List of heads of state of Mexico
The Head of State of Mexico is the person who controls the executive power in the country. Under the current constitution, this responsibility lies with the President of the United Mexican States, who is head of the supreme executive power of the Mexican Union. Throughout its history, Mexico has had several forms of government. Under the federal constitutions, the title of President was the same as the current one. Under the Seven Laws, the chief executive was named President of the Republic. In addition, there have been two periods of monarchical rule, during which the executive was controlled by the Emperor of Mexico.
The chronology of the heads of state of Mexico is complicated due to the country's political instability during most of the nineteenth century and early decades of the twentieth century. With few exceptions, most of the Mexican presidents elected during this period did not complete their terms. Until the presidency of Lázaro Cárdenas, each president had remained in office an average of fifteen months.
This list also includes the self-appointed presidents during civil wars and the collegiate bodies that performed the Mexican Executive duties during periods of transition.
First Mexican Empire (1821–1823)
First Regency
After the end of the Mexican War of Independence, a Provisional Board of Governing consisting of thirty-four persons was set up. The Board decreed and signed the Declaration of Independence of the Mexican Empire and appointed a regency composed of six people.Second Regency
Agustín I
Provisional Government (1823–1824)
The Provisional Government of 1823–24 was an organization that served as the Executive in the government of Mexico after the end of the Mexican Empire of Agustín I, in 1823. The organization was responsible for convening the body that created the Federal Republic and existed from April 1, 1823 to October 10, 1824.First Federal Republic (1824–1835)
| No. | Portrait | President | Took office | Left office | Political Party | Vice President | Notes |
| Guadalupe Victoria | October 10, 1824 | March 31, 1829 | Independent | Nicolás Bravo | First constitutionally elected President of Mexico, and the only President who completed his full term in almost 30 years of independent Mexico. | ||
| Vicente Guerrero | April 1, 1829 | December 17, 1829 | Liberal Party | Anastasio Bustamante | He was appointed by Congress after the "resignation" of president-elect Manuel Gómez Pedraza. | ||
| José María Bocanegra | December 17, 1829 | December 23, 1829 | Popular York Rite Party | He was appointed Interim President by Congress when Guerrero left office to fight the rebellion of his Vice President. | |||
| Pedro Vélez | December 23, 1829 | December 31, 1829 | Liberal Party | As president of the Supreme Court, he was appointed by the Council of Government as head of the executive triumvirate along with Lucas Alamán and Luis Quintanar. | |||
| Anastasio Bustamante | January 1, 1830 | August 13, 1832 | Conservative Party | As Vice President he assumed the presidency after the coup against Guerrero. | |||
| Melchor Múzquiz | August 14, 1832 | December 24, 1832 | Popular York Rite Party | He was appointed Interim President by Congress when Bustamante left office to fight the rebellion of Santa Anna. | |||
| Manuel Gómez Pedraza | December 24, 1832 | March 31, 1833 | Federalist York Rite Party | He assumed the presidency to conclude the term he would have begun in 1829, had he not "resigned" prior to inauguration, as the winner of the elections of 1828. | |||
| Valentín Gómez Farías | April 1, 1833 | May 16, 1833 | Liberal Party | As Vice President he assumed the presidency in place of Santa Anna, along with whom he was elected in the elections of 1833. | |||
| Antonio López de Santa Anna | May 16, 1833 | June 3, 1833 | Liberal Party | Valentín Gómez Farías | He assumed the presidency as the constitutionally elected president. He alternated in the presidency with Vice President Gómez Farías four more times until April 24, 1834. | ||
| Valentín Gómez Farías | June 3, 1833 | June 18, 1833 | Liberal Party | ||||
| Antonio López de Santa Anna | June 18, 1833 | July 5, 1833 | Liberal Party | Valentín Gómez Farías | |||
| Valentín Gómez Farías | July 5, 1833 | October 27, 1833 | Liberal Party | ||||
| Antonio López de Santa Anna | October 27, 1833 | December 15, 1833 | Liberal Party | Valentín Gómez Farías | |||
| Valentín Gómez Farías | December 16, 1833 | April 24, 1834 | Liberal Party | He promoted several liberal reforms that led to the discontent of conservatives and the church. Santa Anna took office again and he went into exile. | |||
