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58-638: In the early 1950s, by order of President Miguel Alemán Valdés , land in the municipality of Tepeapulco, Hidalgo, 95 kilometers north of Mexico City, was settled in what was intended as a national model: the industrial area of Ciudad Sahagún. On July 28, 1951, the Diesel Nacional company (DINA) was created, with a license agreement and technical advice from the Italian company Fiat . The share capital amounted to 75 million pesos, 78% of which represented state participation. In 1952 work began on building

116-552: A full term as the President of Mexico from 1946 to 1952, the first civilian president after a string of revolutionary generals. His administration was characterized by Mexico's rapid industrialization, often called the Mexican Miracle , but also for a high level of personal enrichment for himself and his associates. His presidency was the first of a new generation of Mexican leaders who had not directly participated in

174-539: A huge project in the state of Oaxaca , culminating with the opening of the Miguel Alemán Dam in 1955. In 1951 he oversaw completion of the diversion of the Lerma River , bringing to an end Mexico City's water supply problems. Extending the nation's rail network, building and improving highways brought remote regions into the national economy. In Mexico City an existing airfield was enlarged and became

232-515: A level of influence. Unlike the peaceful change of power in 1946, 1952 was another contested presidential election. Career military officer Miguel Henríquez Guzmán sought to be the candidate of the PRI. Henriquez was backed by some important politicians, including members of the Cárdenas family, who objected to the rightward turn of the party and the government. Among those who supported Henríquez were

290-641: A major loan from the United States in 1947. Alemán and US President Harry S. Truman rode in a parade in Washington that attracted an estimated 600,000 well-wishers. Internationally, he signed peace agreements with Japan , Germany and Italy following World War II , had a hand in a truce between Pakistan and India and worked with the US on the issue of braceros . In party tradition, Alemán designated his successor as PRI presidential candidate—and

348-565: A political reward from the Cárdenas administration for helping oust Plutarco Elías Calles during the intra-party struggle. From 1940 to 1945, he served as Secretary of the Interior ( Gobernación ) under Manuel Ávila Camacho after directing Ávila's national presidential campaign. As Secretary of the Interior during World War II, he dealt with Axis espionage and the clerical fascist Sinarquistas . President Avila Camacho chose Alemán as

406-451: A popular housing group of 1317 houses and 46 apartments, more shops, a market, sports fields, administrative offices and basic medical and educational services were built. Amenities such as paved streets, drainage, drinking water and electricity were introduced. In 1961 he joined 515 houses built by the IMSS. In 1971 Ciudad Sahagún was incorporated into the municipality of Tepeapulco . After

464-455: A significant figure in the ownership of Mexican media, including the large television channel Televisa . In politics, he was the leader of the right wing of the PRI. In 1961, he was named the president of the national tourist commission, and was influential in bringing the 1968 Summer Olympics to Mexico. In addition, he was the first president of the Mr. Amigo Association in 1964, which celebrates

522-516: Is a term used to refer to the country's inward-looking development strategy that produced sustained economic growth . It is considered to be a golden age in Mexico's economy in which the Mexican economy grew 6.8% each year. It was a stabilizing economic plan which caused an average growth of 6.8% and industrial production to increase by 8% with inflation staying at only 2.5%. Beginning roughly in

580-599: Is generally considered that while Ciudad Sahagún may not return to its economic status of the past, it should have economic stability for a while. In 2008, Ciudad Sahagún housed 3 large companies, 17 medium-sized companies and 40 microenterprises, adding 60 companies and nearly 12,000 jobs, unlike 40.000 work places that had been made for nearly 36 years of tremendous progress. The Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget (SCA), Praxair , Gerdau and The Greenbrier Companies are among companies that have recently arrived. Bombardier split construction of 204 Flexity Outlook streetcars , for

638-596: The Partido de la Revolución Mexicana became the Institutional Revolutionary Party . He followed the pattern established by Lázaro Cárdenas's campaign in 1934, so that Alemán campaigned in all parts of the country, a means by which the candidate sees all areas of the republic and voters make contact with the candidate. He was the winner of the elections held on 7 July of that year, defeating former foreign minister Ezequiel Padilla. He became

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696-669: The Instituto Politécnico Nacional ( IPN ) in 1936 as a government-funded institution in the northern part of Mexico City, trained a new generation of Mexicans. In northern Mexico, the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education , known in Mexico as the Tec de Monterrey , was founded by northern industrialists in 1942, with the programs designed by a former faculty member of the IPN and modeled after

