Amador Salazar
Encyclopedia
Amador Salazar Jiménez was a Mexican
military leader who participated in the Mexican Revolution
.
, Morelos
on April 30, 1868, as the son of León Salazar and Gertrudes Jiménez. He was also a cousin of Emiliano Zapata
, as his father was brother to Zapata's mother, Donna Salazar Cleophas.
Before the outbreak of the revolution, Salazar worked as a laborer on the estate of the governor of Morelos and chief of staff to Porfirio Díaz
, Pablo Escandón y Barrón. There, between 1903 and 1905, he helped local villagers organize in their disputes against Escandón, which led to him being drafted into the Mexican army for troublemaking. He was sent to the Riflemen's School in Mexico City
.
. Allied with Zapata, in 1911, he was one of the signatories of the Plan of Ayala
.
When Zapata broke with Francisco Madero in 1912, Amador returned to the Morelos hills and joined Zapata, where thanks to his previous military experience his units were among the best disciplined of the Zapatistas. Amador fought against Madero and then, after Victoriano Huerta
's coup d'etat
, still under Zapata's command, he fought Huerta.
of the Zapatistas, which was presided over by Emiliano Zapata, and also included Eufemio Zapata
, Genovevo de la O
, Felipe Neri, Otilio Montaño Sánchez
, and Manuel Palafox
(who acted as the secretary). He was in charge of reorganizing the Zapatista military structure and took part in drawing up the revolutionary goals of the movement, which included updating the Plan of Ayala to new conditions. He was also made a Divisional General
in the Liberation Army of the South
.
During the first part of 1914, Salazar operated in the area near Yautepec, as part of a general successful offensive by Zapata against Huerta. However, once Huerta was defeated in July, Zapata broke with the "constitutionalist" government led by Venustiano Carranza
and along with Pancho Villa
began fighting against the Constitutional Army
. On December 4, 1914, Amador Salazar accompanied Zapata to his famous first meeting with Villa in Xochimilco
. Soon however, the Zapatistas and the Villistas had to abandon Mexico City to Carranza's general Álvaro Obregón
, who reentered the city at the end of January, 1915. Salazar, leading 4000 men made an attempt to retake the capital at the end of July, but was defeated by Constitutionalist forces.
in Tlaltizapán
, dressed as a charro
.
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
military leader who participated in the Mexican Revolution
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
.
Early life
He was born in CuernavacaCuernavaca
Cuernavaca is the capital and largest city of the state of Morelos in Mexico. It was established at the archeological site of Gualupita I by the Olmec, "the mother culture" of Mesoamerica, approximately 3200 years ago...
, Morelos
Morelos
Morelos officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Morelos is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 33 municipalities and its capital city is Cuernavaca....
on April 30, 1868, as the son of León Salazar and Gertrudes Jiménez. He was also a cousin of Emiliano Zapata
Emiliano Zapata
Emiliano Zapata Salazar was a leading figure in the Mexican Revolution, which broke out in 1910, and which was initially directed against the president Porfirio Díaz. He formed and commanded an important revolutionary force, the Liberation Army of the South, during the Mexican Revolution...
, as his father was brother to Zapata's mother, Donna Salazar Cleophas.
Before the outbreak of the revolution, Salazar worked as a laborer on the estate of the governor of Morelos and chief of staff to Porfirio Díaz
Porfirio Díaz
José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori was a Mexican-American War volunteer and French intervention hero, an accomplished general and the President of Mexico continuously from 1876 to 1911, with the exception of a brief term in 1876 when he left Juan N...
, Pablo Escandón y Barrón. There, between 1903 and 1905, he helped local villagers organize in their disputes against Escandón, which led to him being drafted into the Mexican army for troublemaking. He was sent to the Riflemen's School in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
.
Mexican revolution
In 1910 Salazar organized his own group of guerillas and participated in the fight against the regime of Porfirio DíazPorfirio Díaz
José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori was a Mexican-American War volunteer and French intervention hero, an accomplished general and the President of Mexico continuously from 1876 to 1911, with the exception of a brief term in 1876 when he left Juan N...
. Allied with Zapata, in 1911, he was one of the signatories of the Plan of Ayala
Plan of Ayala
The Plan of Ayala was a document drafted by revolutionary leader Emiliano Zapata during the Mexican Revolution. In it, Zapata denounced President Francisco I. Madero for his perceived betrayal of the revolutionary ideals, embodied in Madero's Plan de San Luis, and set out his vision of land reform...
.
