Text and photos: Juan David Latorre
On the occasion of the 215th Anniversary of Mexico’s Independence, the Mexican Embassy in Spain held a reception last Friday at the residence of Ambassador Quirino Ordaz.
The Mexican ambassador began his speech by emphasizing that “on this significant date, we celebrate the birth of Mexico as a free and independent country and reaffirm our identity, as well as our common destiny. Today more than ever, being Mexican means feeling pride in our culture and our history.”
“The greatness of Mexico,” continued Ambassador Quirino Ordaz, “cannot be explained without the legacy of its indigenous peoples and the value of their traditions, but neither can it be understood without the ties that have united us with Spain for three centuries. Commemorating our independence also means celebrating the historic and profound changes our country has undergone.”
“On October 1st, Dr. Claudia Sheinbaum will celebrate one year as the first female president in the history of Mexico, an event that honors our democracy and at the same time imposes a greater commitment to gender equality. In this context, at the beginning of the year, President Sheinbaum proposed sending a major exhibition of archaeological pieces about indigenous women rulers to Spain with the aim of raising awareness of our history and our pre-Hispanic richness. For this important exhibition, we have had the full support of the Spanish authorities, and in October it will open in four different venues (the Casa de México, the Museo Nacional de Arqueología, the Instituto Cervantes, and the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza), where some very important pieces and outstanding sculptures from our Mexican archaeology will be on display. This outstanding exhibition, along with the Princess of Asturias Award granted to the National Museum of Anthropology and History of Mexico, as well as to the photographer Graciela Iturbide, are a source of special pride,” Quirino noted. Ordaz.”
The Mexican ambassador then recalled that next January, his country will be the guest country at FITUR 2026, “where the 32 states will come to Spain for the first time. Additionally, a large exhibition and craft show will be on display, and the pavilion will be twice as large as this year’s.”
“Despite the challenges posed by the current international landscape, Mexico today is a stable, reliable country with great opportunities. Thanks to this economic strength, the presence of Spanish companies in Mexico has been growing, but the presence of Mexican companies in Spain is also increasingly stronger and broader in the different sectors of its economy. Given these indicators that demonstrate the close ties that unite our countries, it is no coincidence that Mexico is now the Latin American country with the greatest air connectivity with Spain, which will undoubtedly facilitate the strengthening and expansion of contacts in this important and strategic bilateral relationship. Dear friends, the history of our destiny and ours will always be united by the bonds of brotherhood that Mexicans and Spaniards tirelessly build every day in all professional and personal fields.”
To celebrate this Independence anniversary, the Mariachi Sentimiento Mexicano performed, delighting everyone throughout the evening with Mexican music that moved everyone, accompanied by Mexican singer Mariana Gasca.