754-821: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology . From a small, private inception, the Tec de Monterrey built a major campus inaugurated by President Alemán in 1946, and has been a magnet for students from other areas of Latin America. In the years following World War II , President Miguel Alemán Valdés (1946–52) instituted a full-scale import-substitution program which stimulated output by boosting internal demand. The government raised import controls on consumer goods but relaxed them on capital goods (such as machinery for Mexican production of consumer goods), which it purchased with international reserves accumulated during

812-609: The Mexican Revolution , and many in his cabinet were also young, university-educated civilians, close friends from his days at university. Alemán was born in Sayula in the state of Veracruz , the son of revolutionary Gen. Miguel Alemán González and Tomasa Valdés Ledezma. Both had been married before, with Alemán González having a son by his first wife. They had two sons together, Carlos and Miguel. The family lived in straitened circumstances, with Miguel remembering when he

870-444: The Mexican miracle . Alemán's cabinet  [ es ] members were similar in profile to the president himself, relatively young and without military experience, and highly educated, with personal ties to him. His Secretary of the Interior , Héctor Pérez Martínez; Secretary of Public works, Ángel Carvajal; and Secretary of Labor, both Manuel Ramirez Vázquez and Andrés Serra Rojas had all been part of his close-knit group from

928-584: The Mexico City International Airport . His administration also built a new campus for the National University (UNAM) in the south of the city, moving it from its previous location in downtown Mexico City. In 1952 his administration elevated Baja California to state status. Also during his term, he asserted power by forced imposition of state governors. He played a major role in the development and support of

986-724: The National University (UNAM) until 1928, completing his law degree with his thesis on occupational diseases and accidents among workers. At UNAM, he was the leader of a group of classmates, all of whom went on the prominence in Mexican life. They included Ángel Carvajal Bernal ; Manuel Sánchez Cuen, who served as subdirector of PEMEX in the Alemán administration; Héctor Pérez Martínez  [ es ] ; Andrés Serra Rojas  [ es ] ; Manuel Ramírez Vázquez; Luis Garrido Díaz  [ es ] , who became rector of UNAM during Alemán's presidency; Antonio Carrillo Flores , who

1044-741: The Toronto Transit Commission , and 182 Flexity Freedom light rail vehicles for service in the Greater Toronto Area between its Ciudad Sahagún factory, and one of its factories in Thunder Bay, Ontario . Welding the basic chassis was to take place in the Ciudad Sahagún factory. Bombardier fell years behind in delivery of these vehicles. Reports in the Canadian press repeated claims that the workers in

1102-458: The 1940s, the Mexican government would begin to roll out the economic plan that they would call "the Mexican miracle," which would spark an economic boom beginning in 1954 spanning some 15 years and would last until 1970. In Mexico , the Spanish economic term used is "Desarrollo estabilizador" or "Stabilizing Development." An important factor helping sustained growth in the period 1940–1970

1160-478: The 1960s and about 70 percent in the 1970s. Industry accounted for 22 percent of total output in 1950, 24 percent in 1960, and 29 percent in 1970. The share of total output arising from agriculture and other primary activities declined during the same period, while services stayed constant. The government promoted industrial expansion through public investment in agricultural, energy, and transportation infrastructure. Cities grew rapidly during these years, reflecting

1218-716: The British-owned Mexican Eagle Petroleum Company , where he first learned English and became fluent in it. He recalled his father advised him of "the usefulness of returning to my studies and choosing an occupation more stable than the military." Alemán did that, attending the National Preparatory School in Mexico City from 1920 to 1925, founding the newspaper Eureka . He then went to the School of Law at

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1276-475: The Faculty of Law at UNAM. Alemán directed government spending to state-sponsored industrial development and reduced military spending as had his predecessors. That development included investments in infrastructure, especially public works. Dam-building helped control flooding, expand irrigation, which allowed for the expansion of large-scale agriculture, and provided hydroelectric power. In 1947 he initiated

1334-574: The Law for Development of New and Necessary Industries, was passed. "In the long view, some of the permanent alterations in Mexico from World War II were economic." Mexico benefited significantly during World War II, by its participation on the side of the Allies. Mexico supplied labor to the U.S. via the Bracero Program , but its most significant contribution was in its supply of material to fight

