Cinco de Mayo is celebrated on May 5th every year. It commemorates Mexico's unexpected victory over France in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. The conflict between the two countries had begun in 1861, after Benito Juárez, then the president of Mexico, suspended the nation’s foreign debt payments, and Napoleon III responded by sending French troops to invade.
The victory was a significant morale boost for Mexico and came to symbolize unity and patriotism. Cinco de Mayo is not a federal holiday in Mexico but is celebrated in Puebla and other parts of the country with parades, speeches, and reenactments of the battle.
In the United States, Cinco de Mayo has become a popular celebration of Mexican culture and heritage. It is often marked by parties, parades, and festivals featuring traditional Mexican food, music, and dance. The holiday has been embraced by many Americans as an opportunity to celebrate diversity and multiculturalism.
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