Bernardo Reyes played a major role in the Díaz dictatorship. He ruled Nuevo León as a provincial caudillo; for a time he appeared to be the logical successor to President Díaz; and he met death in the Zócalo at the outbreak of the decena trágica, which ended with the murder of Francisco Madero and the seizure of power by Victoriano Huerta. These salient facts are well known to all students of modern Mexican history, but Niemeyer’s important work is the first detailed, impartial, and fully documented biography of this significant Mexican figure.
A scholar-diplomat who has had extensive experience in Latin America and who is serving currently in Mexico, the author has done exhaustive research in private and public archives, using printed documents, personal interviews, newspaper collections, books, and periodicals. The book is a model of scholarly literature and reveals through the life of one of Díaz’s principal lieutenants the workings of a durable dictatorship and the politico-economic background from which erupted the Mexican Revolution.
Beginning with a brief account of Reyes’ family and his early years, Niemeyer then traces the life of Bernardo Reyes to 1885. The next chapters deal with the establishment of porfirismo in northeastern Mexico from 1885 to 1889 and the development of Nuevo Leon’s state administration from 1889 to 1900. Chapters V and VI concern Mexican national politics, military affairs, and social problems. Then comes a detailed chapter which chronicles the Reyista movement of 1909, Reyes’ exile, his return, and the advent of the Revolution. A final chapter sets forth the events of the last days which culminated in Reyes’ death under a hail of bullets before Mexico City’s presidential palace.
In a brief epilogue Niemeyer pictures Reyes as both a product of and a contributor to the porfirista regime, and in a summary evaluation of the man he concludes: “The efficacy and thoroughness with which he acted as Díaz’s agent, his administrative successes in Nuevo León, the honesty and personal integrity which characterized each of his public and private acts, his devotion to the army, his desire to make of the Mexican army an effective force, and his humanitarian qualities demonstrated by his interest in the workers and their welfare, distinguish him in comparison with other Porfirian functionaries” (p. 243). Some Mexican scholars may not agree with these conclusions. If such be the case, this biography may stimulate them to publish their documented research.