| Antonio López de Santa Anna | April 24, 1834 | January 27, 1835 | Liberal Party | He cancelled the liberal reforms. On January 27, the Sixth Constituent Congress dismissed Gomez Farias as Vice President. | |||
| Miguel Barragán | January 28, 1835 | February 27, 1836 | Liberal Party | He was appointed Interim President by Congress when Santa Anna left office to fight the Rebellion of Zacatecas. On October 23, Congress enacted the Constitutional Basis, which voided the Constitution of 1824 and the federal system. He served both as the last president of the First Federal Republic and the first of the Centralist Republic. |
Centralist Republic (1835–1846)
| No. | Portrait | President | Took office | Left office | Political Party | Notes |
| Miguel Barragán | January 28, 1835 | February 27, 1836 | Liberal Party | He left office because of a serious illness. He died two days later. | ||
| José Justo Corro | February 27, 1836 | April 19, 1837 | Conservative Party | He was appointed Interim President by Congress to conclude the presidential term. During his term, he enacted the Seven Laws and Spain recognized the Independence of Mexico. | ||
| Anastasio Bustamante | April 19, 1837 | March 18, 1839 | Conservative Party | He took office as constitutional elected president. He was elected in the elections of 1837 for an eight years term. | ||
| Antonio López de Santa Anna | March 18, 1839 | July 10, 1839 | He was appointed interim president by the Supreme Conservative Power when Bustamante left office to fight federalist rebellions. | |||
| Nicolás Bravo | July 11, 1839 | July 19, 1839 | Conservative Party | He was appointed substitute president when Santa Anna left office. | ||
| Anastasio Bustamante | July 19, 1839 | September 22, 1841 | Conservative Party | He reassumed the presidency. | ||
| Francisco Javier Echeverría | September 22, 1841 | October 10, 1841 | Conservative Party | He was appointed interim president when Bustamante left office to fight a rebellion headed by Mariano Paredes y Arrillaga, Santa Anna, and Gabriel Valencia. He resigned after the triumph of the rebellion. | ||
| Antonio López de Santa Anna | October 10, 1841 | October 26, 1842 | He was appointed provisional president by a Junta de Representantes de los Departamentos. | |||
| Nicolás Bravo | October 26, 1842 | March 4, 1843 | Conservative Party | He was appointed substitute president by Santa Anna when he left office. | ||
| Antonio López de Santa Anna | March 4, 1843 | October 4, 1843 | He reassumed the presidency as provisional president. | |||
| Valentín Canalizo | October 4, 1843 | June 4, 1844 | Conservative Party | He was appointed interim president by Santa Anna when he left office. | ||
| Antonio López de Santa Anna | June 4, 1844 | September 12, 1844 | He reassumed the presidency after being elected constitutional president by Congress on January 2, 1844. | |||
| José Joaquín de Herrera | September 12, 1844 | September 21, 1844 | Liberal Party | He was appointed substitute president by Congress to replace the interim president Valentin Canalizo. | ||
| Valentín Canalizo | September 21, 1844 | December 6, 1844 | Conservative Party | He assumed the presidency as interim president. | ||
| José Joaquín de Herrera | December 6, 1844 | December 30, 1845 | Liberal Party | He was appointed interim, and after, constitutional president by Senate after Canalizo was arrested for trying to dissolve the Congress. | ||
| Mariano Paredes | December 31, 1845 | July 28, 1846 | Conservative Party | He assumed office via a coup against De Herrera. On June 12, he was appointed interim president. | ||
| Mariano Paredes | December 31, 1845 | July 28, 1846 | Conservative Party | Vice President Nicolás Bravo | ||
| Nicolás Bravo | July 28, 1846 | August 4, 1846 | Conservative Party | He took office when Paredes left the presidency to fight the Americans in the Mexican–American War. He was deposed by a federalist rebellion led by Jose Mariano Salas and Valentin Gomez Farias. | ||
| José Mariano Salas | August 5, 1846 | December 23, 1846 | Conservative Party | He assumed office as provisional president after the triumph of the federalist rebellion. He put in force the Constitution of 1824 on August 22. He served both as last president of the Centralist Republic and first of the Second Federal Republic. |
Second Federal Republic (1846–1863)
Presidents recognized by the Liberals during the Reform War
Presidents recognized by the Conservatives during the Reform War
Second Mexican Empire (1863–1867)
Regency
On June 22, 1863, a "Superior Governing Board" was established. On July 11, the Board became the Regency of the Empire.Maximilian I
