By Francisco Peyret
The revolution began in 1910, but it did not end until February 5, 1917 with the new Mexican Constitution. During the time, Europeans and North Americans were immersed in the First World War, so it is understandable that their interest in Mexico was minimal. When those conflicts were over, US interests turned back, mainly to the oil industry.
Venustiano Carranza, president from 1917 to 1920, was a nationalist, and it was his intention to use the Constitution of 1917 to break Mexico’s economic dependence on foreign countries. But Carranza was assassinated in 1920, and Álvaro Obregrón became president. Relations between Mexico and the United States soured when the government of Obregón was not recognized by the United States, and they requested the repeal of some articles of the new Constitution. This included article 27 which refers to the ownership of national lands and waters, because the United States believed it would affect their economic interests.
With his need to consolidate his government to build a new country, Obregón had a priority in being recognized by the United States. In addition, there was still a business class related to English, French and North American investments, many of them exiled but eager to recover what they had lost with the revolutionary joust.
The Bucareli Treaties of 1923 took their name from the location of the house where the meetings were held, in the downtown area of CDMX. There were 19 meetings between the representatives of the two governments, two Claims Conventions, and unofficial commitments found in punctually written minutes. There were signed agreements related to article 27 of the Constitution, compensation for lands expropriated from North Americans for the restitution and endowment of ejidos, and the protection of North American oil investments made before the 1917 Constitution. Cash payments were made as compensation for rights and concessions granted before 1917, to North American owners, so that they could continue exploiting oil.
On August 31, 1923, the US government officially recognized Obregón’s government, but the Bucareli Treaties triggered dark conspiracy theories because minutes of the talks could not be opened for 100 years. Conflicts arose immediately. Adolfo Huerta, resigned from the Ministry of Finance in September 1923, arguing that the treaties were irrelevant because matters had already been agreed upon in advance in Washington. Huerta ran for the presidency for the Cooperative Party, and led an armed rebellion, which was defeated thanks to the support of the North Americans.
The death of Pancho Villa, a book written by Adolfo Arrioja Vizcaíno, speaks about the Bucareli negotiations. Vizcaíno was the great-nephew of Fernando González Roa, who was head of the Mexican delegation during the Bucareli negotiations. The book documents the secret protocol that Ignacio Croix Gutiérrez made during the meetings. Gutiérrez was a close friend of his great-uncle, and leaked certain comments made by González Roa.
Vizcaíno gave a sample of the notes left by Gutiérrez—which some might consider fantastic. “For a minimum period of twenty-five years, Mexico will refrain from carrying out any industrialization process that, in the sole and exclusive judgment of the United States government, is detrimental to its strategic interests. The United States government reserves the right to notify the Mexican government, through diplomatic channels, of the existence, or possible existence, in Mexican territory of any industrial process that it deems contrary to its said strategic interests, forcing the Mexican government to act immediately, and consequently, for all the effects derived from this clause.
«The High Contracting Parties undertake to keep this protocol in absolute reserve and confidentiality for a minimum period of 100 (one hundred) years, counted from the date agreed for the granting by the government of the United States of America to that of Mexico, of the corresponding diplomatic recognition: August 31, 1923. This protocol is signed in English and Spanish. However, in case of controversy over its content, scope and interpretation, the English version shall prevail.”
For decades Mexicans have created conspiracy theories around the Bucareli Treaties. They have presented them as reasons why Mexico did not develop economically in a better way. Finally next year, we will know all the details of these documents. Nobody knows whether we will cry, laugh, or hate. Thus, the history of Mexico will almost always be surreal.
