Editing Benito Juárez (section)

===Flight from the capital===
[[File:Los valientes no asesinan.jpg|thumb|Juárez was saved by [[Guillermo Prieto]] from execution by Conservative troops on 13 March 1858 in [[Guadalajara]].]]

In the face of increasing opposition however and with civil conflict already erupting in the state of [[Puebla]], the moderate President Comonfort sought to distance himself from the Constitution of 1857 and by December was already announcing that the Constitution ought to be reformed. Chief Justice Juárez rebuffed Comonfort's invitation to join him in abandoning the constitution.{{sfn|Burke|1894|p=72}} On 17 December, Conservatives led by [[Felix Zuloaga]] proclaimed the [[Plan of Tacubaya]], which dissolved congress and invited Comonfort to accept the presidency with extraordinary powers in a [[self-coup]]. Comonfort "felt that by temporarily assuming dictatorial powers he could hold the extremists on both sides in check and pursue a middle course, always his object. It soon became obvious that such an assumption was merely wishful thinking."<ref>Scholes, ''Mexican Politics During the Juárez Regime'', 23</ref> Comonfort accepted and had Juárez imprisoned in the capital.{{sfn|Burke|1894|p=73}}

Comonfort however had blundered in overestimating the support he could expect among the state governors. The strategic port state of [[Veracruz]] disowned the Plan of Tacubaya, and Comonfort realized that the country had begun to fragment into civil war. This was much more than he had intended, and he began to back away from the Conservatives. Juárez was released from prison on 11 January 1858,{{sfn|Burke|1894|p=73}} shortly before Comonfort himself left the country, the presidency thus passing over to Juárez who as Chief Justice was next in line to succeed the presidency.{{sfn|Burke|1894|p=75}} Meanwhile, the Conservatives elected Zuloaga as their president.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last1=Vanderwood |first1=Paul |last2=Weis |first2=Robert |date=2018-05-24 |title=The Reforma Period in Mexico |url=https://oxfordre.com/latinamericanhistory/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199366439.001.0001/acrefore-9780199366439-e-581 |access-date=2022-08-21 |website=Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Latin American History |language=en |doi=10.1093/acrefore/9780199366439.013.581|isbn=978-0-19-936643-9 }}</ref>

As Mexico City fell into the hands of the Conservatives, President Juárez transferred himself to [[Guanajuato City]], where on 19 January, he assembled his cabinet and vowed to defend the Constitution through war if necessary. The states of [[Tamaulipas]], [[Sinaloa]], [[Durango]], [[Jalisco]], [[Tabasco]], [[San Luis Potosi]], [[Oaxaca]], [[Guanajuato]], and [[Veracruz]] proclaimed their loyalty to the Juárez government.{{sfn|Burke|1894|p=75}}

The first year of the Reform War as it would come to be known, was marked by repeated Conservative victories, albeit indecisive ones. On 10 March 1858, the Liberals lost the [[Battle of Salamanca (1858)|Battle of Salamanca]], near Juárez’ base in [[Guanajuato City]], upon which he and his government retreated to [[Guadalajara]].{{sfn|Burke|1894|p=77}} While the Liberal government was ensconced there, the garrison mutinied against them, and Juárez along with his ministers which included [[Melchor Ocampo]] and [[Guillermo Prieto]] were imprisoned. The commander of the garrison, Colonel Landa, was far from having effective control over the entire city. Landa offered Juárez his liberty if he would order the remaining Liberal troops in Guadalajara to surrender. Juárez refused and Landa responded by ordering his troops to shoot the prisoners.{{sfn|Burke|1894|p=78}}

Guillermo Prieto intervened, and the soldiers hesitated. Landa did not repeat his orders, and it was at this point that a Liberal body of troops under Miguel Cruz de Aedo arrived in order to negotiate. Landa was allowed to leave Guadalajara, and the Liberal prisoners were released as well.{{sfn|Burke|1894|p=79}}

Juárez and his cabinet now made their way to the port of [[Manzanillo, Colima|Manzanillo]] from which they embarked for the Liberal stronghold of Veracruz by way of Panama. On 4 May 1858, Juárez arrived in Veracruz where the government of Manuel Gutiérrez Zamora was stationed with General [[Ignacio de la Llave]].<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/mexicotodayencyc00coer |title=Mexico: An Encyclopedia of Contemporary Culture and History |publisher=abc-clio |year=2004 |isbn=978-1576071328 |location=Denver, Colorado; Oxford, England |pages=[https://archive.org/details/mexicotodayencyc00coer/page/n271 245]–246 |url-access=limited}}</ref> Upon his arrival Juárez was joined by his wife and greeted with enthusiasm by the population.{{sfn|Burke|1894|p=80}}