Bernardo Reyes

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Bernardo Reyes
Portrait of Bernardo Reyes c. 1901
Governor of Nuevo León
In office 29 December 1902 – 24 October 1909
Preceded by	Pedro Benítez Leal
Succeeded by	José María Mier
In office 19 December 1897 – 23 January 1900
Preceded by	Carlos Félix Ayala
Succeeded by	Pedro Benítez Leal
In office 23 May 1896 – 3 December 1897
Preceded by	Carlos Berardi
Succeeded by	Carlos Félix Ayala
In office 4 October 1889 – 21 April 1896
Preceded by	Lázaro Garza Ayala
Succeeded by	Carlos Berardi
In office 12 December 1885 – 4 October 1887
Preceded by	Mauro A. Sepúlveda
Succeeded by	Lázaro Garza Ayala
Secretary of War and Navy
In office 25 January 1900 – 24 December 1902
President	Porfirio Díaz
Preceded by	Felipe Berriozábal
Succeeded by	Francisco Zacarías Mena
Personal details
Born	(1850-08-30)30 August 1850 Guadalajara, Mexico
Died	February 9, 1913(1913-02-09) (aged 62) Mexico City, Mexico
Signature
Military service
Branch/service	Mexican Army
Years of service	1865-1913
Rank	General
Battles/wars	Second French intervention in Mexico Mexican Revolution

Bernardo Doroteo Reyes Ogazón (30 August 1850 – 9 February 1913) was a Mexican general and politician who fought in the Second French intervention in Mexico and served as the appointed Governor of Nuevo León for more than two decades during the Porfiriato. During Reyes's administration as Governor, the state made important economic, industrial and social advances, and he was one of the closest and most faithful allies of President of Mexico Porfirio Díaz. He was killed during a failed coup d'état (known as the Ten Tragic Days) against President Francisco I. Madero in the first stage of the Mexican Revolution.

Born in a prominent liberal family in the western state of Jalisco, he served in the army, rising to the rank of general. Like his political patron, General Porfirio Díaz, Reyes was a military man who became an able administrator. He helped in the modernization of that state, enabling local industrialization, improving public education and health, and supporting improvements in the lives of workers.^[1][2] While governor of Nuevo León, Reyes approved a workers compensation law.^[3]

In 1900, Díaz named Reyes the Secretary of War and Navy. He expanded the military, establishing the Second Reserve. However, he resigned from office after two years amid political conflict with the Cientificos, a circle of technocratic advisors to Diaz who saw the Second Reserve as a private army loyal to Reyes,^[4] and returned to Nuevo León, where his popularity grew. The Second Reserve was disbanded, but Reyes was considered a political counterweight to the Cientificos and a likely successor to Díaz. Reyista clubs supporting him for the presidency were formed, but he declined to challenge Díaz in the election of 1910.

After being forced from office in 1909, he embarked on a European tour and did not return until after Diaz was deposed in 1910 by Francisco I. Madero.