LAUSR

Throughout Porfirio Diaz’s public life, and especially during the regime in which he served as president, a wide variety of illustrated satirical newspapers were published in Mexico, many of which used caricature as part of their strategy of praise or criticism. Diaz was repeatedly depicted in these caricatures but in ways that presented contrasting visions of his character, depending on whether the newspapers were published by his partisans or opponents. Examining these representations allows us to understand the way Diaz was understood by his contemporaries, or alternately the way in which they wanted him to be perceived. In this context, these caricatures allow us to analyze the dichotomous visions that were constructed of his character during his own time and to understand their impact on the contemporary and subsequent historiography.