[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 63 (Wednesday, May 9, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H2062-H2063]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       CINCO DE MAYO CELEBRATION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Toomey). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hinojosa) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, this past weekend, I had the pleasure of 
joining my constituents in Goliad, Texas to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. 
Cinco de Mayo is celebrated with music, with dancing, with great food 
and, yes, and Mr. Speaker, with great speeches.
  Texas A&M associate professor, Armando Alonzo, said so eloquently, 
and I quote, ``The important thing about this celebration is that it 
comes from the citizens of the community, not from scholars, not from 
politicians, or those of us who are at universities with special 
training.''
  Although the holiday has spread throughout the world, its true spirit 
is in communities like Goliad, Texas, where people honor the value of 
their Mexican history and culture and the contributions that Mexican 
Americans have made across the spectrum of American life.
  Mr. Speaker, I stand before my colleagues as a proud first generation 
Texan, born of Mexican immigrant parents who came to the United States 
as children in 1910.
  Mr. Speaker, Goliad is the true heart of Cinco de Mayo, because it is 
the birthplace of General Ignacio Zaragoza, the young Mexican general 
who defeated the French at the battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. This 
triumph was not only a military victory, but a moral victory over 
tyranny and oppression.
  General Zaragoza is rightly called the ``George Washington of 
Mexico.'' His dedication to the cause of freedom and democracy is an 
inspiration and challenge to us all.
  General Zaragoza was born in Goliad, Texas on March 24, 1829. He was 
the son of a soldier, but was educated as a priest. He was a small 
businessman for a short time, but his passionate support of Mexico's 
struggle for democracy led him to follow his father into military 
service.
  During the years of the War of the Reform in 1857 to 1860, he joined 
with the legendary Benito Juarez and fought in numerous battles, 
including the Battle of Calpulalpan, which ended the War of Reform.
  His military brilliance in those 4 years was recognized, and he 
quickly moved up the ranks to general. When Mexican President Juarez 
was forced to declare a moratorium on Mexico's European debt in order 
to salvage the

[[Page H2063]]

bankrupt economy, Spain, England, and France sent their fleets and 
forced the surrender of Veracruz.
  Because General Zaragoza was serving as head of the War Ministry, 
President Juarez initially sent one of his other generals to Veracruz, 
Mexico. When the general saw the awesome forces of the great European 
powers arrayed in front of Veracruz, he immediately resigned.
  President Juarez then turned to General Zaragoza to lead the Army of 
the East. Although the Spanish and the English withdrew after 
negotiations with President Juarez, the French army, recognized as the 
finest army in the world at that time, began its march towards Mexico 
City. Napoleon III had dreams of an empire in the Americas, with Mexico 
as its center, in alliance with the Confederate States of America. 
However, standing in the way of French conquest was General Zaragoza.
  The young Mexican general was determined to make his stand at Pueblo, 
100 miles east of the capital. He did not know it could not be done. 
His ill-equipped and outnumbered Army was composed of farmers, Indians, 
militia and many young residents of Puebla. Many had obsolete firearms 
or they used rocks, sticks and machetes.
  The French forces attacked on May 5, 1862. The battle lasted 
throughout the day. Despite repeated assaults by the French calvary and 
infantry, General Zaragoza's army held. They were fighting for their 
homes and their families and they would not be denied a victory.
  The French were forced to retreat in defeat. After that battle, 
General Zaragoza proved he was a man of compassion as well as valor. He 
ordered his medical staff to treat the French wounded. He received a 
hero's welcome in Mexico City, but while visiting his own sick troops, 
he contracted typhoid fever and died soon after, on September 8, 1862. 
He was only 33 years old. He was given a state funeral; and on 
September 11, 1862, President Benito Juarez declared May 5, Cinco de 
Mayo, a national holiday.
  This weekend's celebrations in Goliad were even more special as the 
birthplace of General Zaragoza was reopened to the public and 
rededicated after several months of renovation.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to especially thank Lupita Barrera and the Texas 
Department of Parks and Wildlife for the wonderful job they did 
restoring this great man's home.
  Mr. Speaker, I am extending an invitation to the two Presidents of 
Mexico and the United States to come to Goliad, Texas this next year.
  The people of Goliad are proud and determined to keep the legacy of 
General Zaragoza alive. The little town and surrounding communities 
have taken the time not only to celebrate, but also to teach their 
children the true lesson of Cinco de Mayo; namely, the freedom we now 
enjoy has a price, and each successive generation must be vigilant and 
willing to continue the fight if freedom is to endure.
  Goliad is over a thousand miles away from Puebla, Mexico. Yet the 
citizens of Goliad have adopted Puebla and Hidalgo, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, 
the birthplace of General Zaragoza's wife, Rafaela Padilla, as sister 
cities. Cooperation, trade and interaction among the three cities is 
vigorous. People along the border realize that what affects their 
neighbors affects them as well.
  The Rio Grande River--a Heritage River, has become a bridge between 
two peoples and two rich cultures. We all prosper through open 
communication, undying friendship and growing trade. This, too, is a 
lesson of Cinco de Mayo. General Zaragoza helped preserve our Union by 
defeating the French troops. Today, trade with Mexico is helping to 
drive our booming economy and strengthening the North American 
continent. In this interdependent world, we truly need each other.
  As you can see, I--Congressman Hinojosa am very proud to represent 
and speak in the Halls of Congress for Goliad and Goliad County. I am 
starting early--I am extending a very cordial invitation to Mexican 
President Vincente Fox and President George W. Bush to jointly visit 
Goliad, Texas during May of 2002 to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. I want to 
extend the invitation to all of you, my colleagues in Congress, as 
well.
  Mr. Speaker, include for the Record an exemplary speech given at 
Saturday's Goliad Cinco de Mayo celebration by Professor Armando C. 
Alonzo, an Associate Professor of History at Texas A&M University into 
the Record immediately following my remarks.

