Don Pedro Lascurain, convinced, handed him the paper with the resignation of Madero and Suarez. The next day General Huerta was visited by the Belgian, Spanish and Japanese Ministers who asked him to guarantee the life of the ex-President and Vice-president. Huerta answered: “Gentlemen, will you guarantee to me that if I permit Madero and Suarez to go out of Mexico, that they will not start another revolution against my government in the United States?” The three diplomats declared that they could not give such promises. “Then,” he exclaimed, “gentlemen, how can I be made responsible for their lives?” The diplomats left the general without answering. As the price of blood, the generals and the civilians demanded the heads of Madero and Suarez; the most insistent of all was Don Rodolfo Reyes, who called for victims to avenge the death of his father in front of the National Palace. Adolfo Basso’s life was also sacrificed with that of Gustavo Madero’s. The Huerta Cabinet went into power like a Black Hand Cabinet, after the assassination of its enemies. This infamous list should be remembered by all who are interested in the reconstruction of Mexico, and who speak of amnesty. General Huerta, Provisional President. L. de la Barra, Foreign Affairs. A. García Granados, Interior. Rodolfo Reyes, Justice. T. Esquivel Obregon, Finance. General Mondragon, War. J. Vera Estañol, Instruction. A. Robles Gil, Fomento. CHAPTER V HUERTA IN POWER--THE LANDING OF AMERICAN MARINES IN VERA CRUZ When we speak of revolutions we must consider three facts. First, that in Mexico’s history there have been only three real revolutions: the revolution which overthrew Spanish rule, the three years’ war (1857-60), and the Madero revolution, which began with the overturning of the Diaz régime and was continued by the Carranza revolution and the flight of Huerta. Secondly, it must be remembered that all other political and military upheavals, of long or short duration, cannot be called revolutions but are in fact either mutinies or revolts or coups d’état or as the Mexicans call them “cuartelazos.” And lastly, that no revolution can hope of success unless it is backed by the majority of the middle class, and no successful revolution can be organized with foreign and especially American money with concessionary strings attached to it. General Huerta with a soldier’s training and temperament, and an unsympathetic knowledge of his country’s history, thought that for the sake of getting and staying in power the control of the army was the only possible road. Not only Huerta, but his most prominent supporters made the mistake of confusing cruelty, brutality and treachery with power.