Strained Relations Between Texas And Mexico Affect Mexican Independence Day Celebrations

The iconic Texas flag that covers the south side of the Texas State Capitol waved in the gentle breeze Monday evening; below it, in stark contrast, stood a sea of faces painted with the red, white and green of the Mexican flag.

A celebration for Mexican Independence Day occurred Monday, Sept. 15, on the South Steps of the Texas Capitol. Thousands of people, primarily of Hispanic-American descent, in the Austin area came out to commemorate the holiday and celebrate freedom in the United States. Given the recent tension between the Texan and Mexican governments, though, this celebration raised some controversy. Many attendees expressed wariness toward celebrating at the Capitol.

The choice to host a celebration of Mexican independence at the Texas State Capitol was controversial because of Gov. Rick Perry’s recent decision to send National Guard troops to the Texan-Mexican border. Perry had expressed a concern to secure the border from illegal immigrants and unaccompanied children. His action, though, was met with harsh criticism from some. In an interview published in El Universal, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto said the decision was displeasing and reprehensible.

Mexican Independence Day, or “El Grito de Dolores,” is the anniversary of the first day of the Mexican War for Independence from Spain, which occurred on Sept. 16, 1810. This year, the Capitol held the anniversary celebration one day in advance to kick off Hispanic Heritage Month, which lasts from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.

This is the second year the Capitol hosted an El Grito celebration. At the beginning of the event, Leslie Montoya, TV host and producer of the channel Univision, addressed the topic of Mexican-Texan relations. She said although some people had expressed opposition toward the celebration of Mexican independence at the Texas Capitol, El Grito should be primarily about celebrating the Hispanic peoples’ independence in light of the existing tension.  

People of all ages surrounded the stage at the Capitol, and more people came and went as the night continued. Many adults and children dressed in authentic Mexican clothing and wore the colors of the flag on their clothes and faces.

Felix Santiago, whose brother performed in the musical group Ballet Folklorico, stood toward the front of the stage to watch the performance. He said that although he attended El Grito to support his brother and celebrate Mexican independence, he could not ignore the existing tension between Texas and Mexico the past few months.

“You can tell it’s different from last year,” Santiago said about the celebration. He said that he was uncertain of whether they would be permitted to celebrate Mexican Independence Day at the Capitol again in following years. 

Santiago said the conflicts between Texas and Mexico weighed on his mind during the event. “Both sides are responsible, and everyone needs to take action. Unaccompanied children shouldn’t have to cross the border,” he said.

Santiago compared the unaccompanied migrants to his toddler daughter, Isabella, who wore a traditional Mexican white dress. “The idea of her coming from Mexico to Texas with maybe one other small child, I don’t know what I’d do. But that’s the position some people are in, near the border,” he said.

Given the tension between Texas and Mexico, some El Grito attendees initially expressed concern with coming to the event. Guadalupe Garcia, a retired Mexican American who now lives in south Austin, stood in the front row of the celebration and held a Mexican flag in hand. Garcia said she was worried that some Austin residents would object to the celebration of El Grito at the Capitol. “I saw online that some people thought we had no right to be here,” Garcia said. “All we want to do is remember what happened and teach our children the importance of freedom.”

As Garcia referenced, some Texas citizens think that the Capitol should not hold Mexican Independence Day celebrations. Steve Chapman, partner in local business Chapman Motors, did not attend El Grito, but was on Congress Avenue, across the street, at the time. When asked about the celebration of Mexican Independence Day at the Texas State Capitol, Chapman said that it was strange to celebrate another nation’s independence at Texas’ Capitol. “That’s like Americans celebrating the Fourth [of July] in France,” Chapman said with a laugh.

Mariera Riveria, who hails from Mexico City and currently has an independent cleaning service, said Texas needed to do more to recognize its Mexican American residents. El Grito was important for people of Spanish descent and Americans alike. “Texas needs to recognize Mexican people. We contribute with war and income, and many laborers are Mexican. Why shouldn’t we be able to celebrate our freedom here?” Ms. Riveria’s 11-year-old son, Fabian, whose cheeks was painted red, white and green, nodded in response to his mother’s words.

Despite the ongoing debate between the Texas and Mexican government, many Hispanic Americans were not deterred from celebrating both their past heritage and current homeland at the state Capitol for the second year in a row. Although citizens hold mixed views on whether the Capitol should host Mexican Independence Day celebrations, there has been no word on whether the Capitol will hold El Grito for a third year.