Armed Confrontations with the Federal Army in Jalisco During 1914: A Regional Approach to the Mexican Revolution

Abstract

When discussing the impact of the Mexican Revolution in Jalisco, it is commonly assumed that the Revolution arrived with the Constitutionalist forces (Carrancistas), while local actions have been relegated to the realm of banditry, being regarded as lacking both a political banner and national significance. Nevertheless, these local movements can be understood as an important factor in the destabilization of the Federal Army, particularly during 1913 and 1914, when small groups of armed civilians confronted government forces. In response, these insurgencies were delegitimized through the imposition of the label “bands of bandits” (gavillas de bandoleros). However, these armed uprisings constituted a significant antecedent to the military impact of the Mexican Revolution in Jalisco.