World

Sheinbaum Presides Over 216th Anniversary of Mexico's Independence Cry

By Today News Hours Editorial Desk

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum led the traditional Cry of Independence ceremony on Tuesday night from the balcony of the National Palace overlooking Mexico City's Zócalo, marking the 216th anniversary of the country's independence movement in front of tens of thousands of people. During the event, she received the Mexican flag from an honor guard made up entirely of female cadets.

In her address, Sheinbaum honored independence leaders Miguel Hidalgo, José María Morelos y Pavón, Vicente Guerrero and Leona Vicario. She also emphasized the dignity of the Mexican people and spoke about the rights of indigenous communities, Afro-descendant populations and migrants.

The ceremony commemorates events from the early morning hours of September 16, 1810, when Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla rang a church bell in Dolores, Guanajuato, urging citizens to revolt against Spanish colonial control. This moment, referred to as the Cry of Dolores, marked the beginning of Mexico's War of Independence, which concluded in 1821.

Each year on the night of September 15, Mexico's sitting president reenacts this historic moment from the National Palace, concluding with shouts of "¡Viva México!" and the ringing of the same bell that Hidalgo used over two centuries ago.

The commemoration took place amid heightened security measures, including a separate anti-drone security operation Mexico has deployed along its northern border.