Benito Juárez (Steel and Bridle)
Benito Pablo Juárez García (March 21, 1806 - July 18, 1851) was a Mejican Catholic priest, jurist, educator, and politician. Coming from a Zapotec family, Juárez became one of the most distinguished liberal clergy members of the 19th century in Mejico. As a prominent leader of the Liberal faction, Juárez played a pivotal role in challenging the conservative government of Mariano Paredes. Juárez served in multiple educational and political posts throughout the 1830s and early 1840s, teaching physics at the Institute of Sciences and Arts of Oajaca, being a minister of the provincial tribunal, and eventually, governor of Oajaca from 1847 until his untimely death in 1851.
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Born in Oajaca to a poor, rural, Indigenous family and orphaned as a child, Juárez passed under the care of his uncle, eventually moving to Oajaca City at the age of 12, where he found work as a domestic servant. Sponsored by his employer who was also a lay Franciscan, Juárez enrolled in a seminary and studied to become a priest, being ordained by 1829. During his time in seminary, Juárez became interested in physics, and his passion for education carried over into his later political career. Becoming a professor in the same year, Juárez was distinguished for his intellectual prowess and dedication to the principles of liberalism.
Juárez continued his studies and eventually became a canon lawyer, successfully defending Indigenous Mejicans in ecclesiastical courts against discrimination and advocating for their rights. It was during this time that he became convinced of the necessity of separating church and state to safeguard the rights of individuals. In many of his private writings and letters, Juárez wrote of his belief in the importance of secular governance and the need for equal rights and opportunities for all Mejicans, regardless of their race or social status. His political career began to take shape in the 1840s when he became involved in the anti-establishment movement and aligned himself with the Liberal faction. He actively worked against the conservative government of Mariano Paredes, advocating for progressive reforms.
In 1847, he was elected governor of Oajaca and continued gaining prominence as one of the main Liberal leaders of his time. During his tenure, Juárez was faced with chaos in the provincial finances, the justice department, and the police. Juárez proceeded to carry out a program of economic improvements which included an elimination of the province's deficit, the construction of roads and bridges, and the development of education. Juárez also prepared and published a Civil and Penal Code. Oajaca became a model province, and Juárez gained fame as an able administrator throughout the nation. However, in the 1850s, a cholera epidemic struck Mejico, with Juárez being one of the highest-profile victims. Tragically, his life was cut short when he succumbed to the disease in July of 1851.
Juárez's contributions to the liberal cause were not forgotten, and his legacy continued to inspire future generations of Mejicans. His ideas on secular governance and equal rights, his unique theological positions, which position him as a precursor of liberation theology, while respected and widely discussed, have been the subject of various interpretations over the years.