AJLPP Solidarity Statement on the Cinco De Mayo

CELEBRATE GREAT CINCO DE MAYO WITH GREAT ANTI IMPERIALIST PRIDE –ALYANSA FILIPINA (AJLPP)

Los Angeles-- The Alliance for a Just and Lasting Peace (AJLPP)-USA greets the Mexican people with the highest militance and anti-imperialist salute of international solidarity on their great holiday Cinco De Mayo. SALUD!!!

The Battle of Puebla, Mexico on May 5, 1862 was one of the few victories of the Mexican people over the occupying French Army. The French Army at the time was led by General Charles Ferdinand Latrille de Lorencez greatly underestimated the Mexican army because he had great contempt for the Mexican people, so much so that he believed he could control the whole country like puppets with his army of 6,000 men.

The 33 year old Mexican Commander General, Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin led the Mexican army. Seguin fell back to Alcuzingo Pass, where he and his army were badly beaten in a skirmish with Lorencez’s aggressive forces on April 28.

Zaragoza retreated to Puebla, which was heavily fortified. Puebla had been held by the Mexican government since the Wars of Reform in 1860. To its north lie the forts Loreto and Guadalupe on opposite hilltops. Zaragoza had a trench joining the forts via the saddle.

Lorencez heard that the people of Puebla were friendly to the French, and that the Mexican Republican garrison which kept the people in line would be overrun by the population once he made a show of force. This would prove to be a serious miscalculation on Lorencez's part.

The Significance of Cinco De Mayo

On May 5th, against all advice, Lorencez decided to attack Puebla from the north. Unfortunately, he started his attack a little too late in the day, using his artillery just before noon and by noon advancing his infantry, which by the third attack needed the full engagement of all its reserves.The French artillery had run out of ammunition, so the third attack went unsupported.

The Mexican forces and the Republican Garrison both put up a stout defense and even took to the field to defend the positions between the hilltop forts. the right and left while the troops concealed along the road pivoted out to flank them badly.

By 3 p.m. the daily rains had started, making a slippery mess of the battlefield. Lorencez withdrew to distant positions, counting 462 of his men killed against only 83 of the Mexicans. He waited a couple of days for Zaragoza to attack again, but Zaragoza held his ground.

Lorencez then completely withdrew to Orizaba. The political repercussions were overwhelming, as the outnumbered Mexicans used what courage and determination they could to repel the ominous French Army. When news of the defeat reached France, Napoleon III sent 29,000 additional troops to Mexico.

Suffice it to say they eventually overran Puebla, but the legendary battle had created a Mexican moral victory which is celebrated today as Cinco de Mayo.

The Battle of Binakayan and Bessang Pass- the Filipino Cinco De Mayos

For Filipinos, we can compare the Cinco De Mayo to the Battle of Binakayan, Cavite in November 1896 where the Filipino revolutionary forces still led by the Katipunan, dealt the Spanish colonialist their first defeat during the 1896 Philippine revolution.

We can also compre the Battle Bessang Pass on June 1945 during World War II to Cinco De Mayo. The Filipino forces composed of guerillas and regular troops of the newly formed US Forces In the Philippines- Northern Luzon ( USFIP-NL) defeated the fascist Japanese Shimbu Army of General Tomoyuki Yamashita.

But the irony, the Americans did not even commemorate this event and took the credit for this victory.

The worst, the Philippine mercenary army, due to the dearth of nationalist tradition and brazen puppetry does not even commemorate this great military victories as their own victory unlike the Mexican with their Cinco De Mayo . It is noteven studied in the military schools and in the community.

It is only the small and dimminishing community of Filipino World War II veterans still cherish and mark this yearly event in their own initiatives both in the Philippines and the United States.

That is why we in the Filipino American community is takes pride with this anti-imperialist event with our brother Mexicans victory over the colonial army of France while America was embroiled in their own civil war.

As Ho Chi Minh said “ There is nothing more precious than Independence.” That is the great historical anti-imperialist lesson of Cinco De Mayo!

Que Viva Cinco De Mayo!

Long Live International Solidarity!

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HIS UNHOLINESS (GEORGE WARMONGER BUSH) : "I LOVE CINCO DE MAYA. It gives me the Opportunity to have all the Local Police move in and Bash Immigrants. Heh Heh."