Pact of the Embassy facts for kids

The Pact of the Embassy, also known as the Pact of the Ciudadela, was an agreement made on February 19, 1913. It was put together by Henry Lane Wilson, who was the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico at the time. This pact happened during a time when a group was trying to remove Mexico's elected president, Francisco I. Madero, from power.

What Was the Pact of the Embassy?

The Pact of the Embassy was a secret deal. It was made to end fighting in Mexico City. But it also led to President Madero losing his power. Ambassador Wilson played a big part in making this agreement happen.

A Time of Trouble in Mexico

Before the pact, Mexico was going through a difficult period. This time is known as the Ten Tragic Days (or "Decena Trágica"). During these days, forces against President Madero attacked the center of Mexico City. They used artillery, which caused a lot of damage. Many people who were not involved in the fighting also lost their lives.

President Madero had a main military leader named General Victoriano Huerta. Some people believe Huerta did not try very hard to stop the rebels. It seemed like a "fake war" to some.

Who Was Involved?

Ambassador Wilson brought together two important generals. These generals were leading the forces that caused the destruction.

• General Victoriano Huerta: He was the head of the Mexican Federal Army. President Madero had trusted him, but Huerta later turned against him.
• General Félix Díaz: He was the nephew of a former Mexican president, Porfirio Díaz.

The Role of Ambassador Wilson

Ambassador Wilson did not like President Madero's government from the start. He had tried to weaken it. His goal with the pact was to stop the violence. However, many historians believe this was just an excuse to remove Madero from office. Wilson said he acted on his own. He saw the U.S. embassy as a safe, neutral place for the generals to meet.

What Did the Pact Say?

The agreement had several key points:

• General Díaz would agree that Huerta would become the temporary president of Mexico.
• Huerta would let Díaz choose the people who would be in Huerta's government. These would likely be Díaz's own supporters.
• They also agreed that new elections would not happen right away. They would be delayed.
• Huerta promised to support Díaz if he ran for president later.

This agreement was signed while Madero was still the president. But the actions of the U.S. Ambassador strongly influenced Madero's choice to step down.

The Sad Outcome

Because of the signed agreement and the support of the U.S. Ambassador, President Madero and Vice President José María Pino Suárez resigned. They were arrested. They thought they would go into exile, like former President Porfirio Díaz had done earlier.

However, President Madero and Vice President Pino Suárez lost their lives. This happened while they were being moved from the National Palace to a prison.

Once General Huerta became president, he did not keep his promises to Díaz. He did not share power with Díaz, and the elections they promised never happened. Díaz eventually had to leave the country.