Álvaro Obregón
Mexican general and president assassinated before second term.
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Álvaro Obregón Salido was a Mexican general, inventor and politician who served as the 46th President of Mexico from 1920 to 1924. Born in Navojoa, Sonora, he joined the Revolution after the February 1913 coup that brought Victoriano Huerta to power, quickly becoming the Constitutionalist Army's most prominent general alongside Pancho Villa. He defeated Villa but lost his right arm. Obregón was elected president in 1920 with overwhelming popular support, and his presidency saw educational reform, the flourishing of Mexican muralism, moderate land reform, and labor laws. He was re-elected in 1928 but assassinated before he could take office.
- born
- 19 February 1880
- died
- 17 July 1928
- field
- General, inventor, politician
- nationality
- Mexican
- known_for
- 46th President of Mexico; leading Constitutionalist Army; defeating Pancho Villa
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Obregón was born in Siquisiva, Municipality of Navojoa, Sonora, the eighteenth child of Francisco Obregón and Cenobia Salido. His father died in 1880, the year of his birth, and he was raised in very straitened circumstances by his mother and older sisters. He worked on the family farm, learned the Mayo language, and received an elementary-level formal education. He worked as a lathe operator at a sugar mill, sold shoes door-to-door, and became a tenant farmer. By 1906 he bought his own small farm growing garbanzos. In 1909 he invented a garbanzo harvester and founded a company to manufacture them with a modern assembly line. He entered politics in 1911 as municipal president of Huatabampo.
Reader's Guide
Obregón's political legacy is that of pragmatic centrism, allying with various factions of the revolution to accomplish his goals. According to historian Linda B. Hall, 'Álvaro Obregón stood out as the organizer, the peacemaker, the unifier.' His assassination in 1928 precipitated a political crisis, ultimately leading to Calles founding the National Revolutionary Party, later renamed the Institutional Revolutionary Party, which dominated Mexican politics throughout the 20th century. His presidency included educational reform, the flourishing of Mexican muralism, moderate land reform, and labor laws sponsored by the Regional Confederation of Mexican Workers. In August 1923 he signed the Bucareli Treaty that clarified rights of the Mexican government and U.S. oil interests and brought U.S. diplomatic recognition.
Did You Know?
- Obregón lost his right arm in battle against Pancho Villa's forces in 1915.
- He invented a garbanzo harvester in 1909 and founded a company to manufacture them with a modern assembly line.
- Obregón was the eighteenth child of his parents, and his father died the same year he was born.
- He learned the indigenous Mayo language while working on the family farm as a child.
- Obregón was assassinated by José de León Toral during the Cristero War before beginning his second term.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Álvaro Obregón?
Álvaro Obregón Salido was a Mexican general, inventor, and politician born in Navojoa, Sonora, in 1880. He rose to national prominence during the Mexican Revolution and ultimately served as the 46th President of Mexico from 1920 to 1924.
What was Obregón's role in the Mexican Revolution?
After Victoriano Huerta seized power in the February 1913 coup, Obregón threw his support behind the Constitutionalist cause and became one of its most prominent generals alongside Pancho Villa. He is especially remembered for defeating Villa in battle, an encounter in which he lost his right arm.
What did Obregón accomplish during his presidency?
Winning the 1920 election with overwhelming popular support, he pushed through educational reform, moderate land redistribution, and new labor protections. His term also saw the flourishing of Mexican muralism as a national art movement.
How did Álvaro Obregón die?
Obregón was assassinated on 17 July 1928, before he could assume his second presidential term. His murder ended a political career that had carried him from revolutionary general to head of state.
Why is Álvaro Obregón considered important in Mexican history?
He is remembered both as a decisive military leader who helped dismantle the Huerta regime and defeat Villa, and as a president who steered post-revolutionary Mexico toward institutional stability. His blend of battlefield courage and progressive governance made him a defining figure of the Revolution's aftermath.
More in Leaders Of Revolution And Independence 1-20
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