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Benito Juarez was reeling in the Mexican state of Chihuahua when Imperial general Agustin Brincourt decided not only to leave the (capital) city of Chihuahua in August 1865, which had been declared the temporary/emergency capital of Republican Mexico, but the state altogether shortly thereafter. This allowed Juarez to reclaim the city and state soon afterwards, even though he had fled to Carrizal about 70 miles south of the US border. Officially, Imperial forces did not want to risk the wrath of the United States should Juarez flee across the border, unofficially the US began stirrings of possible intervention by December. Suppose Brincourt or his capable superior Bazaine (whose Mexican wife's family were Juarez supporters) actually proceed north and take Juarez or kill him on the battlefield - what happens? Can Imperial Mexico survive or will it still fall to Republicans or another Emperor (Bazaine was accused of having eyes on the throne himself)? If it survives, how does it do in the late 19th/20th centuries?
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