The escape: A local approach to Francisco I. Madero’s flight from San Luis Potosí on October 8, 1910

Abstract

This article aims to reconstruct in detail the final hours of Francisco I. Madero in the city of San Luis Potosí, and to explain how his escape was planned, who was involved, and in which specific locations within the capital the events took place, in the immediate context preceding the outbreak of the Mexican Revolution. This qualitative study is based on previously unpublished documents donated on May 16, 2022, by the Alvarado Mascorro family to the Historical Archive of the State of San Luis Potosí “Lic. Antonio Rocha” – identified as the “Jesús Mascorro Collection.” Through the analysis of primary sources – particularly the memoirs of railway worker Jesús Mascorro Cancino and his brothers – this article offers a meticulous reconstruction of this episode from a local perspective. Such an approach allows for an understanding of how a pivotal moment in national history emerged from local, everyday actions. It is worth noting that this is the first time these documents have been subject to academic scrutiny, providing an original and detailed account of the events.