Who was the most famous leader of New Mexico?

Answer 1

Perhaps Territorial Governor Lew Wallace, author of Ben Hur.

Or consider Po'pay of the Pueblo revolt against Spain in August of 1680

Perhaps Billy the Kid for his leadership of a small group of ner-do-wells in the Lincoln County War who is well known today in part by Movie Portrayals.

Another to consider would be Don Juan de Onate who led a harsh rule of the Pueblos. (After the Acoma Pueblo Revolt which resulted in the death of 13 Spaniards, he retaliated by killing 800, enslaving 500 women and children and punishing the surviving males over the age of 25 by amputating the left foot of 80 of the survivors of what became known as the Acoma Massacre).

Kit Carson, a long time Taos resident deserves consideration. He was respected by the Native Americans, the Mexicans and the US Army who made him a Colonel and put him in charge of the Navajo Removal to the Bosque Redondo Reservation, a task that he opposed but carried out. The Long Walk, near starvation and broken promises to the 8,500 Navajo that Carson brought in tarnished his reputation and broke the long bond of brotherhood that he had shared with the Native Americans. He left his Taos home in shame and went to Colorado where he died. Some have blamed him for the death of thousands of Native Americans, but others still consider him among the best of the American Mountain Men and a man justly honored.

Answer 2

Benito Juarez (1806-1872) is regarded as the greatest president Mexico has ever had, for many reasons:

He was the first Mexican leader who did not have a military background, and also the first full-blooded indigenous national (he was a Zapotec Amerindian) to serve as President of Mexico and to lead a country in the Western Hemisphere in over 300 years.

He served five terms as president of Mexico: 1858--1861 as interim, 1861-1865, 1865-1867, 1867-1871 and 1871-1872.

For resisting the French occupation, overthrowing the Empire, and restoring the Republic, as well as for his efforts to modernize the country, Juarez is often regarded as Mexico's greatest and most beloved leader.

Answer 3

Two of them would be Benito Juarez (1806-1872) who is the most beloved president Mexico has, and Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna (1794-1876), a controversial character who is responsible of Mexico becoming a republic, a dictatorial state and also by losing half the territory to the US during both the Texas Revolution and the Mexican-American War.