Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas
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Cárdenas in February 2022
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| 1st Head of Government of Mexico City | |
| In office 5 December 1997 – 28 September 1999 |
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| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Rosario Robles |
| 1st President of the Democratic Revolution Party | |
| In office 5 May 1989 – 14 February 1993 |
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| Succeeded by | Roberto Robles Garnica |
| Governor of Michoacán | |
| In office 15 September 1980 – 14 September 1986 |
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| Preceded by | Carlos Torres Manzo |
| Succeeded by | Luis Martínez Villicaña |
| Senator of the Republic of Mexico | |
| In office 1 September 1976 – 15 September 1980 |
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| Preceded by | Norberto Mora Plancarte |
| Succeeded by | Antonio Martínez Báez |
| Constituency | Michoacán |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas Solórzano
1 May 1934 Mexico City, Mexico |
| Political party | Independent (2014–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Party of the Democratic Revolution (1989–2014) Authentic Party of the Mexican Revolution (1987–1989) Institutional Revolutionary Party (1954–1987) |
| Spouse |
Celeste Batel
(m. 1963; |
| Children | 3, including Lázaro Cárdenas Batel |
| Alma mater | National Autonomous University of Mexico (BS) |
| Occupation | Civil engineer and politician |
Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas Solórzano, born on May 1, 1934, is a well-known Mexican politician and engineer. He is the son of Lázaro Cárdenas, who was Mexico's 51st president. Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas helped start the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) and was the first Head of Government of Mexico City.
He ran for president of Mexico three times. His loss in the 1988 election was thought to be due to problems with how the votes were counted. He also served as a Senator for the state of Michoacán from 1976 to 1980. Later, he was the Governor of Michoacán from 1980 to 1986.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas Solórzano was born in Mexico City on May 1, 1934. He was named after Cuauhtémoc, the last Aztec emperor. He is the only son of Lázaro Cárdenas and Amalia Solórzano. His family has Purépecha roots.
When he was seven months old, his father became the President of Mexico. Cuauhtémoc went to Colegio Williams, a private school for boys in Mexico City. This school was known for its strong academic program.
Political Journey
Starting in Politics
As he grew up, Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas often helped his father, who remained an important political figure. Both father and son worked to make the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) more focused on left-wing ideas. They were also part of the Movimiento de Liberación Nacional (Movement of National Liberation). This group wanted to support Cuba and bring more democracy to Mexico's own political system.
Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas became a senator for the state of Michoacán from 1974 to 1980. After that, he served as the governor of Michoacán from 1980 to 1986. He won these elections as a member of the ruling PRI party.
First Presidential Campaign
In 1988, the president at the time, Miguel de la Madrid, chose Carlos Salinas de Gortari to be the next presidential candidate for the PRI. Salinas was known for wanting to change Mexico's economy. Some members of the PRI, including Cárdenas, wanted the party to be more democratic and less focused on selling off government businesses. They formed a group called the "democratic current."
Normally, the sitting president would simply choose his successor, a tradition known as "el dedazo" (meaning "the finger-pointing"). Because Salinas was chosen, Cárdenas and his allies left the PRI. It was too late to form a new party for the 1988 elections. Instead, a group of smaller left-wing parties, called the National Democratic Front, supported Cárdenas as their candidate.
On election day, July 6, 1988, the government's computer system for counting votes stopped working. The government said "se cayó el sistema" ("the system crashed"). When the system came back online, Carlos Salinas de Gortari was announced as the winner. Many people believed there were problems with the election results. The phrase "se cayó el sistema" became a common way to talk about election issues. This was the first time in many years that the PRI's hold on the presidency was seriously questioned.
Creating the PRD
The next year, on May 5, 1989, Cárdenas and other politicians who had left the PRI officially started the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD). He was chosen as the PRD's first president.
The PRD hoped Cárdenas would run for president again in 1994. He was indeed their candidate in the 1994 Mexican general election. However, he finished third, behind the PRI and PAN candidates, getting about 17% of the votes. That year was a difficult one for Mexico, with a rebellion starting in Chiapas and the assassination of the PRI candidate. Many Mexicans might have voted for the long-ruling PRI to keep things stable.
In 1995, Cárdenas helped with peace talks involving the Zapatistas, a rebel group. In 1997, he ran for the new position of Head of Government of Mexico City. This role is similar to a mayor or state governor. He won this election on July 6, 1997, with 47.7% of the votes.
He left this position in 1999 to run for president again in the 2000 Mexican general election. Once more, Cárdenas finished third with 17% of the vote. In this election, the PRI lost the presidency for the first time in many decades to Vicente Fox of the PAN party.
Leaving the PRD
On November 25, 2014, Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas announced that he was leaving the PRD. He had been a very important and respected member of the party for a long time. Many people in Mexico saw his departure as a sign of problems within the PRD itself.
Personal Life
Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas Solórzano was reported to have tested positive for COVID-19 on September 12, 2020.
See also
In Spanish: Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas para niños
