Otilio Montaño Sánchez

Who was Otilio Montaño Sánchez?

Otilio Montaño Sánchez was a Zapatista general during the Mexican Revolution.

Otilio Montaño was born in Morelos to Esteban Montaño and Guadalupe Sánchez in 1887. After finishing his studies in Cuautla he taught in schools in Tepalcingo, Jonacatepec and finally Ayala. In Yautepec he became acquainted with Emiliano Zapata's cousin, Amador Salazar. In 1910 he supported Francisco Madero in his struggle against Porfirio Díaz and eventually joined Felipe Neri and Amador Salazar in forming the Zapatista agrarian movement in Morelos. Because Montaño had some schooling and had worked as a school teacher, he was considered by the peasants of Morelos, who comprised the majority of Zapatista soldiers, as an "intellectual".

After Zapata broke with Madero, Otilio Montaño remained in Morelos and in November 1911, together with Emiliano, co-authored the famous Plan of Ayala. Zapata dictated the text of the proclamation while Otilio wrote it down and proofread it.

Subsequent to Victoriano Huerta's coup against Madero, Montaño fought against Huerta and eventually became a member of the Zapatista ruling military junta, which was presided over by Emiliano Zapata and also included Eufemio Zapata, Genovevo de la O, Felipe Neri, Amador Salazar, and Manuel Palafox.