Obregón and Carranza

With the threat of Villa all but gone, Obregón assumed the post of Minister of War in Carranza's cabinet. While outwardly loyal to Carranza, it was fairly obvious that Obregóm was still very ambitious. As Minister of War, he attempted to modernize the army and took part in pacifying the same Yaqui Indians who had supported him early in the Revolution. In early 1917, the new constitution was ratified and Carranza was elected President.

Obregón retired once again to his chick pea ranch, but kept a close eye on events in Mexico City. He stayed out of Carranza's way, but with the understanding that Obregón would be the next President of Mexico.

With the clever, hardworking Obregón back in charge, his ranch and businesses flourished. The chick pea ranch grew vastly larger and proved very lucrative. Obregón also branched out into ranching, mining and an import-export business. He employed more than 1,500 workers and was well-liked and respected in Sonora and elsewhere.

In June of 1919, Obregón announced that he would run for president in the 1920 elections. Carranza, who did not personally like or trust Obregón, immediately began working against him, claiming that he thought Mexico should have a civilian president, not a military one. In any event, Carranza had already picked his own successor, the little-known Mexican ambassador to the United States, Ignacio Bonillas.

Carranza had made a huge mistake by reneging on his informal deal with Obregón, who had kept his side of the bargain and stayed out of Carranza's way from 1917-1919.

Obregón's candidacy immediately drew support from important sectors of society: the military loved him, as did the middle class (who he represented) and the poor (who had been betrayed by Carranza). He was also popular with intellectuals like José Vasconcelos, who saw him as the one man with the clout and charisma to bring peace to Mexico.

Carranza then made a second tactical error: he decided to fight the swelling tide of pro-Obregón sentiment. He stripped Obregón of his military rank, which was accurately seen by the people of Mexico as petty, ungrateful and completely political. The situation got tense and ugly, and reminded some observers of the Mexico of 1910: an old, stolid politician refusing to allow a fair election, challenged by a younger man with new ideas. In June of 1920 Carranza decided that he could never beat Obregón in a fair election and he ordered the army to attack. Obregón quickly raised an army in Sonora even as other generals around the nation defected to his cause.

Carranza, desperate to get to Veracruz where he could rally his support, departed Mexico City in a train loaded down with gold, friends, advisors and sycophants. Before long, however, forces loyal to Obregón attacked the train and destroyed the rails, forcing the party to go overland as they fled. Carranza and a handful of survivors of the so-called “Golden Train” accepted sanctuary at the town of Tlaxcalantongo from local warlord Rodolfo Herrera in May of 1920. On the night of May 21, Herrera betrayed Carranza, opening fire on him and his closest advisers as they slept in a tent. Carranza was killed almost immediately. Herrera, who had switched alliances to Obregón, was put on trial but acquitted.

With Carranza gone, Adolfo de la Huerta became provisional president, and brokered a peace deal with the resurgent Villa. When the deal was formalized (over Obregón's objections) the Mexican Revolution was officially over. Obregón was easily elected in September of 1920 to the post of President.