Mexico as a Superpower

The 19th century for Mexico was a time of great instability and lack of national unity. This, along with the lack of economic development eventually led to the lost of the northern territories and the subsequent invasions by the French and the Americans, which have left Mexico still touched even in the 21st century. How could Mexico have faced its initial problems, fight history and eventualy become the world's only Superpower?

History
Mexico was the most important colony of Spain, it was callled the "Virreinato de la Nueva España", which is English for "Viceroyalty of New Spain". It was mostly populated by Native American slaves, some Criollos (sons of Spaniards born in Mexico) and the Peninsulares elitee (Spaniards born in Spain). For three hundred years Peninsulares always ruled above Criollos, this, along with the Borbonic reforms which pretended to diminish the privileges and the power of the most conservative elitees (mainly the church) eventually led to what would be known as the War of Mexican Independence, orchestrated by the Criollos and Peninsulare which pretended to achieve independence so they could keep their privileges.

The war lasted for 10 years, from 1811 to 1821, and ended when the rebel warchief Vicente Guerrero joined its strenght to the one of the loyalist leader Agustín de Iturbide. Some days later, the joint army entered Mexico City on September 16th, proclaiming the Independence of the Mexican Empire.

The crown of the newly formed empire was offered to some members of the Spanish Royal Family, all of which refused, so instead, Agustin de Iturbide was crowned Emperor as Agustin I of Mexico. However a Congress would be stablished to limit the King's power.

It was a short-lived Empire, however. The lack of money for the royal arcs made forced the king to increase taxes, which angered the population. Besides, the Congress alwaya confronted anything that Agustin wanted to do. This forced Agustin to disolve the Congress and stablish an absolute monarchy.

Just some weeks later, Antonio López de Santa Anna along with many important Army generals proclaimed the Plan of Casa Mata, which deposed the monarchy and re-stablished the Congress. This Revolution was victorious and a Federal Republic was stablished in 1822.

On that year, representatives from each province, signed in Mexico City the Acta Constitutiva de la Federación Mexicana or the Constitutive act of the Mexican Federation. By this act, a country called Estados Unidos Mexicanos or United Mexican States would be formed on the territory of the former Mexican Empire. This federation would also hold control over the territories of Alta California, Baja California and Nuevo Mexico. A Federal District was to be stablished on Mexico City, which would be the seat of the Executive, Judicial and Legislative branches. The Executive power was to be held by the President, the Legislative by the Congress of the Union (conformed by an Upper House with 2 senators by state and a Lower House), and the Judicial by the Supreme Court.

Two years later, elections finally could be held and Guadalupe Victoria, a general of the rebel army who fought during the Independence war won the elections for the period of 1824-1829.

This were five years of stability, but when in 1829 presidential elections were held with two main contendants, Vicente Guerrero and Antonio Gomez Pedraza, former Secretary of Defense. Antonio won the elections, but Vicente Guerrero rebeled. The Guerrero rebelion led to a lot of many more rebelions which tried to depose him and more rebelions who tried to depose whoever deposed the previous president. Stability couldn't be achieved until the 1880's.

The divergence point stats when Vicente Guerrero dies in 1825, so he could not rebeal against Pedraza. During the following decades, thanks to political stability, luck, and willpower, Mexico becomes the world's only superpower by the 21st century.

Guadalupe Victoria administration (1825-1829)
Mexico faced a lot of problems, the country comprised a territory of about 4,500,000 square kilometers and was mostly unpopulated. Most of the country's population were illiterate indians who didn't know what was Mexico, mines were closed after independence, the country could barely produce enough food for itself, none european country recognized its independence, the little money that the federal govermment had was spent on the irregular army, there weren't any roads or railways between cities, the three main ports of the country, Tampico, Acapulco and Veracruz were almost destroyed, some states had taxes for products comming from other states, some states wanted independence. And the Spaniards still held the fortress of San Juan de Ulua, which made it even difficult for the govermment to get tax money.

One of the fist things that Victoria tried to do was to populate the virtually un-populated northern territories. On 1827, the Congress passed the Indian retsablishment statute, which forced Native Americans from the stated of Chiapas, Oaxaca, Guerrero, Michoacan, Yucatan and the Federal District to move to the Territories of Texas,New Mexico, and the State of Sonora. Guadalupe also made a formal invitation to American to move to Texas.

Meanwhile, the Congress also passed the Immigration act of 1827, which exempted any American or European immigrant of taxes for 5 years, granted them 350 acres of farmable land, and allowed them to bear any religion, so long as they swore fealty to the Mexican Constitution.

The arrival of the first immigrants in the central states favored crop and livestock producion. For the first time in many years, Mexico actually generated a surplus which could be exported and generate money.

That same year, the govermment hired an English company to build the Mexico City-Veracruz railway and to rebuild the port of Veracruz.

The American government offered 30,000,000 pesos for the Territories of California and Nuevo Mexico, the Congress voted against it, for selling territory was unconstitutional.

On 1828, the federal govermment issued the contruction of a small flotilla of warships, whose mission would be to siege the Fortress of San Juan de Ulua, the last Spanish stronghold in the country, Pedro Sainz de Barragan was sent to siege the fort. The Spanish capitulated on 23 November of 1825. That same day the Department of the Navy was created.

On 1829, Antonio López de Santa Anna fought the last Spanish host who tried to reconquer the country, in Tampico, unfortunately, Santa Anna died during the siege of the city.

On 1892, presidential elections were held for the period of 1829-1833, and were won by Antonio Gómez Pedraza