LATIN AMERICA: The Storm Breaks

The great dark blue clouds, which have been piling up over Mexico for some weeks (TIME, Oct. 29), at last discharged their lightning and rolled the deep raucous roar of political thunder.

The immediate cause of the storm was the feud between President Obregon and Presidential-candidate General Adolfo de la Huerta, who was accused by Obregon’s Finance Minister Pani of dishonesty in office (TIME, Oct. 29).

A revolution started in the State of Vera Cruz, where General Guadalupe Sanchez, a former friend of President Obregon, commanding 12,000 troops, started an armed movement in support of General de la Huerta. The slogan of the rebels was “Down with imposition,” meaning that President Obregon had tried to “impose” General Calles, so-called Radical candidate for the Presidency (TIME, Nov. 19), as next President of Mexico.

Within a comparatively few hours the insurrectionists were joined by the Navy and the States of Guerrero, Michoacan, Jalisca, Oxaca, San Luis Potosi, Chihuahua, Tamaulipas were later reported to have cast in their lot with de la Huerta.

Meanwhile the Obregon Government prepared a campaign to crush the re-volt. Martial law was declared. General Calles renounced his candidacy for the Presidency and offered his services to President Obregon. The President put him at the head of 28,000 troops, already on their way to Vera Cruz. President Obregon issued a manifesto to the people calling upon them for support against the Huertista military coup. A strict censorship was imposed on telegraph, telephone, mails.

When the news of General Calles’ renunciation was received in Vera Cruz, the rebels celebrated the event by ringing the church bells. The warships in the harbor blew their whistles. The rebel leaders declared, however, that, having repudiated the Obregon Government, they would fight it until it was ousted.

The first serious clash between Federal and rebel troops occurred at Jalapa, capital of the State of Vera Cruz, and resulted in a victory for the rebels, who claimed that the Government forces lost 30 killed, 200 prisoners, 400 rifles, four machine guns, 200 horses, while they only lost seven killed and 23 wounded. A statement from Mexico City said “300” were killed on both sides.

President Obregon expressed his unqualified opinion that he would be able to put down the revolt, but the situation was obscured by constant contradictions.