1392-533: The Mexican Revolution. Miguel Henriquez Guzmán  [ es ] , Enrique Calderón, Jesús Agustín Castro  [ es ] , and Francisco Castillo Nájera were in consideration. Alemán received the backing of the Confederation of Mexican Workers (CTM). Avila Camacho paved the way with the military for Mexico's first civilian president in the modern era. Prior to the summer election,

1450-478: The Mexican ambassador to the U.S.; an ex-governor of the important state of Mexico; and a number of military officers. He gathered further support from some students, peasant groups, and discontented workers. According to historian Daniel Cosío Villegas , Alemán was in contact with former President Cárdenas, warning that the Henríquez challenge was a danger to the new system. Alemán chose Adolfo Ruiz Cortines as

1508-549: The PRI candidate. Once announced in the destape (unveiling of the official candidate), the CTM under the leadership of Fidel Velázquez mobilized their hundreds of thousands of members behind Ruiz. The PRI offered an opening to some Catholics, which was aimed at undermining the candidate for the National Action Party , Efraín González Luna. Marxist politician and labor leader, Vicente Lombardo Toledano ran as well. In

1566-525: The Thunder Bay plant that the work done in Ciudad Sahagún was incompetent. Bombardier tried to accelerate construction by opening an additional production line at its plant in Kingston, Ontario . Miguel Alem%C3%A1n Vald%C3%A9s Miguel Alemán Valdés ( Spanish pronunciation: [miˈɣel aleˈman] ; 29 September 1900 – 14 May 1983) was a Mexican politician who served

1624-650: The US during the Cold War . During his administration the close relationship with the US developed during World War II continued, although he refused to send Mexican troops to participate in the Korean War . In 1947, on the eve of the Cold War , he created the Mexican DFS intelligence agency to support and cooperate with CIA operations in Mexico . Its stated mission was "preserving the internal stability . . . against all forms of subversion". He negotiated

1682-587: The Unifying Committee for Plutarco Elías Calles , which brought him into prominence. He then served as a Senator from his home state of Veracruz 1934–36, representing the Party of the Mexican Revolution (an earlier name of the party later known as the PRI ). When governor-elect Manlio Favio Altamirano was assassinated, Alemán accepted appointment as governor from 1936 to 1939. The appointment can be seen as

1740-502: The accumulated savings to pay off foreign debts, so that Mexico's credit standing substantially improved (increasing investors' confidence in the government). With increased revenues coming from the war effort, the government was now in a position to distribute material benefits from the Revolution more widely; he used funds to subsidize food imports that especially affected urban workers. Workers in Mexico received higher salaries during

1798-698: The arrival of different plants, several economic events (like the arrival of foreign brands in Mexico) forced the Renault plant to shut in 1986, with the loss of 7000 jobs. At Sidena, in state hands, there were liquidity problems due to the looting of its coffers by managers, according to a study by the state government. In the late 1980s, Concarril was taken over by Bombardier , a Canadian equity firm and its transformation brought less paternalistic policies affecting unionized workers, who until then enjoyed privileges such as exemption from property taxes and utilities, which

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1856-613: The bi-national friendliness between the United States and Mexico in the Charro Days and Sombrero Festival celebrations held in Matamoros, Tamaulipas and Brownsville, Texas . In 1987, his memoirs, entitled Remembranzas y testimonios , were published. His son Miguel Alemán Velasco is the CEO of Grupo Alemán (Galem), which included Interjet . Mexican Miracle The Mexican miracle ( Spanish : Milagro mexicano )

1914-449: The city of Acapulco as an international tourist destination. Rampant political corruption and crony capitalism would mark his administration, however, and this would shape the relationship of politics and big business in Mexico until the present day. His successful economic policy led to talk about the Mexican miracle , but only a small elite benefited from economic growth. His administration took an anti-communist stance and supported

1972-409: The company absorbed. By 1993, National Steel filed for bankruptcy due to liquidity problems. In January 2002 Dina closed its last factory (DINA-Trucks). Earlier it had separated from DINA-Buses, acquired by Motor Coach Industries (MCI). Since 2005 new businesses have arrived in the industrial area of Ciudad Sahagún, the result of several government attempts to restore the city's economy. Although it

2030-472: The day he died. Among the civilians were Javier Rojo Gómez, the head of government of the Federal District; Marte R. Gómez, Secretary of Agriculture; Dr. Gustavo Baz, secretary of Health; and Ezequiel Padilla , Secretary of Foreign Relations, and Alemán, who headed the most powerful ministry. Military men were also strong contenders, and all previous post-revolutionary presidents had participated in

