Cinco de Mayo: More Than Just a Party, The History of Mexico's Heroic Victory

Liputan6.com, Jakarta - Every May 5th, the world celebrates Cinco de Mayo, a day often misunderstood but with profound historical significance for Mexico.

This celebration commemorates the unexpected victory of Mexican troops over the Second French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862.

This is not simply a celebration, but a symbol of resilience and national pride.

The victory at Puebla provided a significant morale boost for the Mexican army and people, helping to build a sense of unity amidst the protracted conflict.

Although the Battle of Puebla did not directly end the war, this heroic event remains a vital part of Mexican identity.

In the United States, Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a vibrant and more widely recognized Mexican-American cultural celebration.

Cinco de Mayo is often refered as Mexican Independence Day, while it is actually celebrated on September 16th, commemorating the "Grito de Dolores" of 1810, which began the Mexican War of Independence from Spain.

Cinco de Mayo has its roots in the second French intervention in Mexico, which occurred after a series of internal conflicts.

Following the Mexican-American War (1846–48) and the Reform War (1858–61), Mexico's treasury was nearly bankrupt.

On July 17, 1861, Mexican President Benito Juárez issued a moratorium, suspending all foreign debt payments for two years.

This decision angered France, Britain, and Spain, Mexico's creditors, who sent navies to the Mexican coast to demand payment.

Britain and Spain subsequently negotiated and withdrew their troops, but France, under Napoleon III, saw this as an opportunity to expand its empire by establishing a satellite state in Mexico.

This ambition led to the French invasion and the Battle of Puebla.

A French force of approximately 6,000 to 8,000 soldiers, under the command of General Charles de Lorencez, marched from Veracruz toward Mexico City.

They encountered fierce resistance from Mexican forces near Puebla, specifically at the forts of Loreto and Guadalupe.

On May 5, 1862, a poorly equipped Mexican force of 4,000 men decisively defeated a French force of 6,500–8,000.

General Ignacio Zaragoza, a Mexican military officer and politician, led the Mexican forces in this battle.

While this victory did not end the war, it was a profoundly symbolic victory that galvanized Mexican resistance and national pride.

Zaragoza himself died of typhus four months after the battle, at the age of 33.

In Mexico, the commemoration of the Battle of Puebla is largely ceremonial, with military parades and battle re-enactments.

The city of Puebla, where the battle took place, marks the event with various festivals and battle re-enactments, including the Festival International de Puebla.

Although not a national holiday throughout Mexico, all public schools across Mexico are closed on May 5.

It is an official holiday in the state of Puebla and also a full holiday in the neighboring state of Veracruz.

In the United States, Cinco de Mayo is far more popular than in Mexico, and has become associated with Mexican-American cultural celebrations.

The celebration originated in Columbia, California, and gained national popularity in the 1980s thanks to advertising campaigns by beer, wine, and tequila companies.

Today, Cinco de Mayo generates beer sales comparable to the Super Bowl.

In the US, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated with parades featuring mariachi bands, traditional dancers, floats, and Mexican food and drinks.

The celebration became a symbol of Mexican-American identity and pride in the 1960s, and in 2005, the US Congress officially recognized Cinco de Mayo as a national holiday.