Restored Republic (1867–1876)
Porfiriato (1876–1911)
Revolution (1911–1928)
; PartiesPresidents recognized by the Convention of Aguascalientes
Restoration of democracy
; PartiesMaximato (1928–1934)
; PartyModern Mexico (1934–present)
After the constitutional reform of 1926, the presidential term in Mexico was extended to six years starting in 1928; with a formal ban on reelection. After the federal election of 1934 all the presidents have completed their six-year terms.; Parties
Living former Presidents
As of, there are six living former Presidents of Mexico. The most recent death of a former President was that of Miguel de la Madrid, on April 1, 2012.Presidents who died in office
| President | Term of office | Date of death | Notes |
| Benito Juárez | 1859–1864 1867–1872 | July 18, 1872 | He is the only President of Mexico who died peacefully while in office. |
| Venustiano Carranza | 1914–1920 | May 21, 1920 | He is the only President of Mexico to be assassinated in office. |
Timeline
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from: 1833 till: 1833 color:Liberal
from: 1833 till: 1833 color:Liberal
from: 1833 till: 1834 color:Liberal
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from: 1841 till: 1841 color:Conservative text:"F. Echeverría"
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from: 1855 till: 1855 color:Conservative text:"Carrera"
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from: 1855 till: 1855 color:Conservative text:"Díaz de la Vega"
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from: 1855 till: 1855 color:Liberal text:"Álvarez"
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from: 1855 till: 1857 color:Liberal text:"Comonfort"
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from: 1857 till: 1872 color:Liberal text:"Juárez"
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from: 1863 till: 1864 color:Conservative text:"Almonte"
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from: 1863 till: 1864 color:Conservative text:"De Labastida"
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from: 1864 till: 1867 color:none text:"Maximilian I"
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from: 1872 till: 1876 color:Liberal text:"Lerdo de Tejada"
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from: 1876 till: 1876 color:Liberal text:"Iglesias"
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from: 1876 till: 1876 color:Liberal
from: 1877 till: 1880 color:Liberal
from: 1884 till: 1911 color:porfirist text:"Díaz"
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from: 1876 till: 1877 color:Liberal text:"Méndez"
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from: 1880 till: 1884 color:Liberal text:"González Flores"
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from: 1911 till: 1911 color:none text:"León de la Barra"
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from: 1911 till: 1913 color:antireelectionist text:"Madero"
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from: 1913 till: 1913 color:none text:"Lascuráin"
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from: 1913 till: 1914 color:none text:"Huerta"
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from: 1914 till: 1914 color:none text:"Carvajal"
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from: 1914 till: 1915 color:conventionist text:"Gutiérrez"
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from: 1915 till: 1915 color:conventionist text:"Garza"
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from: 1932 till: 1934 color:pri text:"Rodríguez"
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from: 1934 till: 1940 color:pri text:"Cárdenas"
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from: 1940 till: 1946 color:pri text:"Ávila Camacho"
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from: 1946 till: 1952 color:pri text:"Alemán Valdes"
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from: 1952 till: 1958 color:pri text:"Ruiz Cortines"
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from: 1970 till: 1976 color:pri text:"L. Echeverría"
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from: 1976 till: 1982 color:pri text:"López Portillo"
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from: 1994 till: 2000 color:pri text:"Zedillo"
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from: 2000 till: 2006 color:pan text:"Fox"
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from: 2006 till: 2012 color:pan text:"Calderón"
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from: 2012 till: 2018 color:pri text:"Peña Nieto"
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