Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of a significant Mexican victory, not Mexico’s Independence Day. Mexico declared its independence from Spain on September 16, 1810. The May 5th holiday commemorates the Battle of Puebla in 1862, where the Mexican army fought against French forces.
Following the Mexican-American War in 1846, which established new borders after Texas became the 28th U.S. state, Mexico faced political and economic instability. The Mexican Civil War, lasting from 1858 to 1861, further weakened the country. To address its financial problems, Mexico borrowed heavily from European nations, including England, Spain, and France.
In 1862, these three European powers arrived in Mexico to demand repayment. Their navies came to collect debts and seek land as compensation. Mexico proposed vouchers as a temporary solution. England and Spain accepted this offer and withdrew. However, France, under Napoleon III, invaded Mexico with the aim of gaining complete control. French troops advanced from the coast towards Mexico City. On May 5, 1862, they were halted in the state of Puebla, where the Battle of Puebla took place.
Despite being outnumbered and having fewer weapons, the Mexican soldiers in Puebla, led by General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín, successfully defeated the French army. Although this victory at Puebla only temporarily delayed the French occupation of Mexico City (which occurred a year later), it demonstrated the bravery and determination of the Mexican people in defending their sovereignty against imperialist forces. Cinco de Mayo honors this spirit.
Interestingly, Cinco de Mayo is not widely celebrated in most of Mexico. However, the Battle of Puebla is traditionally reenacted annually on May 5th in places like Mexico City and Puebla. Participants dress as French and Mexican soldiers, and women wear the attire of the “soldaderas,” who provided essential support to the soldiers during wartime.
These reenactments sometimes involve symbolic weapons like machetes and old rifles for the Mexican side, and wine bottles for the French soldiers. Some accounts even mention minor injuries during these staged battles. In other reenactments, fruit is used as harmless ammunition.
Cinco de Mayo has gained significant popularity in the United States as a celebration of Mexican-American culture and heritage, similar to how St. Patrick’s Day, Oktoberfest, and Chinese New Year celebrate Irish, German, and Chinese cultures, respectively. Many Americans, regardless of their ethnicity, now observe Cinco de Mayo.
Across the United States, numerous events and festivities featuring Mexican food, drinks, music, and traditions take place during the first week of May. As a result, Cinco de Mayo has become a more prominent holiday in the U.S. than in Mexico and continues to be embraced by a growing number of people each year.
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