Cristero War: The Rebellion against the Mexican Government's Anti-Catholic Laws

The Cristero War, also known as the Cristero Rebellion or La Cristiada [la kistjaa], was a widespread and deeply significant conflict that unfolded in central and western Mexico during the late 1920s. It was primarily driven by a violent response to the secularist and anti-clerical provisions of the 1917 Mexican Constitution, which sought to curtail the influence of the Catholic Church over the country's political and social life. The Constitution introduced sweeping reforms, including the restriction of church property rights and the severe limitations placed on the clergy’s ability to engage in public life.


This growing tension reached a boiling point when President Plutarco Elías Calles, who came into power in 1924, took decisive action to enforce these secular provisions. In 1926, Calles issued an executive order to aggressively implement Article 130 of the 1917 Constitution, known as the Calles Law. This law effectively outlawed many aspects of Catholicism in Mexico, including the practice of the religion in public spaces, the establishment of religious orders, and the public involvement of the clergy in education and politics. Calles' aim was to reduce the power of the Catholic Church, which had long been one of the most influential institutions in Mexican society, and to curb what he perceived as an obstacle to modernization and national unity.