y, events in Europe prompted the French to withdraw their troops in 1867. The Jurez forces reconquered the country, and troops under General Porfirio Daz occupied Mexico City. Maximilian was besieged at Quertaro and forced to surrender. He was executed by a Mexican firing squad in 1867.Although Benito Jurez now faced some opposition from other liberals who opposed his efforts to alter the Mexican constitution, he won the presidential elections of December 1867. In the struggle to put down chronic political and social violence in the aftermath of the French intervention, Jurez sought to draw liberals and conservatives together in some sort of political consensus. He also suspended some constitutional guarantees and worked to strengthen the presidency, which prompted critics to accuse him of running a dictatorship.Jurez died in office in 1872 and was succeeded by Sebastin Lerdo de Tejada, head of the Mexican Supreme Court. In 1876, when Lerdo de Tejada sought reelection, Daz led another revolt. Successful this time, he became president in 1877.He would remain in office until 1911 and his long rule would become known as the Porfiriato. Completion of the nation’s railway network and its links with that of the United States received considerable attention, and Daz did everything in his power to attract foreign investment. In 1888 Mexico negotiated a debt consolidation plan that opened the way for a flood of foreign money to pour into the nation. The country opened up new markets for its mineral and agricultural products and brought new land under cultivation. Daz also laid the foundation for industrial development....
