José Victoriano Huerta Márquez 

(Spanish pronunciation: [biktoˈɾjano ˈweɾta]; 22 December

1850[a] – 13 January 1916) was a Mexican military officer and 35th President of Mexico, who
came to power by coup.
After a military career under President Porfirio Díaz, Huerta became a high-ranking officer
under democratically elected president Francisco I. Madero during the first phase of
the Mexican Revolution. In February 1913 Huerta led a conspiracy against Madero, who
entrusted him to control a minor revolt in Mexico City. The Ten Tragic Days - actually fifteen
days - saw the forced resignation of Madero and his vice president and their murders. The
coup was backed by the nascent German Empire as well the United States under the Taft
Administration, but the succeeding Wilson administration refused to recognize the new regime
and allowed arms sales to rebel forces. Many foreign powers did recognize the regime, but
withdrew further support when revolutionary forces started to show military success against the
regime; with continuing support threatened their own relationships with the American
government. Huerta was forced to resign in July 1914 and flee the country to Spain, [1] only 17
months into his presidency, after the federal army collapsed. While attempting to intrigue with
German spies in the U.S. during World War I (1914–1918), Huerta was arrested in 1915 and
died in U.S. custody.
His supporters were known as Huertistas during the Mexican Revolution. He is still vilified by
modern-day Mexicans, who generally refer to him as El Chacal ("The Jackal") or El
Usurpador ("The Usurper").[2]
On the eve of the 1910 Revolution against the long-established Díaz regime, Huerta was
teaching mathematics in Mexico City. He applied successfully to rejoin the army with his former
rank and was accepted. He did not play a major role in the early stages of the Revolution that
led to the resignation of Díaz, although he commanded the military escort that gave Díaz safe
conduct into exile in May 1911. During the interim presidency of Francisco León de la
Barra following the resignation of Díaz and the election of Francisco I. Madero in November
1911, General Huerta carried out a campaign in Morelos, attempting to crush the rebellion led
by Emilio Zapata. Huerta's forces burned villages supporting the rebellion and attacked their
residents. These actions frustrated Madero's later attempts to placate those rebels.[33] Huerta
had a record of opposing revolutionaries and intrigues with Madero's enemies. Huerta's actions
in Morelos forced a break between Emiliano Zapata and Madero, who was later to rebel
against Madero immediately after his November 1911 election.[34]
Despite the fact that revolutionary forces supporting Francisco I. Madero had forced Díaz's
resignation, Madero ordered them demobilized and retained the Mexican Federal Army they had
just defeated. Huerta pledged allegiance to President Madero, and carried out Madero's orders
to crush anti-Madero revolts by rebel generals such as Pascual Orozco, who had helped topple
Díaz and then rebelled against his regime. In the Orozco rebellion, Huerta saw the opportunity
to eliminate revolutionary general Pancho Villa, who was also attempting to suppress the
revolt. Accused of stealing a horse, Villa then faced execution by Huerta without trial. Only
Madero's last minute intervention saved the life of one of his most effective generals.[35]
Orozco's rebellion was a major threat to the Madero government, since he had standing as a
revolutionary and commanded significant forces. Madero sent Huerta to crush the rebellion. He
had at his command troops of the Mexican Federal Army and these were joined by irregulars
led by the revolutionary leader Pancho Villa, at Torreón in April 1912. Huerta offered Orozco's
supporters (Orozquistas) amnesty, which might have weakened their forces already suffering
from lack of money and arms. Huerta's forces defeated Orozco's at Rellano in May 1912. With
that victory Huerta "had suddenly become a military hero with a national