Manuel Peláez

Who was Manuel Peláez?

Manuel Peláez Gorrochotegui Mexican military officer, noteworthy for his participation in the Mexican Revolution of 1910 to 1920.

Manuel Peláez was born in 1885 in the Huasteca region of the state of Veracruz, in the coastal area roughly between Tampico, Tamaulipas, and the port of Veracruz. He is primarily known in the Mexican Revolution as an independent general who kept the Carrancista forces at bay between 1915 and 1920. He fought to uphold the local political and economic autonomy of the region, and opposed the central government of Mexico City.

In 1901, oil was discovered in the Huasteca, and several foreign oil companies came into the region of buy or lease subsoil right from the local ranchers. The Peláez family was one of the first families to deal with the oil companies, and Manuel Peláez quickly emerged as a respected and influential broker between the local families and the oil companies. His experiences led him to become a successful businessman, labor contractor, and labor mediator.

The 1910 Revolution brought uncertainty to the region, for both the oil companies and the local ranchers.