2088-600: The end of the military phase of the Mexican Revolution , with Buick and Ford Motor Company bringing production to Mexico in 1921 and 1925 respectively. With a growing middle class consumer market for such expensive consumer goods, the industrial base of Mexico expanded to meet the demand. The government fostered the development of consumer goods industries directed toward domestic markets by imposing high protective tariffs and other barriers to imports . The share of imports subject to licensing requirements rose from 28 percent in 1956 to an average of more than 60 percent during

2146-430: The end, the PRI defeated the opposition parties, taking 74.3% of votes cast, but opposition parties on the left and right showed that the PRI was not completely dominant. This election was the last until the election in 2000 with an open PRI campaign prior to president revealing his choice of successor. Alemán accumulated a fortune during his lifetime. In his post-presidential years, he directed Mexico's tourism agency and

2204-571: The first non-military candidate to win the presidency of Mexico, although he was the son of a revolutionary army general. His own skills within the party that brought him the post of Ministry of the Interior played a key role in his selection. There was no violence surrounding the election and the transfer of power took place peacefully. Alemán was inaugurated as President of the Republic on 1 December 1946 and served until 1952, when barred from running from re-election, he returned to civilian life. He

2262-507: The first vehicle of Constructora Nacional de Carros de Ferrocarril SA ( Concarril ), a rail vehicle manufacturer. At the same time a resolution was sought to the crisis in the textile industry and in 1954 the National Textile Machinery Factory "Toyoda of Mexico" was formed, which later became National Steel (Sidena), which established the three core anchor factory businesses in Ciudad Sahagún. In parallel,

2320-467: The foregone expectation of the next president. He selected Adolfo Ruiz Cortines , with a reputation for honesty and probity, a sharp contrast to his own record of considerable self-enrichment in office. Before the announcement ( destape ), there were rumors that Alemán wanted to hold onto power and the a constitutional amendment to allow re-election or extension of his existing term was in the works. The PRI party founder, Plutarco Elías Calles had remained

2378-432: The general population from the late 1920s through the 1940s. The enrollment rates of the country's youth increased threefold during this period; consequently when this generation was employed by the 1940s their economic output was more productive. Mexico also made investments in higher education that created a generation of scientists, social scientists, and engineers, who enabled Mexican industrial innovation. The founding of

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2436-472: The government's program of import substitution industrialization. Finished goods previously purchased abroad could be produced domestically with the purchase of machinery. One successful industry was textile production. Foreign transnational companies established branches in Mexico, such as Coca-Cola , Pepsi-Cola , and Sears (Mexico) under Mexican laws regulating foreign investment. The automotive industry in Mexico had already been established shortly after

2494-559: The official candidate of the party in 1945, running for president in 1946. There were many possibilities for the president to choose among, both civilian and military, including Avila Camacho's older brother, Maximino Ávila Camacho . The Avila Camacho brothers shared ill health, and Maximino died in February 1945, following a banquet. His death averted a possible political crisis of succession. "There were some who wondered whether something more than seasoning had been added to Maximino's food"

2552-548: The power behind the presidency in the six years after president-elect Alvaro Obregón 's assassination in 1928. That power void had led to the creation of the Partido Nacional Revolucionario , and Calles called the shots during three the presidencies of Emilio Portes Gil , Pascual Ortiz Rubio , and Abelardo L. Rodríguez . He had expected his control to continue during the presidency of his hand-picked candidate Lázaro Cárdenas . However, Cárdenas won

2610-513: The power struggle with Calles, exiling him. When Cárdenas's term was nearing its end in 1940, he did continue the tradition of the president choosing his successor and picked the more conservative Manuel Avila Camacho (1940–46). But in contrast to Calles, Cárdenas stepped away from power, and Avila Camacho was a fully empowered president. When the rumors of Alemán surfaced about seeking to hold onto power, Cárdenas vigorously objected, so although he did not directly take part in politics, he maintained

2668-590: The second was to gain indemnities for miners injured at work. These victories gained him considerable favor with Mexico's labor unions. Alemán started public service with a relatively minor appointment as legal adviser to the Secretary of Agriculture and Livestock (1928–30). Other positions followed, including the Federal Board of Conciliation and Arbitration in 1930. In 1933, he served as the President of

