armed confrontations against the conservatives, in which he would come out badly. Given the futility of his resistance, he decided not to continue the struggle and abandoned the country, leaving it immersed in a civil war.