Saul Uribe Ahuja

(Orizaba, Veracruz, 1928-2020)

Saúl Uribe Ahuja, lawyer-humanist, historian and great philanthropist, was born in Orizaba, Veracruz in 1928. He began his studies at the Simón Bolívar School, during the presidency of Lázaro Cárdenas, during the educational policy of the socialist school. His formation was marked by the confessional character of the Lasallian Brothers, under whose pedagogical seal he concluded his secondary and high school studies.

In 1946 he joined the School of Jurisprudence of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), in the old San Ildefonso building. His ability and dedication was rewarded with the "Miguel Lanz Duret Award", for having obtained an outstanding average in his university studies. In this way, and under the guidance of outstanding jurists and teachers such as Preciado Hernández and Héctor González Uribe, as well as Carlos Franco Sodi and Francisco González de la Vega in Criminal Law, he acquired the knowledge that would forge the distinguished character of his professional career.

His work as a lawyer stands out in a remarkable way since the foundation of his law firm. From that moment on, he litigated emblematic cases, such as the defense of the people who broke the rock destined to foundations in Pedregal de San Angel, called the "Flintstones"; he also fought the patrimony of the "Gonzalo Río Arronte" Foundation, among other cases that gave him prestige as a litigator.

In 1950 he inherited from his father the Hacienda de San Francisco Ocotepec, in the Llanos de Apan. The place would have been owned by the heroine "Benemérita Madre de la Patria", Leona Vicario, first journalist and Mujer Prócer, correspondent of our war of independence. Years later, in 2020, Don Saul would get the Congress of the Union to declare 2020 as "Year of Leona Vicario", with the support of Congresswoman Marivel Solis Barrera. He also managed to move the spirit of a group of distinguished Mexicans in science from the scientific, cultural, artistic, political and, of course, journalistic fields, to create the "Fundación Leona Vicario".

Because of his affection for history, Saul rebuilt the old house of the Hacienda de Ocotepec, enriched it and took care of it to enhance the estate and preserve the objects belonging to the historic owner, until the place was declared a "Historic Monument" by the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).

Likewise, through important research and legal organization, she contributed directly to UNESCO declaring the Tembleque Aqueduct a "World Heritage Site" in July 2015. Unique work, cultural heritage of the state of Hidalgo, with 43 km of perfectly preserved development, undoubtedly the longest and highest aqueduct in the world.

Throughout his life, he gathered a collection of more than 45,000 volumes in his personal library, curated by a great intellectual thirst and Don Saul's characteristic passion for historical work. The books remained under Don Saúl's jealous care at the Hacienda de San Francisco Ocotepec, until 2017 when he made the decision to donate them to the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, an institution to which he showed his unconditional affection whenever he saw the opportunity to do so. The copies remain in the custody of the Central Library of the Maximum House of Studies in Hidalgo, for their preservation and benefit of all the people from Hidalgo and visitors.

In the last years of his illustrious life, Don Saúl became a distinguished member of the Federation of Associations of Mexican Journalists (FAPERMEX), and of the National College of Journalism Graduates (CONALIPE), in Mexicali, Baja California. He was also recognized as an academic in the community of the National Academy of History and Geography (ANHG) under the auspices of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). These achievements confirmed the undeniable greatness of Mr. Uribe's intellectual work.

As a token of mutual affection and broad recognition of his career, Mtro. Adolfo Pontigo Loyola, rector of the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, presented him in 2018, during the First Report of the University Administration 2017-2023, with the statuette "Spiritus Universitas" as a benefactor of our house of studies, which represents the university zeal characteristic in people of genuine will for knowledge and learning, people of high academic and social commitment and, of course, of firm and remarkable moral conviction.