The Ten Tragic Days during the Mexican Revolution is the name now given to a multi-day coup d'etat in Mexico City by opponents of the democratically-elected president of Mexico between 9 - 19 February 1913. "The Decena Trágica is the best-known episode of Madero's life and movement." It instigated a new phase of the Mexican Revolution. The ten days of violence, the aim was to "create the illusion of chaos necessary to induce Madero to step down" from the presidency. Rebels led by General Félix Díaz, nephew of ex-president, Porfirio Díaz, and General Bernardo Reyes, escaped from jail and rallied forces to overthrow President Francisco I. Madero. The coup was strongly supported by U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Henry Lane Wilson, who was implacably opposed to Madero remaining in power. Madero had retained the Mexican Federal Army after rebels had forced the resignation of President Porfirio Díaz. The head of the Mexican Federal Army, General Victoriano Huerta, ostensibly the defender of Madero government defected to the rebels, who sought the return of the old political order.