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Benito Juarez by Pelegrí Clavé from

Top 10 Amazing Facts about Benito Juarez

Benito Juarez was a lawyer and politician who served as the first non-Mexican president for five terms. He was born on  21 March 1806 and died in 1872. He served as the 26th president of Mexico during the postcolonial Americas era. He served diligently until he died in office. He is prominent for his resistance to French rule in Mexico.

Here are the top  10 interesting certainties about Benito Juarez.

1. Benito Juarez had a difficult childhood

Benito Juárez and siblings by Sinaloa Historical Archives from

Benito’s origin can be traced to the Zapotec people. He was born and raised in the city of Oaxaca in the mountain ranges of San Pablo Guelatao. His parent was a Zapotec peasant but died when Benito was three years old from complications of diabetes.

Juarez then moved in with his uncle who raised him. During his early childhood, he worked at the cornfield and as a shepherd while only 12 years old. His sister also went to the city for work.

Afterward, he rejoined his sister in the city to attend school. He had to engage in domestic work at the same place his sister worked as a cook in the household of Antonio Maza. All this period Benito only spoke Zapotec.

2. Benito Juarez trained for priesthood yet graduated with a law degree

Benito began his education through the help of Franciscan and bookbinder Antonio Salanueva. Antonio was so thrilled about how Benito was very attentive with a lot of desire to gain knowledge. He recruited Benito to seminary school to become a priest.

He began with elementary and then proceeded to the secondary curriculum but was too young to be ordained at that time. During that time he also studied Latin.

He then realized that priesthood was not his calling and decided to study law at the Institute of Science and Arts which was founded in the year 1827. This was a facility of a liberal intellectual and the property lay in the city of Oaxaca. Juarez graduated in 1834 with a law degree. 

3. Juarez Benito’s political journey began in college

Benito’s political career began way before he even graduated. He was seeking to be elected in Oaxaca city. In 1831 after a brief time of practicing law, he was appointed as a civil judge. This led to a governorship position and eventually paved the way for him to become president in the year 1861.

4. Benito’s smart strategy pushed him to the presidency

Benito Juarez by Avery Jensen from

Benito went to exile in the United States due to tension between him and General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Juarez had formed political ties with fellow liberals and Cuban nationalists. Because of this, he gained a lot of popularity in Mexico especially after removing General Santa Anna.

Juarez was also well known for the drafting of legislation that was known as la Reforma. Which played a role in helping conservative pushback and liberalist excellent programs that forced the existing president to resign.

The strategy played out in favor of Benito granting him the presidency since he was head of the Supreme Court. The victory was on Benito’s end together with his liberal counterparts when he won the presidency in the year 1861.

5. Juarez Benito resisted the French government 

The conservatives were not happy about the liberal win making Benito the president. The conservatives decided to join forces with France which had invaded Mexico.

In 1862 they placed Maximillian von Habsburg as the leader of the second Mexican empire. This didn’t stop Benito from standing against French rule in Mexico despite the separation of liberalism. Benito became the embodiment of Mexican nationalism.

6. Benito strengthened the central government

The fall of the second Mexican empire in 1867 led to the coming together of liberalists hence renewing most liberal politicians. They were against Benito’s scheme of strengthening the powers of the presidency and central governance. That’s why after he died while still in office, Mexican nationalism ended with him.

7. Benito’s stay in Oaxaca city was critical to his political career

Homage to Benito Juárez National Palace in Mexico City by J Mndz from

His political career began in Oaxaca city. It was where he developed the political skills that led to the success of his career as the 26th president of Mexico.  While in the city, he learned about political affiliation with liberalism at the Institute of Arts and Science.

This was significant to his rise in Oaxaca state politics. The system was open to accommodate him and other newcomers to enter politics and gain a fan base. This political rise in the city increased the number of supporters he needed and also helped him learn how to make his way around the political scene. 

8. Benito Juarez went into exile in New Orleans 

Benito looked at the U.S as the model Mexico ought to follow unlike conservative France and Europe. When Santa Anna came back to power in 1853 most liberalists moved to the United States of America.

New Orleans appeared to Benito as a better solution because it was multifaceted and it was a new international environment. Benito took a job as a cigar maker in New Orleans in one of the factories while his wife and children remained in Mexico.

Juarez’s family was safe back in Mexico looked after by some loyal liberalists. Benito spent a year and a half in New Orleans which was very pivotal for his political career. During this time, he solidified his support base and after his exile, he went back and overthrew Santa Anna in México.

9. Juarez left a great legacy 

Benito Juárez monument in Chihuahua, México by iose from

His major legacy as president was his progressive reform of democracy. This included the equal right to the indigenous people and a reduction of the power of organized religious entities especially catholic churches in México.

Another win for Benito during his presidential regime was the famous la Reforma. It was a liberal political and social revolution with major institutional consequences. Other notable milestones included civilian control and separation of the church and the state.

10. Benito’s death was sudden

Benito died on 18 July 1872 at the age of 66. The death was caused by a heart attack. The president developed complications without any alarming symptoms but later suffered attacks similar to one he suffered in October 1870. He was buried at Pantheon de San Fernando where other dignitaries also rest. 

Benito Juarez is a political legend. The politician used his law background to seal the loopholes in Mexico’s law system. Thus building a strong political name in the country with the reforms he brought that were Mexican citizens inclined to discourage foreign rule. He set a firm foundation for central government rulership that Mexico has built on over the years.