  Excerpts From Talk Given by Prof. Armando C. Alonzo at the Cinco de 
                            Mayo Celebration

       Good morning. I'm very happy to be here today with all of 
     you for today's celebration and I want to thank the Society 
     of General Ignacio Zaragoza for inviting me to be part of 
     this important event along with the city and county officials 
     as well as Congressman Ruben Hinojosa. I'm always happy to be 
     in Goliad because I also have some roots in this area because 
     my father was born and raised in Yorktown, not very far from 
     here. I want to make two points today without going too much 
     into the historical facts of General Zaragoza's victory over 
     the French in 1862 because others have already talked about 
     that.
       One of the important things about this celebration is that 
     it comes from the citizens of the community not from 
     scholars, politicians, or those of us who are at universities 
     with special training. It's important that events like this 
     be planned and organized by the people in the community 
     because history is made by the people of these communities. 
     Trade and the economy are certainly important but this 
     celebration reminds us of the value that history and culture 
     have for Mexico and its citizens and for Texas and its 
     citizens. The people in this community have taken the time 
     and effort to celebrate our history and culture and that is 
     very important because of the impact that this kind of events 
     have for our children and for the entire community. Even 
     though we are about a thousand miles from Puebla where the 
     battle took place, this celebration still has connections and 
     its far-reaching impact is evident by the fact that there are 
     people here from the sister city of Hidalgo, Nuevo Leon, 
     Mexico, from other parts of the country, and we even have a 
     direct descendant of a soldier who fought at the Battle of 
     Puebla--the lady who lives in South Texas, whose grandfather 
     fought at the battle.
       Memory helps to keep our history alive. This celebration is 
     a memory of an important historical event--the battle that 
     took place on the Cinco de Mayo. It's important for parents 
     to connect the memory of that event to our culture and 
     history and pass it on to our children.
       This celebration, which goes back at least 55 years, keeps 
     the memory alive of our history and our culture for the 
     entire community. Professor Americo Paredes, who died two 
     years ago, said the Mexican experience in Texas is part of 
     the story of ``Greater Mexico.'' In his works 50 years ago 
     Professor Paredes explained how cultural influences, such as 
     language, music, the corridos, that are familiar to us, 
     theater, and other factors made Texas a part of ``Greater 
     Mexico.'' Today we see this ``Greater Mexico'' through the 
     flow of trade and people. I look at the Rio Grande not as a 
     political boundary but as a bridge between two peoples and 
     two cultures. The Rio Grande is a bridge that connects us 
     together rather than divides us. For us in Texas especially, 
     ``Greater Mexico'' is part of our daily lives. In fact our 
     roots can be traced to Coabuila from which the Spanish 
     colonization of the provincia de Los Tejas proceeded. As a 
     matter of fact, the settlers initially called this land, 
     Texas, Las Nuevas Filipinas (in honor of King Philip of 
     Spain). Nuevo Leon and Nuevo Santander also helped colonize 
     Texas by sending settlers. So as we can see, the history of 
     Texas is connected to Mexico in different ways.
       In Zaragoza we have a Tejano who is a hero of Mexico. 
     Ignacio de Zaragoza was born in this little village, in this 
     pueblito in Texas but his work, his values and his love were 
     for his country, his patria, instead of for Santiago 
     Vidaurri, the strongman of Nuevo Leon. Through his mother, 
     who was part of the Seguins of San Antonio, he was a multi-
     generation citizen of Texas. Ignacio de Zaragoza was a Texan 
     of Hispanic origin, a son of Texas who moved with his father 
     to the lower Valley and then to Nuevo Leon. The legacy of 
     General Zaragoza is the value and worth that his life gives 
     to our history and culture. That is what this community is 
     celebrating today.
       Thank you very much. I hope you have a good day.

                          ____________________