FRESNO -- As peculiar as the battle of Puebla itself, which was won by a modest Mexican army against the French occupants in 1862, are the versions of the meaning of the enthusiasm in which 5 de Mayo is celebrated in the United States.
That without taking into consideration that the dispute between Texas and California as to who initiated the celebrations, according to different history specialists and experts.
"During the time of the French Intervention in México (1862-1867), the president in turn, Benito Juárez, was forced to establish his government out of the Capital and transferred the power to Ciudad Juárez, which was well received by the Mexicans who had stayed on this side after the addition of Texas to the United States," said the Mexican Cónsul in Fresno Martha Elvia Rosas.
"The moment when the Mexican army wins the battle against the French, that was reason for jubilee for the Mexican in Texas and they had a big celebration; in addition to that, may Texans sympathized with Juárez's government."
According to Rosas, it was then when the annual 5 de Mayo celebrations began and soon after the party was extended throughout the whole country.
Cinco de Mayo, known in México as La Batalla de Puebla, is a small event which occurred in 1862. As a result of México's failure to service its foreign debt, France invaded México and installed Austrian Archduke, Maxmillian von Habsburg, as Emperor. Before that could be achieved, however, Napoleon III's army was temporarily halted at Puebla, by a Mexican army inferior in size and led by General Ignacio Zaragoza. It was until the second attempt when Maximillian was placed as emperor.
Remembering this passage, professor Marjorie Sánchez-Walker of CSU, Stanislaus says that it seems kind of strange that May 5 is remembered so much and the date when Maximillian was executed at Querétaro (April 1867). Event that, for her, marked the beginning of modern México.
As far as the connection that 5 de Mayo had among those who lived in the United States, the professor said that during the wonderful period of the 1960's and 1970's when Mexican Americans became Chicanos and sought identity, Cinco de Mayo was their choice for a day of celebration.
"It seemed to me that a more appropriate date to celebrate was Feb. 2, when the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed ceding México's northern half to the United States and essentially giving birth to Chicanismo."
Sánchez is the chair of Mexican History and specializes in the history of the borders.
For Alejandra Bologna, Mexican Consul in Sacramento, May 5 is a date about very little is known historically int the United Status, since generally people wrongfully believe that it is Mexican Independence Day.
September 16 is when Mexican Independence is celebrated.
"The Battle of Puebla is remembered in México and civic activities are done in schools but it doesn't have the same dimension as the one it's been given in the United States, where many companies take it as a holiday," commented Bologna.
Samuel Regalado, history professor at CSU, Stanislaus, makes an echo on Bologna's comments. "The most common myth is that May 5 is Mexican Independence Day. More so, others believe that Benito Juárez defended México against the French."
Regalado goes beyond the historic view and says that "some believe that it is a marketing ploy attached to no real event solely for the purpose of selling alcohol."
Marcos López, soccer coach at University of California, Sacramento relieves that "what is celebrated is an opportunity to party, go out drinking and have fun.
"People have forgotten about the civic meaning of a historic event where a battle was won against a foreign invader."
Cónsul Rosas explained that, along the years, the celebration in the United States has acquired such significance that it has been commercialized in an incredible way, with which the power of purchase by Latino consumers is manifested.
"This celebration is also recognition of the power of consumption by Latinos in the United Status. Mexicans like to celebrate and they like to spend and that is something big companies are aware of," said Rosas.
She added that for the merchants it is a date when they know they can obtain great profits in the year and where the capacity of purchase by the Mexicans is proven."
The celebration in California
For years, U.S. Census data and U.S. Latino newspapers dating back to the 1860s have been collected by University of California, Los Angeles' Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture for the purpose of extracting that data and performing studies about 5 de Mayo.
"I started noticing things around the data, like what people were doing," said Dr. David E. Hayes-Bautista, a UCLA professor of medicine and director of the center. And that's when he discovered that the Cinco de Mayo celebrations actually began in California.
"The celebration is still important and relevant," said Hayes-Bautista.
"As long as freedom of democracy is important, it should be celebrated."
The French occupancy lasted two more years after the loss in Puebla. And during that time, Latinos of California, number that increased during the Gold Fever and the Civil War, felt encouraged to help their people in México, according to Hayes-Bautista.