Porfirio Diaz

“I look at Porfirio Diaz, the President of Mexico, as one of the greatest men to be held up for the hero-worship of mankind.” —Elihu Root, U.S. Secretary of State, 1907

Porfirio Diaz—President of Mexico, the Master Builder of a Great Commonwealth, is a 1910 biography of Porfirio Diaz (1830–1915), a Mexican general and politician who served seven terms as President of Mexico, a total of 31 years, from 1877 to 1880 and from 1884 to 1911.

Author and diplomat José Godoy describes the life and achievements of Diaz, an important but controversial figure in Mexican history. Diaz brought “order and progress” to Mexico, ending political turmoil and promoting economic development, but not always benefiting the rural population.