Benito Juárez defended a republic against the French-backed Mexican Empire.
Juárez was the liberal president of Mexico during the French intervention. After French forces captured Mexico City and installed Maximilian, Juárez continued the republican government and resisted from locations outside the capital. His administration maintained that Mexico should remain a sovereign republic rather than become a European-backed monarchy.
Republican forces gradually regained territory as French support diminished. France withdrew its troops, and Maximilian was captured and executed in 1867. Juárez then returned to Mexico City and continued as president until his death in 1872.
The Battle of Puebla, celebrated by Cinco de Mayo, occurred before the empire was established. The victory did not end the intervention, but it became an important symbol of the republic’s ability to resist a powerful foreign army.