50 Cinco de Mayo Quotes For A Very Misunderstood Holiday
Published May 5, 2023
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What is Cinco de Mayo?
Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day.
Cinco de Mayo is a holiday that celebrates the battle of Puebla, in which the Mexican army defeated the French.
Mexico gained its independence fifty years before the Battle of Puebla.
In Mexico, Cino de Mayo is a minor holiday primarily celebrated in the Puebla region.
Cinco de Mayo became a popular holiday in the United States, where people commemorate Mexican culture and heritage.
Check out these cool Cinco de Mayo facts:
- US President FDR helped commercialize Cinco de Mayo
- Americans consume over five million avocados on Cinco de Mayo.
- In Mexico, Mole poblano is the most popular dish served on the holiday.
The history of Cinco de Mayo is powerful and inspirational
In 1861, Mexicans elected Benito Juarez as the president.
Juarez was a lawyer by trade and a member of the Indigenous Zapotec tribe.
Mexico was in poor shape when Juarez was elected.
The economy was unstable, and the country defaulted on its debts to European governments like Spain, France, and England.
All three countries sent their naval forces to Mexico to collect their debts.
Spain and England negotiated a solution for the defaulted loans.
France would not accept any negotiations.
Napoleon III, the French ruler, wanted to use the defaulted debt as an opportunity to take Mexican territory for France.
A battle against all odds
France sent six thousand well-armed troops under General Charles Latrille de Lorencez to Mexico.
These forces drove newly elected President Juarez north.
France was confident they would be victorious.
However, Juarez organized 2000 men, many of whom were Indigenous or with mixed ancestry, to defend their country.
The Mexican army was severely outnumbered and poorly supplied.
Yet, under General Ignacio Zaragoza, they defeated the French at the Battle of Puebla, forcing them to retreat to France.
Today, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in Mexico and the United States.
If you are looking for an entertaining movie to watch, check out the classic Three Amigos!
For more cool content, check out our Cinco de Mayo quotes below.
Cinco de Mayo quotes
These Cinco de Mayo quotes are both humorous and educational.
1. “People ask me all the time, ‘What do you do for Cinco de Mayo?’” — Marcela Valladolid
2. “Cinco de Mayo is historically significant, but it is not Mexican Independence Day.” — Kuno Becker
3. “Cinco de Mayo is an important day. The Mexicans had to defend themselves from the French.” — Kuno Becker
4. “I can think of many reasonable excuses for needing a cocktail, but Cinco De Mayo is always a no-brainer.” — Rachel Hollis
5. “Every year, thousands of Americans mistakenly refer to Cinco de Mayo as Mexico’s Independence Day.” — Joe Baca
6. “I don’t drink anymore for Cinco de Mayo. I celebrate with Mexican food, or as it’s known in Mexico: food.” — Craig Ferguson
7. “Happy Cinco de Mayo! It’s a holiday that’s as respectful of Mexican traditions as Epcot Center’s Mexican food pavilion.” — Conan O’Brien
8. “Happy Cinco de Mayo. If you don’t know what that means, maybe you’re a little out of touch – or maybe you’re the governor of Arizona.” — Craig Ferguson
9. “Cinco de Mayo has come to represent a celebration of the contributions that Mexican Americans and all Hispanics have made to America.” — Joe Baca
10. “But when I grew up and started going to San Diego and started drinking margaritas, that’s when Cinco de Mayo celebrations started for me.” — Marcela Valladolid
Patriotic Cinco de Mayo quotes
These quotes are from people who passionately believe in their countries.
11. “Respect for the rights of others means peace.” — Benito Juarez
12. “Ducit amor patriae (The love of country leads me).” — Willa Cather
13. “Dulcis amor patriae (Sweet is the love of one’s country).” — Willa Cather
14. “It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees.” — Emiliano Zapata
15. “The history of every country begins in the heart of a man or woman.” — Willa Cather
16. “True patriotism hates injustice in its own land more than anywhere else.” — Clarence Darrow
17. “Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori (It is sweet and proper to die for one’s country)” — Willa Cather
18. “Freedom is when the people can speak, democracy is when the government listens.” — Alastair Farrugia
19. “Cinco de Mayo has come to represent a celebration of the contributions that Mexican Americans and all Hispanics have made to America.” — Joe Baca
20. “Honor to the soldier, and Sailor everywhere, who bravely bears his country’s cause. Honor also to the citizen who cares for his brother in the field, and serves, as he best can, the same cause.” — Abraham Lincoln
Cinco de Mayo quotes and sayings
Here are some Cinco de Mayo quotes from varied sources.
