Plutarco Elías Calles
Founder of the Institutional Revolutionary Party and Mexico's paramount leader during the Maximato.
via Wikipedia: Institutional Revolutionary Party · see source
Plutarco Elías Calles was a Mexican politician and military officer who served as president of Mexico from 1924 to 1928. After the assassination of president-elect Álvaro Obregón in 1928, Calles founded the National Revolutionary Party (PNR) in 1929, which later became the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). Calles was Mexico's paramount leader and self-proclaimed Jefe Máximo (Supreme Chief) of the Mexican Revolution. Although he fell into political disgrace and was exiled in 1936, the party he founded continued ruling Mexico until 2000.
- field
- Politics, Military
- nationality
- Mexican
- known_for
- Founding the Institutional Revolutionary Party; leading the Maximato; anticleric
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
The PNR was founded in 1929 by Plutarco Elías Calles, Mexico's paramount leader and self-proclaimed Jefe Máximo of the Mexican Revolution. The party was created with the intent of providing a political space in which all the surviving leaders and combatants of the Mexican Revolution could participate to solve the severe political crisis caused by the assassination of president-elect Álvaro Obregón in 1928. Although Calles himself fell into political disgrace and was exiled in 1936, the party continued ruling Mexico until 2000, changing names twice until it became the PRI. The party held uninterrupted power in the country for 71 years, from 1929 to 2000.
Reader's Guide
Calles is a central figure in Mexico's post-revolutionary history. He founded the PNR in 1929 after the assassination of Álvaro Obregón, creating an institutional structure to manage presidential succession. However, Calles fell into political disgrace and was exiled in 1936. The party he founded, the PRI, governed Mexico as a de-facto one-party state for the majority of the twentieth century, using corporatism, co-option, electoral fraud, and political repression to maintain power.
Did You Know?
- Calles founded the National Revolutionary Party (PNR) in 1929, which later became the PRI.
- He was Mexico's paramount leader and self-proclaimed Jefe Máximo (Supreme Chief) of the Mexican Revolution.
- Calles fell into political disgrace and was exiled in 1936.
- The party he founded held uninterrupted power in Mexico for 71 years, from 1929 to 2000.
- Calles created the party to solve the political crisis caused by the assassination of president-elect Álvaro Obregón in 1928.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Plutarco Elías Calles?
He was a Mexican military officer and politician who held the presidency from 1924 to 1928. Beyond his official term, he operated as the de facto power behind the Mexican government during a period known as the Maximato.
What was Plutarco Elías Calles's main role or achievement?
He is best known as the architect of the National Revolutionary Party in 1929, the organization that evolved into the PRI and dominated Mexican politics for decades. He also styled himself the Jefe Máximo, or Supreme Chief, of the revolutionary movement.
How did Plutarco Elías Calles's political career end?
He was forced into exile in 1936 after falling out of favor with the political establishment. Despite his ouster, the party structure he built continued to govern Mexico until the turn of the twenty-first century.
Why is Plutarco Elías Calles important to Mexican history?
His founding of the PNR created the institutional framework that kept one party in power for over seven decades. He essentially designed the political machine that shaped modern Mexico long after his own removal from influence.
What was the Maximato and how did Calles lead it?
The Maximato refers to the roughly seven-year span during which Calles controlled Mexican politics from behind the scenes despite holding no formal office. He installed and removed presidents at will, effectively ruling as the supreme authority of the revolution.
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