This article is about anniversary of Mexican independence from the Spanish Empire. For historical event for which this date is commemorated, see Cry of Dolores.
Public holiday in Mexico
Independence Day of Mexico
Act of Independence
Type
National
Date
16 September
Frequency
Annual
Mexican Independence Day is celebrated on September 16, although the main celebrations, such as Cry of Dolores ("El Grito de Dolores") take place on the evening of September 15. This date marks the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence in 1810, when Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla called for rebellion against the Spanish Empire. The holiday is celebrated throughout the country with patriotic celebrations, music, food, and the traditional Grito at the National Palace.[1]
On October 13 of the same year, the first Political Leader of Mexico City, Ramón Gutiérrez del Mazo, ordered the publication of the proclamation with the Act of Independence for the first time so that the entire population would be aware of the great event, especially the Courts, Chiefs, Governors and other civil and military authorities, so that they in turn would have them published and circulated throughout the nation.[6]
Content
On the afternoon of September 28, the members of the Junta met at the National Palace to draft the Declaration of Independence of the newly independent nation.
Spanish:
Acta de independencia del Imperio Mexicano, pronunciada por la Junta Soberana congregada en la Capital el 28 de septiembre de 1821.
La Nación Mexicana que, por trescientos años, ni ha tenido voluntad propia, ni libre uso de la voz, sale hoy de la opresión en que ha vivido.
Los heroicos esfuerzos de sus hijos han sido coronados, y está consumada la empresa, eternamente memorable, que un genio, superior a toda admiración y elogio, por el amor y gloria de su Patria, principió en Iguala, prosiguió y llevó al cabo, arrollando obstáculos casi insuperables.
Restituida, pues, esta parte del Septentrión al ejercicio de cuantos derechos le concedió el Autor de la Naturaleza y reconocen por inenagenables y sagrados las naciones cultas de la tierra; en libertad de constituirse del modo que más convenga á su felicidad; y con representantes que puedan manifestar su voluntad y sus designios; comienza a hacer uso de tan preciosos dones, y declara solemnemente, por medio de la Junta Suprema del Imperio, que es Nación Soberana, é independiente de la antigua España, con quien, en lo sucesivo, no mantendrá otra unión que la de una amistad estrecha, en los términos que prescribieren los tratados; que entablará relaciones amistosas con las demás potencias y cuantos actos pueden y están en posesión de permitir las otras naciones soberanas: que va á constituirse, con arreglo a las bases que en el Plan de Iguala y Tratado de Córdoba, estableció, sabiamente, el Primer Jefe del Ejercito Imperial de las Tres Garantías; y en fin que sostendrá, á todo trance, y con sacrificio de los haberes y vidas de sus individuos, (si fuere necesario) esta solemne declaración, hecha en la capital del Imperio á 28 de septiembre del año de 1821, primero de la Independencia Mexicana.
Translate English:
Act of Independence of the Mexican Empire, pronounced by the Sovereign Junta assembled in the Capital on September 28, 1821.
The Mexican Nation, which for three hundred years has had neither its own will nor free use of its voice, emerges today from the oppression under which it has lived.
The heroic efforts of its children have been crowned, and the eternally memorable enterprise is accomplished, which a genius, surpassing all admiration and praise, for the love and glory of his homeland, began in Iguala, continued, and carried to completion, overcoming almost insurmountable obstacles.
This part of the North, therefore, restored to the exercise of all the rights granted to it by the Author of Nature and recognized as inalienable and sacred by the cultured nations of the earth; free to constitute itself in the manner most conducive to its happiness; and with representatives who can express its will and designs; It begins to make use of such precious gifts, and solemnly declares, through the Supreme Junta of the Empire, that it is a sovereign nation, independent of the former Spain, with whom, henceforth, it will maintain no union other than that of a close friendship, under the terms prescribed by treaties; that it will establish friendly relations with the other powers and carry out whatever acts the other sovereign nations can and are in a position to permit; that it will be constituted, in accordance with the bases that the First Chief of the Imperial Army of the Three Guarantees wisely established in the Plan of Iguala and the Treaty of Córdoba; and finally, that it will uphold, at all costs, and with the sacrifice of the assets and lives of its individuals (if necessary) this solemn declaration, made in the capital of the Empire on September 28, 1821, the first year of Mexican Independence.
National festivities
16 September was first celebrated in 1812 in Huichapan, Hidalgo.[7] It was given the status of a national holiday in the Constitution of Apatzingán, ratified by the conventions of 1822 and 1824, and first celebrated nationally in 1825.[8]
The Cry of Dolores has assumed an almost mythical status.[9][10] Since the late 20th century, the event has come to symbolize Mexican independence and to initiate Independence Day ceremonies the following day (16 September). Independence Day in Mexico is a patriotic holiday marked by parades, concerts, patriotic programs, drum and bugle and marching band competitions, and special programs on national and local media outlets.[11]
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador at the National Palace balcony during the Grito in Mexico City, 15 September 2023Video of the ceremony in 2022
Every 15 September at around 11p.m., the president of Mexico stands on the balcony of the National Palace in Mexico City and rings the same bell Hidalgo rang in 1810, which was moved to the National Palace. The president then recites a shout of patriotism (a Grito Mexicano) based upon the "Grito de Dolores", with the names of the important heroes of the Mexican War of Independence who were there on that historic day. The Grito ends with the threefold shout of ¡Viva México!
