Porfiriato

After Mexico’s independence in 1821, the War of Reform in 1860, and the French intervention of 1867, Porfirio Díaz became president of Mexico for over 30 years to give the country some “stability”. During his administration, “modernity” “order” and “progress” were brought to the front lines in terms of communications, technology, architecture, and, especially, hygiene. Díaz’s ideas of a strong nation came from European-center knowledge, leading him to command the innovation of the sewer system of Mexico City, hospitals, and the first mental health asylum in the country. Nutrition became a big part of his agenda as well, where Mexico transformed from the corn industry to one of wheat. And although much of Diaz’s commands were directly influenced by eugenics, racism, and eurocentrism, his administration made possible the spread of hygiene standards and health system that we see in Mexico today.

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