Senate Resolution No. 1854

BY: Senator PERALTA

COMMEMORATING the celebration of Cinco de Mayo,
May 5, 2017

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body, in keeping with
its time-honored traditions, to recognize and pay tribute to those
events which foster ethnic pride and enhance the profile of the cultural
diversity which strengthens the fabric of the communities of New York
State; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to this concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commemorate the celebration of Cinco de Mayo on May 5, 2017; and

WHEREAS, Cinco de Mayo is a date of importance for the Mexican and
Chicano communities; it marks the victory of the Mexican army over the
French at the Battle of Puebla; and

WHEREAS, The "Batalla de Puebla" came to represent a symbol of
Mexican unity and patriotism; with this victory, Mexico demonstrated to
the world that Mexico and all of Latin America were willing to defend
themselves from any foreign intervention, especially those from
imperialist states bent on world conquest; and

WHEREAS, Cinco de Mayo's history has its roots in the French
occupation of Mexico; and

WHEREAS, On July 17, 1861, President Benito Juarez issued a
moratorium in which all foreign debt payments would be suspended for a
brief period of two years, with the promise that after this period,
payments would resume; and

WHEREAS, The English, Spanish and French refused to allow President
Juarez to do this, and instead decided to invade Mexico and get payments
by whatever means necessary; the Spanish and English eventually
withdrew, but the French refused to leave; and

WHEREAS, On May 5, 1862, the French army began its advance; under
General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin, 5,000 Mestizo and Zapotec Indians
defeated the French army in what came to be known as the "Batalla de
Puebla" on the fifth of May; and

WHEREAS, A year later, the French occupied Mexico; the French
occupying forces placed Maximilian I, Emperor of Mexico, on the throne
of Mexico in 1864; the French, under pressure from the United States,
eventually withdrew in 1866-1867; Maximilian was deposed by President
Benito Juarez and executed, five years after the Battle of Puebla; and

WHEREAS, The Battle of Puebla was significant in that the 4,000
Mexican soldiers were greatly outnumbered by the French army of 8,000
that had not been defeated for almost 50 years; and

WHEREAS, In the United States, the "Batalla de Puebla" came to be
known as simply "5 de Mayo"; and


WHEREAS, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in the United States with
parades, folkloric dancing, and other types of festive activities; and

WHEREAS, The celebration of Cinco de Mayo has contributed to the
Mexican-American experience and to the preservation and enhancement of
the Mexican culture and heritage, adding so much to the rich mosaic of
which our great State and Nation are comprised; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the celebration of Cinco de Mayo on May 5, 2017.