Anniversary of the Battle of Puebla *

The Anniversary of the Battle of Puebla is celebrated annually in Mexico. The holiday is celebrated on 5 May, the same day the Battle of Puebla occurred back in 1862. It is commonly referred to as Cinco de Mayo. In 2026, Anniversary of the Battle of Puebla falls on Tuesday 5 May. The holiday will be on Wednesday 5 May in 2027. Note: Anniversary of the Battle of Puebla is not an official national holiday, but is widely observed throughout Mexico. 1858 to 1860 was a Mexican civil war referred to as the Reform War. It resulted in a lot of stresses throughout the economy of Mexico. Benito Juarez was elected in 1861 to office and, in the same year, Spanish, French, and British diplomats met to form an alliance for invading Mexico. The European powers were concerned about a number of debts owed by Mexico. Spanish troops led the invasion, but soon after the French’s demands from Mexico became increasingly harsh and so the Spanish and British withdrew to leave the French on their own. During the occupation of France in Mexico at this time, the Mexican Army fought the French near the city of Puebla. The battle took place on 5 May 1862 and ended in a victory for the Mexican Army. Although the French won in a series of battles that followed, the unexpected victory at Puebla was an inspirational moment for the Mexican people.  The victory helped stall the French effort to create a puppet regime in Mexico.