Día de la Bandera (Flag Day) was founded in 1937 by the then President of Mexico, General Lazaro Cardenas. The event took place in front of a monument dedicated to General Vicente Guerrero – the first to pledge allegiance to the Mexican flag in 1821. However, the origins of the day can be traced back to 1935, when Benito Ramirez, an employee of the Mexican bank, raised a special honor guard to celebrate the Mexican flag.
In 1821, the Mexican flag was designed by Jose Magdaleno Ocampo with three colors representing religion, independence and unity – the three main guarantees of the Iguala Project. The Mexican flag, commonly known as the “Pendon Trigarante”, was designed shortly after Mexico gained independence from Spain. Today, these colors represent hope, purity and blood.
This is the day to commemorate Spain’s 11-year struggle for independence, known as the War of Independence. The war with Spain lasted from 1810 to 1821, after which the Catholic monarchy was overthrown and Mexico was declared a federal republic (1823) and consolidated in the 1824 constitution. While not an official holiday in Mexico, it is still a proud day as Mexicans raise the flag on buildings and businesses and watch the military raise a huge Mexican flag too. Other festivities include military and civilian military parades and official events at Mexico’s National Palace. Community celebrations can include plays and historical reenactments.
Complete News Source : National Today