2726-497: The shift of employment from agriculture to industry and services. The urban population increased at a high rate after 1940. Growth of the urban labor force exceeded even the growth rate of industrial employment, with surplus workers taking low-paying service jobs. Mexico's strong economic performance continued into the 1960s, when GDP growth averaged about 7 percent overall and about 3 percent per capita. Consumer price inflation averaged only 3 percent annually. Manufacturing remained

2784-506: The son-in-law of Venustiano Carranza against the Díaz regime. In 1920 the family moved to Mexico City, but with the accession to power of the Sonoran generals Adolfo de la Huerta , Álvaro Obregón , and Plutarco Elías Calles , Alemán González continued in opposition to the government. He was implicated in the murder of one of Obregón's commanders, Arnulfo R. Gómez  [ es ] , and

2842-518: The subsequent elections of Adolfo Ruiz Cortines (1952–58), Adolfo López Mateos (1958–64), and Gustavo Díaz Ordaz (1964–70), there were no political opposition challenges to the government's implementation of economic programs. During the presidency of Lázaro Cárdenas , there were significant policies in the social and political spheres that had impacts on future economic policies in Mexico, in particular nationalization of oil in 1938, as well as land reform, and nationalization of railways. Cárdenas

2900-450: The war, but there was a lack of consumer goods to purchase, so that workers had both personal savings and pent up demand for goods. A key government institution for development, founded under Lázaro Cárdenas's administration was Nacional Financiera (abbreviated Nafin ), the national development bank, which funded the expansion of the industrial sector. Growth was sustained by the government's increasing commitment to primary education for

2958-444: The war. It received cash payments for its material contributions, which meant that following the war the Mexican treasury had robust reserves. Although a participant in the war, like the U.S., Mexico was not a site of combat, so that in the post-war era, Mexico did not need to rebuild damaged infrastructure. However, with the resources available following the war, Mexico embarked on big infrastructure projects. Ávila Camacho used part of

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3016-510: The war. The government spent it heavily on infrastructure, including major dam projects to produce hydroelectric power, supply drinking water to cities and irrigation water to agriculture, and control flooding. By 1950 Mexico's road network had expanded to 21,000 kilometers, of which some 13,600 were paved. The economic stability of the country, high credit rating allowing borrowing, an increasingly educated work force, and savings allowing purchase of consumer goods were excellent conditions for

3074-565: Was director of the Fondo de Cultura Económica ; and Alfonso Noriega Cantú  [ es ] , head of the Confederación de Cámaras Industriales . As a successful attorney, his first practice was in representing miners suffering from silicosis . He won two notable legal victories in representing workers against corporations—the first was in securing compensation for dependents of railroad workers who were killed in revolutionary battles,

3132-485: Was enormously popular prior to his presidency and in his early years as president, but lost support in the waning days of his term. As president he pushed the program of state-supported industrialization in Mexico and was very friendly toward business. This stance on economic development was a key reason he was tapped to be the party's candidate rather than possible candidates with ideas similar to Cárdenas'. This period of rapid growth and industrialization has been dubbed

3190-506: Was on the run. The general met his end in March 1929 in a hail of bullets, probably committing suicide. Young Miguel had experienced first-hand the disruption of the impacts of the continuing violence in Mexico. Alemán's schooling was sporadic in his early years, because of needing to move frequently; he attended schools in Acayucan , Coatzacoalcos , and Orizaba . For a time, he worked at

3248-490: Was succeeded by the politically more moderate Manuel Ávila Camacho , who initiated a program of industrialization in early 1941 with the Law of Manufacturing Industries. One scholar has called the inaugural date of this law "the birthday of the Institutional Revolution," since it was the inception of import substitution industrialization . Further legislation in 1946 under President Miguel Alemán Valdés ,

3306-470: Was the reduction of political turmoil, particularly around national elections, with the creation of a single, dominant party. In 1946, the party founded by Plutarco Elías Calles in the wake of President-elect Álvaro Obregón 's assassination in 1928 changed its name to the Institutional Revolutionary Party . With the party's presidential choice in 1946, Miguel Alemán Valdés , Mexico elected its first civilian president since Francisco I. Madero in 1911. With

3364-561: Was young that when huaraches hurt his feet, he would urinate on them to soften the leather. His father, Miguel Alemán González, began fighting before the outbreak of the Mexican Revolution , a so-called "precursor" in a region of Veracruz state. He avidly read the tracts of Ricardo Flores Magón , of the Mexican Liberal Party and opposed the repressive regime of Porfirio Díaz . Alemán González left his family with his parents to fight with Cándido Aguilar  [ es ] ,

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