Gonzalez, Manuel

Manuel del Refujio González Flores was born on June 18, 1833 in the city of Matamoros .

At first he was a merchant, but then he chose a military career. As an officer, he distinguished himself in the civil wars of the 1850s as a supporter of the conservative party, but transferred to the camp of the liberal army in the face of a new foreign intervention , mindful of the damage caused to the country by the U.S. intervention , during which his father was killed. In the Eastern Army he was under the command of General Porfirio Diaz , with whom he made close friendships, which lasted until his death. He participated in the Siege of Puebla , where he distinguished himself with his desperate courage. He was wounded and captured by the French, but managed to escape and rejoin the army and fight on the side of the republic. During the campaign, he rose to the rank of colonel, and then to the brigadier general , having received special mention for his valiant behavior. Together with the troops of Oaxaca under the command of Diaz, he played a decisive role in the battles of Miaoutlan and under La Carboner .

Together with Porfirio Diaz, he prepared the March Revolution of 1867 and, after its successful outcome, was placed at the head of the state of Michoacan , where he did a lot for public education. From 1873 to 1880, he was, under Diaz, Minister of War and Naval Affairs, and in 1880 he was elected President of Mexico ^[1] .

On December 1, 1880, he became president and held this position until November 30, 1884. At this post he pacified the country, maintained good relations with foreign powers and improved the economic situation of the people ^[1] . However, he did not make significant efforts to fight corruption, which helped strengthen the position of Porfirio Diaz .

Manuel del Refujio González Flores died on April 10, 1893 in Chapingo.