Mexican flag

democracy in mexico

By Mariesononon
  • 1929 BCE

    1929

    The National Revolutionary Party is formed. In 1946 it is re-named the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI.
  • 1917 BCE

    1917

    US forces withdraw, having failed to kill Villa. A new constitution is adopted, which is designed to ensure permanent democracy in Mexico.
  • 1910 BCE

    1910-1920

    Mexican Revolution ends the Porfirio Diaz dictatorship and leads to establishment of a constitutional republic.
  • 1876 BCE

    1876-1911

    Porfirio Diaz's 35-year-long dictatorship - known as the "Porfiriato" - brings a long period of stability, modernisation and economic growth, but at the price of political repression and stagnation.
  • 1846 BCE

    1846-8

    Mexican-American War ends with Mexico being forced to sell its northern provinces (including modern-day California, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah) to the US.
  • Mar 29, 800

    800-1000

    High point of the Toltec culture, centred on the city of Tula, in modern-day Hidalgo province.
  • Mar 29, 1519

    1519

    Small Spanish army led by Hernan Cortes lands at Veracruz, marking the start of Spain's conquest of Mexico.

  • 1810-21

    War of Independence ends with the creation of the short-living Mexican Empire, which includes Central America to the southern border of modern-day Costa Rica, as well as what is now the southwestern US.

  • 1824

    Mexico becomes a federal republic after the ouster and exile of Emperor Augustin de Iturbide. Central American provinces secede, becoming the countries of Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

  • 2000

    Vicente Fox of the opposition Alliance for Change wins presidential elections, the first opposition candidate ever to do so. Parliamentary elections see the Alliance for Change emerge as the strongest party, beating the PRI by just over 1%.

  • 2012

    The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) candidate Enrique Pena Nieto wins presidential election.

  • 2006

    Conservative candidate Felipe Calderon is declared the winner of presidential elections with a razor-thin majority over his leftist rival, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who challenges the result with mass street protests. The Federal Electoral Tribunal confirms Mr Calderon's win in September.