Global Policy Forum

by Matt Gonzalez *

Cinco de Mayo, which commemorates Mexico's victory over invading French troops in the 19th century, presents both an opportunity to learn more about the history of this celebration of Mexican culture as well as its implications for political activists today.

The French invasion of Mexico in 1862, which replaced democratically elected President Benito Juarez with Austrian Archduke Maximilian as emperor, started as a dispute over Mexico's decision to suspend foreign debt payments. Juarez's decision, largely compelled by Mexico's financial crisis after the Mexican-American War and the ensuing civil war in Mexico, was a bold move by a fledgling nation to assert itself.

England, Spain, and France did not take kindly to Juarez's action and sent troops to Vera Cruz to collect their money. (After realizing the French intended to replace Juarez's constitutional government with a French- controlled monarchy, England and Spain withdrew.)

On May 5, 1862, en route to Mexico City, the French Army fought the Mexicans near the city of Puebla. Aided by muddy fields (due to rainstorms) and the ingenious use of hundreds of stampeding cattle, the Mexican force (4, 000 men) led by General Ignacio Zaragoza, defeated an army twice its size.Nevertheless, Napoleon III sent reinforcements and Mexico City fell 13 months later. Maximilian was installed as Emperor. It would take four years, once Napoleon lost interest in propping up Maximilian's regime, before Juarez regained power.

Surprisingly, Cinco de Mayo celebrations in the United States are larger than those in Mexico. The reasons for this are difficult to assess. Napoleon III was evidently interested in assisting the Confederates once he gained control of Mexico. But due to his defeat at Puebla, he was unable to divert his attention, thus allowing the Union forces to win at Gettysburg 14 months later, essentially turning the tide of the American Civil War. After the surrender at Appomattox, Union Gen. Philip Sheridan decommissioned troops in Texas, provided they join the Mexicans in their efforts to repel the French. Many soldiers elected to do so -- even fighting in their American uniforms. After the monarchy was toppled and Maximilian executed at Queretaro, subsequent victory parades in Mexico City included a battalion of American soldiers. It is believed that when these soldiers returned home, they formed the foundation of North American celebrants of Cinco de Mayo.

The Mexicans of the 19th century fought against what many developing nations face today -- mounting debt and IMF/World Bank policies that overly constrain their ability to properly care for their citizens. As these countries struggle to make payments on debt, or just cover interest payments, their internal economic problems are exacerbated rather than relieved.

Benito Juarez, a full-blooded Zapotec Indian, understood firsthand what poverty in Mexico was. He suspended payments to foreign banks, electing to reinvest these monies locally. His actions were met with aggression by nations protecting their shared colonial interests.

In effect, the IMF/World Bank policies in existence today are just as insidious -- certainly as economically dramatic -- forcing cuts in government spending and promoting privatization of national resources as a means of generating revenue to repay debt. Exploitative foreign loans, coupled with foreign corporate activity, often only serves to deepen poverty, not alleviate it. Recent examples of this include privatization of water in Cochabamba, Bolivia; abolished tariff protections on domestic rice in Haiti; and the forced sale of the Demerara forests in Guyana -- all the consequence of IMF policies to repay international debt.

Sadly, Cinco de Mayo celebrations in the United States have lost their political focus, degenerating into commercial efforts to drive up beer consumption. (These efforts appear to be working. Cinco de Mayo rivals St. Patrick's Day as the No. 1 alcohol consumption holiday in the United States.) And except for a few "Mexican" trimmings, like mariachi music and salsa, the historical events underlying the holiday are largely forgotten.

More than anything, Cinco de Mayo commemorates a developing nation's resistance to the lending practices of wealthier foreign nations. I propose that anti-globalization activists reappropriate one of their finest victories: Tonight, when celebrating Cinco de Mayo, make a toast to the radicals who fought so that Mexico could suspend unfair foreign debt payments. Raise your glass to an early battle against globalization.

*Matt Gonzalez is president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

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