The Grito often differs slightly from year to year to reflect recent sentiments or a preference by the president for a shorter or longer shout. This is the version usually recited by the president of Mexico:
Long live Mexico! Long live Mexico! Long live Mexico!
Beneath the balcony of the National Palace, there is a large crowd in the Plaza de la Constitución (also called the Zócalo) to hear the recitation. The event draws up to half a million spectators from all over Mexico and tourists worldwide. After the president recites each line beginning with "¡Viva(n)!", the crowd responds by repeating, "¡Viva(n)!"
After the recitation, the president rings the bell and waves the flag of Mexico to the crowd's applause.
This is followed by the playing of the Mexican national anthem by a military band from the Mexican Armed Forces, with the crowd singing along. The ceremonies conclude with a spectacular fireworks display at the Zócalo grounds which are fired along traditional mexican music. In more recent years, projection mapping has also been used over the National Palace as well as over the facade of the Cathedral.
On the morning of 16 September, or Independence Day, the national military parade in honor of the holiday starts in the Zócalo and its outskirts, passes the Hidalgo Memorial, and ends on the Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City's main boulevard, passing the "Ángel de la Independencia" memorial column and other places along the way.
Recent exceptions
Grito de Dolores, 16 September 1810Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato, Mexico
The Grito is not always re-enacted at the National Palace; some years, it is performed in Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato, where it originally happened. This is especially common in the final year of a President's term.
President Felipe Calderón made an exception by re-enacting the Grito in Dolores Hidalgo as part of the bicentennial celebrations on 16 September 2010, even though he had already done so the night before from the National Palace balcony to launch the celebrations.[12][13] As a result, in 2012, Calderón's final year as president, he did not go to Dolores Hidalgo but gave the Grito from the National Palace balcony instead. President Enrique Peña Nieto did not perform the Grito in Dolores Hidalgo in his six years as president, becoming the fourth president to break the tradition.
Many presidents add their "personal touch" to the Grito, and this can be controversial. President Vicente Fox frequently took liberties with it, adding and removing items, addressing Mexicans of both genders, and wishing long life to "our agreements" in 2001.[14] Peña Nieto gave "vivas" to victims of recent earthquakes in 2017.
During Peña Nieto's presidency, the Grito became an occasion for political protest against him and his Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). On 15 September 2016, thousands of citizens marched, yelled, and carried signs. They tried to enter the Zócalo during the Grito but were blocked by a wall of soldiers.[15] News outlets within Mexico failed to acknowledge the protest. The event was well-attended, but opponents charged that the PRI brought acarreados (poor people or hand-picked party members) as a fake show of support.[16]
The Grito was also disrupted in 2006 by a demonstration called the plantón. Crowds loyal to losing candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador protested alleged irregularities in the just-concluded general election, and the Grito could not be delivered at the Zócalo but was spoken at the National Palace.[17] López Obrador won the presidency in 2018.
Celebrations by governors and municipal presidents
Municipal president giving the "grito" of "¡Viva México!" at the commencement of Independence Day festivities at 11 p.m. on 16 September 2008 in Ixmiquilpan, Hidalgo
Similar celebrations to the presidential one occur in cities and towns throughout Mexico, as well as Mexican embassies and consulates worldwide on 15 or 16 September. The chief executive, ambassador, or consul rings a bell and recites the traditional words, including the names of independence heroes and local patriots, and ends with the threefold shout of ¡Viva México! The bell rings again, the Mexican flag is waved, and everyone sings the National Anthem, followed by fireworks. There are also celebrations in schools throughout Mexico, and in these cases, whenever the bell ringing is reenacted, the school or university head utters the traditional words. Celebrations also take place outside of Mexico, such as in U.S. states that have a large concentration of people of Mexican heritage who celebrate the holiday.[19]
U.S. observances
Monument to the Grito de Dolores in Los Angeles, California.
As Mexico has historically been one of the largest sources of tourism to the region, the U.S. city of Las Vegas is known for hosting cultural events—including concerts and sporting events—that appeal to Mexicans and Hispanic Americans on and around 16 September.[20][21] In the United States, National Hispanic Heritage Month also begins on 15 September; the date was chosen due to its proximity to the independence day of Mexico and other Latin American countries.[20][21][22]
Since the early 1990s, boxing cards with main events involving top Mexican fighters have been a fixture of Independence Day weekend in Las Vegas. While U.S.-hosted fights on the weekend date back as far as the 1970s, the tradition of hosting these fights in Las Vegas was first established by Julio César Chávez and his manager Don King, who fought annually during Independence Day week from 1991 to 1995. All but one of these bouts were held in Las Vegas, with his 1993 fight against Pernell Whitaker occurring at San Antonio's Alamodome instead. The tradition was later taken up by other boxers of Mexican descent, such as Oscar De La Hoya and Canelo Álvarez.[23] The tradition has also been extended to mixed martial arts, with UFC beginning to host a Las Vegas event on the weekend promoted as Noche UFC beginning with 2023's UFC Fight Night: Grasso vs. Shevchenko 2 (with a main event featuring the promotion's first women's champion of Mexican descent, Alexa Grasso), and UFC 306 in 2024 (where all but one of the matches featured at least one fighter of Mexican or Mexican-American descent).[24][25]
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