Sheinbaum Leads Historic “El Grito” as Mexico Marks 215th Independence Day

MEXICO CITY, Sept. 16, 2025 - President Claudia Sheinbaum rang the historic bell at the Zócalo balcony shortly before midnight on Sept. 15, declaring “¡Viva México!” and igniting nationwide festivities to commemorate the 215th anniversary of Mexico’s 1810 Cry of Dolores.

Sheinbaum’s first El Grito as Mexico’s first woman president set the tone for a day of patriotic parades, cultural displays and regional celebrations across the country.

Legacy and Relevance Mexico’s Independence Day honors Padre Miguel Hidalgo’s call to arms against Spanish colonial rule on Sept. 16, 1810, and remains the nation’s most unifying civic event. This year’s ceremonies underscored political milestones, regional resilience and evolving traditions.

El Grito and National Parade

  • Midnight Ritual: At 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 15, Sheinbaum repeated Hidalgo’s patriotic cry atop the National Palace, waving the long-preserved bell and leading three emphatic “¡Viva México!” shouts before a crowd of over half a million in Mexico City’s main square.
  • Military Display: On the morning of Sept. 16, the President reviewed the grand military parade in the Zócalo, featuring army formations, air force flyovers and coordinated marching units dressed in historic uniforms.

Regional Highlights

  • Cancún Drone Spectacle: In Cancún, Mayor Ana Paty Peralta replaced traditional fireworks with a 170-drone light show above Plaza de la Reforma, drawing thousands of spectators with synchronized aerial patterns in green, white and red.
  • Chicago Solidarity Parade: Mexican-American communities in Little Village, Chicago, held their annual Independence Day parade despite fears over federal immigration enforcement, demonstrating cultural pride and raising banners for immigrant rights.

Security and Cancellations

  • Sinaloa and Iztapalapa: Ongoing cartel violence in Sinaloa led Governor Rubén Rocha to cancel local “Grito” events lest public safety be compromised. In Mexico City’s Iztapalapa borough, officials suspended celebrations out of respect for victims of a recent gas-explosion tragedy.

Continuing Traditions

Throughout the day, families shared emblematic dishes-chiles en nogada, pozole and tamales-while mariachi bands performed in town squares. Street parties and flag-raising ceremonies extended well into the night, reinforcing the spirit of unity and freedom that defines Mexico’s national identity.