Jose Victoriano Huerta Marquez
Victoriano Huerta is, today, among the least favored of Mexico's former leaders, and is commonly referred to as "the usurper" and "the jackal ". Born in 1850 in the state of Jalisco, Huerta was reportedly a drunkard, a liar, and a thief.
Victoriano Huerta was apparently fairly competent as a soldier, and after attending the Military Academy of Mexico City, rose to the rank of General during the Porfirio Diaz presidency. Under president Diaz he fought to contain the various indigenous peoples of Mexico as well as the guerilla forces of Emiliano Zapata. After (relatively) democratically-aligned Francisco Madero's call for revolution in 1911, ending with him as the new president, Huerta pledged loyalty and was allowed to retain his position.
When revolutionary Pascual Orozco rebelled against president Madero, Huerta was made the head of federal forces. In 1913 however, with the support of US ambassador Henry Lane Wilson, Huerta plotted to overthrow both Madero and his vice-president whom Wilson felt no longer could contain the country. Madero and the vice-president were imprisoned and later killed.
After pseudo-legitimizing his claim to the presidency, Huerta became what many believe to be an even more oppressive dictator than Diaz. Newly elected US president Woodrow Wilson was appalled by Huerta's tactics, and recalled Henry Wilson after demanding democratic elections. When Huerta refused, Wilson ordered the seizure of Veracruz port.
After a series of decisive defeats against the rebel forces of Emililano Zapata and and Francisco "Pancho" Villa, Huerta resigned and fled to Europe in 1914. He later traveled to the US where he plotted to retake Mexico along with his former nemesis Pascual Orozco in New York. In 1915 he tried to return to Mexico but was arrested with Orozco in New Mexico under conspiracy to violate US neutrality laws. In prison, he became ill and died the next year from cirrhosis of the liver.
Connection to Against the Day
In the novel, Frank Traverse and Ewball Oust are taken into custody by the forces of Mexican president Porfirio Diaz. In the jail-cell, Pynchon mentions the crudely drawn and unflattering sketch of Diaz on the wall.The sergeant night-guard warns Frank of their cell-mate Dwayne Provecho, who she claims was jailed for working under the PLM or Partido Liberal Mexicano. Historically, this was a far left-leaning party co-founded by revolutionary anarchist Ricardo Magon, and was highly in opposition to the Diaz rule.
Later, when Frank and Ewball are riding with the PLM under "El Nato," they are fired upon by Huerta's forces known as the 'Hueristas.' El Nato's hatred of Diaz and Huerta becomes apparent when he tells Frank, "Huertistas, I can smell them. Like Indian Blood. Like burned crops and stolen land. Like Gringo money (Pynchon pg. 388)." El Nato is referring to to the ruthless displacing of Indigenous Mexicans by Diaz and Huerta for the valuable land they occupy. The 'gringo money' Nato is referring to is most likely US business interests such as oil, mining, and railroad systems. It may also be referring to European mining companies, particularly French, and other foreign business ventures necessitating the eradication of Indians.
When Ewball snipes the Hueristas during their assault on the Tarahumares, causing the soldiers to flee, Pynchon may be alluding to the victory of the rebellion against Diaz and Huerta's military. But just as the revolutionaries faded from prominence with the eventual succession of Huerta, so too do Ewball and the rebels fade away before the Indians can give their thanks.
Sources
Pynchon, Thomas. "Against the Day [Paperback]." Against the Day. Penguin Books, n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2012.
PBS - The Storm that Swept Mexico
http://www.pbs.org/itvs/storm-that-swept-mexico/the-revolution/faces-revolution/victoriano-huerta/
Mexconnect
http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/229-victoriano-huerta-1854-1916
Victoriano Huerta
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoriano_Huerta
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