The Científicos were a circle of technocratic advisors to President of Mexico Porfirio Díaz.
Steeped in the positivist "scientific politics", they functioned as part of his program of modernization at the start of the 20th century.
Antonio V. Hernández Benavides and Pablo Macedo Saravia, founders of the Banco Central Mexicano (Mexican Central Bank) with Justo Sierra, minister for Education
Left to right: Justo Sierra, Luis Terrazas, Olegario Molina, Vice President Ramón Corral, President Porfirio Díaz, Enrique Creel, José Yves Limantour, Manuel González de Cosío, Antonio V. Hernández
José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori, known as Porfirio Díaz, was a Mexican general, politician, and later dictator who served seven terms as President of Mexico, a total of 35 years, from 28 November 1876 to 6 December 1876, 17 February 1877 to 1 December 1880, and 1 December 1884 to 25 May 1911. The entire period from 1876 to 1911 is often referred to as the Porfiriato, and has been characterized as a de facto dictatorship.
Porfirio Díaz, c. 1910
María Petrona Mori Cortés, mother of Porfirio Díaz, photo c. 1854 in Oaxaca
A young Porfirio Díaz, at the time of the Intervention
Díaz' victory in the Battle of Miahuatlán opened the way for his recapture of Oaxaca City
