Lauro Aguirre facts for kids

Lauro Aguirre (born in 1855, died January 9, 1925) was an engineer and journalist. He was very active during the time leading up to the Mexican Revolution. He played a key role in speaking out against the government and supporting change.

Early Life and Education

Lauro Aguirre was born in a place called Batosegachi, Chihuahua, Mexico. He studied hard and became a civil engineer. Early in his career, he worked as a surveyor, measuring land in areas like Veracruz and Sonora. He got married in 1891.

Journalism and Activism

By 1892, Lauro Aguirre had moved to El Paso, Texas, which is in the United States. There, he started his own newspaper called El Independiente, meaning The Independent. This newspaper caught the attention of the United States government. They watched him because they wanted to stay neutral and not get involved in Mexico's problems. They monitored Mexican rebels living near the border.

In 1895, Aguirre joined protests against the government of Porfirio Díaz, who was the president of Mexico at the time.

Speaking Out for Change

On February 5, 1896, Aguirre published an article in his newspaper asking people to rebel against the Mexican government. The next month, the U.S. government arrested Aguirre and another journalist, Flores Chapa. This happened because the Mexican consul accused them of planning to go back to Mexico and start a revolution. However, Aguirre and Chapa were found not guilty in a U.S. court. The investigation showed they were only publishing a newspaper, which was allowed.

Supporting the Yaqui Uprising

In July 1896, a conflict called the Yaqui Uprising happened near the U.S.-Mexican border. This was a fight involving the Yaqui people and a popular leader named Teresa Urrea. Records from the Mexican government show that Lauro Aguirre was connected to Urrea and other revolutionaries. Aguirre worked with Urrea to plan attacks on Mexican customs offices.

Revolutionary Efforts

In 1902, Aguirre wrote to President Theodore Roosevelt of the United States. He asked for protection as a political refugee. This was because he heard a rumor that the Díaz government planned to kidnap him. The year before, the mayor of Ciudad Juárez had complained to U.S. officials about Aguirre's activities. Aguirre's newspaper, which was now called El Progresista, was seen as causing trouble. However, the U.S. official who investigated found no proof of a kidnapping plot.

Joining the PLM

After this, Aguirre started another newspaper, La Reforma Social. He also joined the Partido Liberal Mexicano (PLM), which means the Mexican Liberal Party. This group was one of the strongest against President Díaz. Aguirre became the leader of the PLM branch in El Paso. He helped plan an attempt to take over Ciudad Juárez. Their plans failed because agents working for the Díaz government secretly joined the PLM.

In 1906, Enrique C. Creel, the governor of Chihuahua, tried to have Aguirre sent back to Mexico. He tried to frame Aguirre for murder and had Mexican officials show fake evidence to American officials. Aguirre was arrested and put in jail in the United States for 40 days. But then, proof of his innocence was found, and he was released.

Aguirre continued to write about Mexican politics in another newspaper called El Precursor. He stopped his work in 1913.