Felipe Carrillo Puerto, the Hero of Motul, Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Revolutionary and Defender of the Maya
A nickname like "the green-eyed dragon" certainly evokes a sense of glory for its bearer, doesn’t it? That moniker belongs to Felipe Carrillo Puerto, a 20th-century politician and peasant leader who is recognized as one of the most progressive governors in Yucatán's history. Let me tell you why.
Felipe Carrillo Puerto, the beloved son of Motul
Like his equally illustrious sister Elvia, Felipe was born in 1874 in Motul, which at the time was one of the major henequén-producing regions in the state. Because of this, he had close contact with the farmers, and as a result, not only did he learn the Maya language at a young age, but he also witnessed the injustices within the plantations of the famous "green gold”.
It is said that before he even came of age, Felipe was imprisoned at the request of the landowners for urging the Maya indigenous people to tear down a fence that prevented them from reaching their milpas (small farming plots). These are just some of the circumstances that would eventually earn him another nickname: "the apostle of the bronze race," referring to the Maya people.
Felipe Carrillo Puerto, socialist icon of México
Socialism was one of the most significant political and ideological movements in México at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th, alongside liberalism and conservatism. The latter two aimed for freedom and order, respectively; however, not all citizens were truly free. Even though there were no physical chains, Maya workers on the haciendas were bound to their employers out of necessity. Socialism, on the other hand, advocated for a collective reflection, one that offered freedom and order for each and every citizen, especially in the wake of the chaos brought by the Revolution.
One of Felipe’s first political manifestations occurred in central México during the Mexican Revolution. Specifically, he worked alongside Emiliano Zapata, another figure of Mexican socialism who, through the Plan de Ayala, fought for the return of lands to peasants who had been dispossessed by landowners and large property holders.
In 1915, he returned to Yucatán to collaborate with General Salvador Alvarado, whose brief government left a deep mark on the state, characterized by its reformist and social justice spirit. With Alvarado's help, Felipe Carrillo Puerto was able to organize Yucatán's first socialist political party.
Felipe Carrillo Puerto’s brief political career
After serving as a federal deputy in 1920, in November 1921, Felipe Carrillo Puerto decisively won the governorship of Yucatán. At this moment, yaax-ich—meaning “green eyes” in Maya—performed one of the most significant acts of his entire political career: delivering his inaugural speech as governor entirely in Maya. Here are some of the words he addressed to the Maya people on that occasion:
"Comrades: for all workers, this should be a day of joy, of happiness, because today one of the great dreams of the Southeast Socialist Party comes true; because here we are, all true socialists, gathered to celebrate the triumph of our cause [...] That is why, comrades, from today we must show those gentlemen that we can indeed do something for you, and also tell them that without workers, that cathedral wouldn’t exist, nor this palace; without workers, this park wouldn't be here, where everyone comes to enjoy and breathe the perfume of the flowers, without workers, there would be no railroads, no automobiles, no carriages..."
Felipe Carrillo Puerto’s historical legacy
To this day, Felipe Carrillo Puerto remains the only governor of the state to have addressed Yucatecos in Maya. Beyond this seemingly small but substantial detail, Carrillo Puerto also achieved numerous other political and social accomplishments. For example, it was during his administration that the National University of the Southeast, the predecessor of today’s renowned Autonomous University of Yucatán, was founded. Similarly, he supported the idea of opening technical universities, free for the indigenous people; he established “Agrarian Thursdays” and “Red Mondays,” which allowed him to maintain ongoing contact and dialogue with the peasants, among other initiatives.
He also created the Resistance Leagues, governmental instruments that helped carry out his social program. However, at some point, these new government structures also faced complaints of corruption and favoritism. But that was not the reason for Felipe Carrillo Puerto’s downfall.
In 1923, Carrillo Puerto enacted the Law of Seizure and Expropriation of Abandoned Haciendas, which sought to hand over these abandoned lands, with nominal compensation, to the workers for collective operation. This law, along with one that established that 25% of henequén income be given to workers as benefits, were measures that threatened the political and economic interests of the powerful men of Yucatán.
Felipe Carrillo Puerto’s assassination
The henequén landowners used Adolfo de la Huerta’s coup d'état (still part of the complex history of the Mexican Revolution) as an excuse to arrest Felipe Carrillo Puerto. While still governor, he was executed by firing squad on January 3, 1924, along with twelve of his collaborators, including three of his brothers. With his death, the flame of Yucatecan socialism quickly dimmed..
Now you might understand why Felipe Carrillo Puerto is such a beloved and admired figure among the Maya people. Although he also made mistakes and generated rumors, both politically and personally, it is undeniable that during his administration, the Maya people made great strides in their participation as a social sector in Yucatán’s political life.
If you're planning to visit and learn more about Yucatán and this iconic figure, don’t miss the Felipe Carrillo Puerto House Museum and Library. It is located on Calle 28 S/N x 19 y 29, Centro, in the Magical Town of Motul, the city where the green-eyed dragon grew up.
Main source:
Moreno Acevedo, E. (2005). Redescubriendo a Felipe Carrillo Puerto ¿Apóstol de los mayas, ideólogo del socialismo yucateco, intelectual no reconocido? Revista de la Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán. 233, 10-25
Photography by Carlos Guzmán, Violeta H. Cantarell y Yucatán Today for its use in Yucatán Today.
First published in Yucatán Today print and digital magazine no. 443, in November 2024, by the name of "Felipe Carrillo Puerto, the Hero of Motul".
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