When Zapata broke with Francisco Madero in 1912, Amador returned to the Morelos hills and joined Zapata, where thanks to his previous military experience his units were among the best disciplined of the Zapatistas. Amador fought against Madero and then, after Victoriano Huerta
Victoriano Huerta
José Victoriano Huerta Márquez was a Mexican military officer and president of Mexico. Huerta's supporters were known as Huertistas during the Mexican Revolution...
's coup d'etat
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
, still under Zapata's command, he fought Huerta.
On the Zapatista Junta
In May 1913, he was made part of the Revolutionary JuntaMilitary junta
A junta or military junta is a government led by a committee of military leaders. The term derives from the Spanish language junta meaning committee, specifically a board of directors...
of the Zapatistas, which was presided over by Emiliano Zapata, and also included Eufemio Zapata
Eufemio Zapata
Eufemio Zapata Zalazar was the brother of Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata. He was known as a womanizer, a macho man, and a very heavy drinker....
, Genovevo de la O
Genovevo de la O
Genovevo de la O was an important figure in the Mexican Revolution.He was born in Santa María Ahuacatitlán, Morelos, to sharecropper parents. He was dedicated to the plight of Mexico's peasants and came to be an outstanding Liberation Army of the South guerrilla general...
, Felipe Neri, Otilio Montaño Sánchez
Otilio Montaño Sánchez
Otilio Montaño Sánchez was a Zapatista general during the Mexican Revolution....
, and Manuel Palafox
Manuel Palafox
Manuel Palafox was a Mexican politician, soldier and intellectual.Palafox studied in Puebla, his city of birth, and became an entrepreneur. In 1911, he joined the Liberation Army of the South of Emiliano Zapata, initially to defend his home...
(who acted as the secretary). He was in charge of reorganizing the Zapatista military structure and took part in drawing up the revolutionary goals of the movement, which included updating the Plan of Ayala to new conditions. He was also made a Divisional General
Divisional General
Divisional General is a rank used in many armies to denote a rank of general, corresponding to command of a division. For convenience Divisional General is almost always translated into English as Major-General, the equivalent rank used by the UK, USA, etc., although this translation is, strictly...
in the Liberation Army of the South
Liberation Army of the South
The Liberation Army of the South was an armed group formed and led by Emiliano Zapata that took part in the Mexican Revolution. The force was commonly known as the Zapatistas....
.
During the first part of 1914, Salazar operated in the area near Yautepec, as part of a general successful offensive by Zapata against Huerta. However, once Huerta was defeated in July, Zapata broke with the "constitutionalist" government led by Venustiano Carranza
Venustiano Carranza
Venustiano Carranza de la Garza, was one of the leaders of the Mexican Revolution. He ultimately became President of Mexico following the overthrow of the dictatorial Huerta regime in the summer of 1914 and during his administration the current constitution of Mexico was drafted...
and along with Pancho Villa
Pancho Villa
José Doroteo Arango Arámbula – better known by his pseudonym Francisco Villa or its hypocorism Pancho Villa – was one of the most prominent Mexican Revolutionary generals....
began fighting against the Constitutional Army
Constitutional Army
The Constitutional Army was the army that fought against Huerta's Federal Army, and later, against the Villistas and Zapatistas during the Mexican Revolution. It was formed in March 1913 by Venustiano Carranza, so-called "First-Chief" of the army, as a response to the murder of President Francisco I...
. On December 4, 1914, Amador Salazar accompanied Zapata to his famous first meeting with Villa in Xochimilco
Xochimilco
Xochimilco is one of the sixteen delegaciones or boroughs within Mexican Federal District. The borough is centered on the formerly independent city of Xochimilco, which was established on what was the southern shore of Lake Xochimilco in the pre-Hispanic period...
. Soon however, the Zapatistas and the Villistas had to abandon Mexico City to Carranza's general Álvaro Obregón
Álvaro Obregón
General Álvaro Obregón Salido was the President of Mexico from 1920 to 1924. He was assassinated in 1928, shortly after winning election to another presidential term....
, who reentered the city at the end of January, 1915. Salazar, leading 4000 men made an attempt to retake the capital at the end of July, but was defeated by Constitutionalist forces.
Death and burial
He was killed by a stray bullet on April 16, 1916 and was buried in a pyramid shaped mausoleumMausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
in Tlaltizapán
Tlaltizapán
Tlaltizapán is a city in the Mexican state of Morelos. It stands at .The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality, with which it shares a name.The municipality reported 45,272 inhabitants in the year 2000 census....
, dressed as a charro
Charro
Charro is a term referring to a traditional horseman from Mexico, originating in the central-western regions primarily in the state of Jalisco including: Zacatecas, Durango, Guanajuato, Morelos, Puebla...
.