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 1 May 1934) is an important Mexican politician and civil engineer. He is known for being a strong supporter of social democracy, which is a political idea that combines democracy with social justice.
Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas is the son of Lázaro Cárdenas, who was the 51st president of Mexico. Cuauhtémoc himself has held many important roles. He was the first ever Head of Government of Mexico City, which is like being the mayor of a very large city. He also helped start a major political party called the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD).
He ran for president of Mexico three times. His first attempt in 1988 was very controversial. Many people believed the election results were unfair, and that he actually won. He also served as a Senator for the state of Michoacán and was the Governor of Michoacán before that.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas Solórzano was born in Mexico City on 1 May 1934. He was named after Cuauhtémoc, the last emperor of the Aztec people. His parents were Lázaro Cárdenas and Amalia Solórzano. His father became President of Mexico when Cuauhtémoc was just seven months old.
He went to Colegio Williams, a private school in Mexico City. This school was known for its tough academic program. It taught students to be strong, determined, and loyal.
Political Career
Starting in Politics
As he grew up, Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas often helped his father, who remained an important political figure. Both Cuauhtémoc and his father tried to make the ruling party, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), more focused on left-wing ideas. They were also active in a group that wanted more democracy in Mexico.
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 both of these elections as a member of the PRI.
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 people within the PRI, including Cárdenas, wanted more democracy and different policies. They were called the "democratic current."
Normally, the president would simply choose his successor, a practice known as "el dedazo" (the finger-pointing). Because Cárdenas and his group disagreed with this choice, they left the PRI. It was too late to form a new party for the July 1988 elections. Instead, a group of smaller left-wing parties supported Cárdenas as their candidate. This group was called the National Democratic Front.
On election day, 6 July 1988, the government's computer system for counting votes stopped working. The government said "se cayó el sistema" (the system crashed). When the system finally came back online, Carlos Salinas de Gortari was announced as the winner. This election was very controversial. Many people believed there was fraud, and "se cayó el sistema" became a common phrase for election fraud. This was the first time in many years that the PRI's win was seriously doubted.
Founding the PRD
The next year, on 5 May 1989, Cárdenas and other politicians who had left the PRI officially started the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD). He became the first president of this new party.
The PRD hoped that Cárdenas would run for president again in 1994. He did, becoming the party's candidate in the 1994 presidential election. He finished third, behind the PRI and PAN candidates, getting about 17% of the votes. That year was difficult for Mexico, with a rebellion starting in Chiapas and the assassination of the PRI candidate. Many people wanted stability, which might have led them to vote for the long-ruling PRI.
In 1997, Cárdenas ran for a new position: Head of Government of the Federal District. This role is similar to being the mayor of Mexico City. He won this election on 6 July 1997, with 47.7% of the votes.
He left this position in 1999 to run for president again in the 2000 election. Once more, he came in third place with 17% of the votes. In this election, the PRI finally lost the presidency to Vicente Fox, the candidate from the PAN party.
Leaving the PRD
On 25 November 2014, Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas announced that he was leaving the PRD. He had been a very important and respected leader in the party for a long time. Many people in Mexico saw his departure as a sign of problems within the PRD.
Personal Life
Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas Solórzano was reported to have tested positive for COVID-19 on 12 September 2020.
Images for kids
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Cárdenas in February 2022
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Cárdenas in 2002
See also
In Spanish: Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas para niños
