JUAREZ, Benito Pablo, DAM hoo-Vreth, Mexican statesman: b. San Pueblo Guelatao, Oajaca, 21 March 1806; d. Mexico, 18 July 1872. He was admitted to the bar in 1834; became a judge of the Civil Court in 1842; in 1847-52 was governor of the state of Oajaca, in which post he greatly improved provincial conditions; and after a period of exile (1853 55) joined the revolutionists under Alvarez, by whom he was later made Minister of Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs. In 1855 he was appointed provisional governor of Oajaca by Comonfort, the successor of Alvarez, and in 1857 elected constitutional governor. He was made Secre tary of the Interior and chief justice in the latter year (the office of chief justice being by the constitution the equivalent of a vite-presi, dency), and when Comonfort was driven from power (1858) duly succeeded to the presidency, was recognized by the Mexican states and the United States, but was opposed by the Conserva tives in a long civil war and did not enter Mexico City until 11 Jan. 1861. In March he
was elected President for a four-years' term. The bankrupt government published a decree suspending for two years the payment on the foreign debt and an alliance of intervention was at once entered into by England, Spain and France. On Juarez' agreement to protect the interests of foreign debtors, the English and Spanish troops evacuated the country,, but France proceeded to a war of conquest. Juarez was driven to the extreme north and Maxi milian assumed imperial power. Upon the in terference of the United States, however, the French troops were withdrawn in 1867 and in the same year Maximilian was executed and Juarez elected President. He was re-elected in 1871. His vigorous and liberal policy was of great benefit to the nation and he has sometimes been called the "Mexican Washington." Con sult Baz, 'Vida de Benito Juarez' (1874) ; and the 'Life' by Burke (1894).