of the United States.Liberal rebel leader Juan lvarez became the provisional president of Mexico. The 1855 takeover of the government by the liberals began a period known as La Reforma, in which liberal leaders sought to reduce the power of the church and the military in Mexican politics and society. Later that year Ignacio Comonfort, a liberal who sought a more gradual pace of reform, replaced President lvarez. In 1857 the liberals enacted a new constitution, which reestablished a federal form of government. It provided for individual rights, universal male suffrage, freedom of speech, and other civil liberties. The constitution also abolished special courts for members of the military or clergy, and ordered the church and other institutions to auction off any land or buildings not absolutely necessary for their operation.Conservative groups bitterly opposed the new constitution. In 1858 a political revolt overthrew President Comonfort and Jurez became provisional president. Soon afterward conservatives who had participated in the revolt forced Jurez to flee Mexico City; he established a new seat of government in Veracruz. Mexico now had two competing governments: one led by conservatives based in Mexico City, and one led by liberals based in Veracruz. Conservative forces controlled much of central Mexico, but they were unable to drive the Jurez forces from Veracruz. As provisional president, Jurez issued a decree nationalizing church property, separating church and state, and suppressing religious orders. The Jurez government gradually gained the upper hand, and by 1861 the liberal armies had decisively defeated the conservative forces.France, Britain, and Spain decided to intervene jointly to protect their investments in Mexico. While the United States continued to recognize the Jurez regime, it could offer little help because of its own civil war. Just as Maximilian hovered on the verge of establishing control over the entire countr...
