Huerta, Victoriano (1854–1916)

Mexican soldier and political leader, president 1913–14. As provisional president, he established a military dictatorship in 1913. Military pressure from insurgents, notably Venustiano Carranza, Francisco Villa, and Emiliano Zapata, forced him to resign in July 1914 and flee to Europe.

Born in Jalisco state and educated at an army college, he joined the military and became a brigadier general under President Porfirio Díaz in 1902. After the 1911 revolution of Francisco Madero, he became commander of the federal forces, but in February 1913 plotted to ensure Madero's removal, followed by his death. His dictatorship as president resulted in corruption, imprisonment and assassinations of opponents, and clashed with hostile US forces at Tampico.

He moved from exile in Europe to the USA , where he was arrested twice for conspiring to incite a new Mexican revolution, and died in El Paso, Texas, an alcoholic.