The day Porfirio Diaz tries to help a friend escape from prison

Profirio Díaz is one of the most studied and interesting figures in Mexican history, not only because he is one of the most controversial presidents, but also because of his life dedicated to the war of conservatives in the Reformation war, the liberals against Santa Anna, the French in the Second French intervention.However, this preference was obtained by friendship.

Young Diaz established friendly relations with Marcos Perez, a liberal inclined Oaxakan politician. Marcos Perez met Benito Juárez through him. Marcos, the magistrate of the Oaxaca Judicial Court, met him when he taught Latin to his son, who, according to the memoirs of the former president, was not very bright.

However, this fact led Porfirio to bow down and adopt the liberal ideas that prevailed in the state.However, when Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna came to power, persecution of liberals across the country began.

At the time, Diaz delivered a mail with an innovative message encrypted with a code to his friend and mentor; however, some of those to whom he corresponded were arrested and found a letter in October 1853 and imprisoned Marcos Perez.

child Porfirio Diaz took up a weapon against Santa Anna (Photo: Media Library/Ina)

He was held in prison at the top of the convent, behind the church, and in a place known as La Torrecilla.Faced with this predicament, Diaz decided to help him with his younger brother Felix Diaz.

According to Porfirio's memoirs, the younger brother had a thicker and sporty physique, “he was very fond of all athletic exercises, he was strong and muscular, and because he was dedicated to gymnastics, his physical strength grew”.

The two brothers improvised a kind of gym to train and strengthen physically, so taking advantage of their strength and physical agility, knowing where they arrested Marcos Pérez, the young Porfirio decided to help him escape.

He wrote in his memoir, “We climbed to the fence of an orchard about 4 meters high around midnight and walked over it to reach the roof of the convent bakery. At that time, the bakers were working, and it was not easy to feel us because these people used to sing while they were working.”

Porfirio Diaz and his brother Felix “El Chato” Diaz were very close (Photo: INAH)

Porfirio Díaz: His life and time, according to the author of the book Carlos Tello Díaz, they went up the fence in gray clothes so as not to be detected and approached the window of Marcos Pérez; however, this was crowded, so that they could only maintain communication for several months.

They communicated through written messages. Because during one of his visits, Marcos recommended that he was so better because he was not safe to speak while pretending to pray in Latin.

Finally, Porfirio made an effort to make a friend of Marcos and move it to a more accessible cell. In a new place, Porfirio signaled that he would receive an amnesty. In this way, he was finally free.

Faced with the political situation in the country, Porfirio Díaz left his studies to participate in a rebellion against Santa Anna, who was declared president in 1853. His liberal ideas led him to join the cause, against liberal politicians and officials, against conservative governments, and from then on.

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