    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book I)]
    [May 3, 2002]
    [Pages 712-714]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at a Cinco de Mayo Reception
    May 3, 2002

        Thank you all very much. Please, sientanse. [Laughter] Bienvenidos.
    Welcome to the White House. This is the casa para todos. I'm honored you
    all have come to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. It's a pleasure to have you
    here. The victory we commemorate today is a source of tremendous pride
    to the people of Mexico and a source of inspiration to the people of
    America.
        I want to thank mi esposa, Laura, for her--
    [laughter]--mi amor. I want to thank Sara for her passion for the education of Latino
    children. She is a--well, she's unique. She's smart; she's capable.
    After all, she's a tejana. [Laughter] But I really do appreciate her
    focus, her willingness to work hard to make sure that every child has
    got the opportunity to realize his or her dreams in America.
        I want to thank el Embajador de Mexico, mi amigo  Juan Jose
    Bremer, tambien, esposa. Thank you all for coming. And I appreciate all the
    Mexicanos who are here today. I'm glad you're here to celebrate a
    special day in your country, here in the White House. It's an indication
    of our friendship.
        I want to thank members of my administration who are here, too many
    to name. I will name the Cabinet Secretary, Mel Martinez. I appreciate
    Mel's service. I see the Treasurer; mi abogado, Gonzales;
    the new Surgeon General nominee, Rick Carmona.
    Thank you, Rick; I appreciate you being here. I better stop now, before
    I forget somebody.
        I want to thank Ed Pastor, the Congressman
    from the State of Arizona. Thank you for coming.
        I want to thank Ana Maria for your
    being here. I really appreciate you coming. You did a great job as the
    emcee. And I know a lot of Americans watch your TV show, and we're
    honored you're here. I really want to thank Pedro Fernandez.
    Pedro, you're awesome. I'm not sure how you
    say that in Spanish--[laughter]--or Mexicano, brillante. [Laughter] But
    I want to thank you and your tres hombres for being here. [Laughter]
        Al, thank you for leading the Pledge. Al
    is the Director of the Selective Service. He wears the Medal of Honor.
    And again, thank you all for coming. We're so honored to have you.
        Cinco de Mayo commemorates a great victory in the battle of Puebla.
    I remember when I went down, Jose, to--the
    guest of the previous President, President Zedillo, to see a reenactment of the battle in Puebla. It was
    exciting, and it was able to see firsthand the great courage and the

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    victory in the battle for freedom that was fought against overwhelming
    odds.
        That victory continues to inspire liberty-loving people all across
    the globe. It reminds us that the cost of freedom is always high, but it
    is never too high. Brave and determined people, committed to a great
    cause, can do great good. That was true 140 years ago, and it certainly
    remains true today.
        Just before September the 11th, I welcomed my good friend President
    Vicente Fox aqui, in Washington, DC, as the
    guest of honor at the very first state dinner I hosted as the President.
    When he arrived, I said this--at the beautiful arrival ceremony we have
    on the South Lawn--I said, ``The United States has no more important
    relationship in the world than the one we have with Mexico.'' I meant it
    then; I mean it now.
        In the past 8 months, our relationship has grown even stronger. The
    people of Mexico stand with the American people in the war on terror.
    This is a decisive decade in the history of liberty, a decisive moment
    in our history, and the United States is grateful we can count on the
    strong support of Mexico.
        America's strong relationship with Mexico is built on common values
    and shared culture. We both value families; we both value communities--
    the places where character is formed and traditions are passed from one
    generation to the next. Americans appreciate the strong faith of the
    Mexican people, a faith that provides hope and inspiration and unity,
    even in the darkest of times. People on both sides of the Rio Grande
    value independence and value freedom and opportunity. People on dos
    lados del Rio Bravo appreciate the ability to work hard to achieve
    dreams and to become successful as a result of hard work. By their
    strong values and their determination to create a better life for
    themselves and their children, immigrants from Mexico enrich American
    life.
        My relationship with President Fox is
    similar to the relationship between our nations. It is built on the
    solid ground of respect and trust and friendship. President Fox is a
    great Mexican patriot, a man who--a man of honest talk and convictions
    who is passionately concerned for his people's welfare. I know
    firsthand; I've heard him speak clearly about the welfare of the people
    of Mexico.
        We're both deeply committed to helping the entire American familia
    achieve prosperity and, as importantly, to live in peace. Mexico and
    America share a continent, and we are dedicated to common goals.
        We are working together to create a smart border, one that will
    speed the safe flow of people and commerce but protect our two nations
    from terrorism and crime.
        We are working together on a partnership for prosperity, to better
    focus the creativity and resources of the private sector on the critical
    task of development.
        We're working together to address the important issue and
    challenging issue of immigration. I've asked our Congress to pass an
    extension of section 245(i) of our immigration law to allow families to
    stay together while they become permanent residents. There is no reason
    why this law should not be passed.
        We're working together to improve conditions for people living along
    the border. It's really important that we do so.
        We're working together to create an entire hemisphere that lives in
    liberty and trades in freedom. And I appreciate President Fox's leadership in our hemisphere. I rely upon his advice
    and good counsel; I appreciate his vision.
        Our two nations will succeed together--we will succeed together--
    because our futures are bound to each other. Geography made us
    neighbors, but our shared values and rich cultures have made us the
    closest of friends.
        The great Mexican leader Benito Juarez had a strong bond with
    President Abraham Lincoln. Juarez said, ``Between individuals,

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    as between nations, `el respecto al derecho ajeno es la paz'--respect
    for the rights of others is peace.'' The United States and Mexico have a
    relationship of respect. It is the foundation of our enduring peace and
    lasting friendship.
        I want to thank you all again for coming to the White House to
    celebrate Mexico's strong and vibrant culture, its extraordinary
    history, our common future. May God bless the people of Mexico, and may
    God continue to bless the people of the United States.
        Thank you for coming.

    Note: The President spoke at 2:48 p.m. in the East Room at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to Sara Martinez Tucker, president
    and chief executive officer, Hispanic Scholarship Fund; Mexican
    Ambassador to the U.S. Juan Jose Bremer and his wife, Marcela S. Bremer;
    Rosario Marin, U.S. Treasurer; Alberto R. Gonzales, Counsel to the
    President; Ana Maria Canseco, reporter, Univision; Pedro Fernandez,
    singer; Alfred Rascon, Director, Selective Service System; and former
    President Ernesto Zedillo and President Vicente Fox of Mexico. In his
    remarks, he referred to section 245(i) of the Immigration and
    Naturalization Act which expired April 30, 2001. The Office of the Press
    Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of these remarks.