21. “Since it is May 5th and I’m on a diet, I’ll take the Cinco but hold de Mayo.” — Dan Adam
22. “They said wearing red, white, and blue on Cinco de Mayo was an insult to Hispanics.” — Jared Taylor
23. “San Francisco celebrates diversity with cash. In 1999, the Cinco de Mayo Carnival and Parade got $162,500.” — Jared Taylor
24. “The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upholds a California school’s ban on wearing American flag T-shirts so as not to upset Mexican immigrants celebrating Cinco de Mayo.” — Ann Coulter
25. “Ask a random focus group which is better, Cinco de Mayo or St. Patrick’s, and overwhelmingly, unless they’re made up of people who are at least part Irish, they’re gonna go for Cinco de Mayo.” — A.D. Aliwat
26. “What if millions of white Americans were pouring across the border into Mexico, taking over parts of cities, speaking English rather than Spanish, celebrating the Fourth of July rather than Cinco de Mayo? — Jared Taylor
27. “I had to learn quick because I was performing in Cinco de Mayo festivals with babies crying and people lifting their beers, and you know the feather dancers would come, and they’d say, “What are you, a poet? You’re next”.” — Sandra Cisneros
28. “Hillary Clinton made a campaign stop in Las Vegas yesterday. She said she wants citizenship for undocumented immigrants. But after seeing Americans celebrate Cinco de Mayo yesterday, immigrants said, ‘You know what, we’re good. We’re gonna head back now. We had enough.’” — Jimmy Fallon
29. “Cinco de Mayo – we were off school, and we saw some people looking like they were having a party. And we had a little bit too much time on our hands, and so we figured, as kids, a great idea would be to throw some things over the fence and hit all these people with stuff, like eggs and everything.” — Mahershala Ali
30. “For children, diversity needs to be real and not merely relegated to learning the names of the usual suspects during Black History Month or enjoying south-of-the-border cuisine on Cinco de Mayo. It means talking to and spending time with kids not like them so that they may discover those kids are, in fact, just like them.” — John Ridley
Cinco de Mayo quotes for Instagram
These cheesy Cinco de Mayo-themed jokes are the perfect funny caption for you.
31. “Happy Cinco de Drinko.” — Anonymous
32. “Have a Mexellent Cinco de Mayo.” — Anonymous
33. “Holy guacamole, it’s Cinco de Mayo!” — Anonymous
34. “Let’s burrito the hatchet on Cinco de Mayo.” — Anonymous
35. “Cinco de Mayo is going to guac your world!” — Anonymous
36. “I love our friend-chip! Happy Cinco de Mayo.” — Anonymous
37. “Cinco de Mayo is boring, said no Juan ever.” — Anonymous
38. “In queso you didn’t know, I love Cinco de Mayo!” — Anonymous
39. “I’m in a serious relation-chip with Cinco de Mayo!” — Anonymous
40. “How are you going to shell-ebrate Cinco de Mayo this year?” — Anonymous
Cinco de Mayo celebration quotes
These quotes cover all things Cinco de Mayo, from party anthems to political celebrations.
41. “I stay lit just like Cinco De Mayo.” — Joker, MZH
42. “I turn up like Cinco de Mayo.” — Jahfi AMT, Cabo
43. “Tequila shots to the dome, like it’s Cinco de Mayo.” — Ragin Rose, Cinco de Mayo
44. “It’s Cinco de Mayo today; clap your hands and shout Olé!” — The Kiboomers, Cinco De Mayo
45. “They calling they getting the dial tone, We party like Cinco de Mayo.” — Mak11, Cinco de Mayo
46. “Cinco de Mayo blowout, denial It wasn’t fun this time, letting you go.” — Liz Phair, Cinco de Mayo
47. “Various holiday parties, end of film parties, the annual car show, the paper airplane contest, Cinco de Mayo festivities, and the summer barbecue.” — Anonymous
48. “In 2010, Assistant Principal Miguel Rodriguez of Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill, California, sent home five white students who were wearing American-flag clothing on Cinco de Mayo.” — Jared Taylor
49. “Latinos have fought in all of America’s wars, beginning with the Revolutionary War. Many Latinos are fighting and dying for our country today in Iraq, just as several of their ancestors fought for freedom in Mexico over a century ago.” — Joe Baca
50. “They may have heard of Cinco de Mayo or Chinese New Year, but unless they have lived abroad or have studied foreign affairs, the white inhabitants of Los Angeles are likely to have only the most superficial knowledge of Mexico or China despite the presence of many foreigners.” — Jared Taylor
Cinco de Mayo: American holiday
Politician Joe Baca once noted, “Every year, thousands of Americans mistakenly refer to Cinco de Mayo as Mexico’s Independence Day.”
People being misinformed is a phenomenon that has been around for a while.
There is a long history of foreign customs, holidays, and traditions becoming Americanized.
Many of the popular holidays celebrated in America have roots in other countries.
The origins of Christmas and Halloween are rooted in Europe.
Cinco de Mayo is probably one of the most prominent examples of a foreign holiday taking on a new American meaning.
Some people think celebrating Cinco de Mayo is an opportunity to honor Mexican culture and contributions, while others find the lack of awareness of the holiday’s origin disappointing.
Today, we celebrate Cinco de Mayo in the United States, which remains popular.
People consume Mexican-themed foods and beverages, play Mexican music like Mariachi, and wear Mexican-themed clothes.
How do you celebrate Cinco de Mayo?
Please, be sure to let us know in the comment section below.
