Centenary of the death of Yucatan governor Felipe Carrillo Puerto. A socialist project with an “indigenous facet”

This article examines the socialist project of Yucatán governor Felipe Carrillo Puerto from 1922 to 1924, renowned for his radical reforms. Special attention is given to the development of his political views, particularly the formation of the concepts of "Mayanism" and "Mayan Renaissance" as the core ideology of Yucatecan socialism. The work emphasizes the political practice of the socialist government, which considered the ethnic structure of the region when selecting political strategies. The rural indigenous population, which constituted the majority of the state, became a mass base of support for Carrillo Puerto's policies aimed at achieving social justice. Analysis of the correspondence between the Yucatán governor and the famous argentine socialist J. Ingenieros reveals that, in Carrillo Puerto's view, the socialist idea prioritized the revival of the Mayan race in political, economic, and cultural aspects. The expansion of political participation by the indigenous rural population was facilitated by the Resistance Leagues—organizational units of the Southeast Socialist Party that combined the functions of a trade union, political club, and educational center, playing a crucial role in shaping Yucatecan socialism. It was concluded that the "Yucatecan" version of socialism contributed, on the one hand, to the legitimation of the new revolutionary government, and on the other hand, was used to construct a regional identity contrasting with the federal government's project, which aimed at integrating the indigenous population into a unified Mexican nation and erasing its cultural distinctiveness.