Execution of Emperor Maximilian I on June 19, 1867.
One of the most significant historical events in Mexico during June is the execution of Emperor Maximilian I on June 19, 1867.
This event marked the end of the Second Mexican Empire, a period when France, with the support of some Mexican conservatives, attempted to establish a monarchy in Mexico. Maximilian's execution at Cerro de las Campanas, Querétaro, by order of President Benito Juárez, symbolized the victory of the Republic and the reaffirmation of Mexico's sovereignty and independence from foreign powers.
Other important events in June include:
June 1: Mexican Navy Day (Día de la Marina Nacional Mexicana), which commemorates the first time a Mexican merchant ship with an exclusively national crew sailed from the port of Veracruz in 1917, marking a milestone in the country's maritime sovereignty.
June 5: Birth of Francisco Villa (Doroteo Arango) in 1878, a key figure in the Mexican Revolution.
June 8, 1938: The decree establishing Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) was issued, nationalizing the oil industry.
June 24, 1937: Nationalization of Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México (National Railways of Mexico).
June 30, 1520: "La Noche Triste" (The Night of Sorrows), when Hernán Cortés's forces were defeated by the Mexica army as they fled Tenochtitlan.
While all these are relevant, the execution of Maximilian is widely considered a crucial turning point in Mexican history, solidifying the republican form of government and ending foreign intervention..
Collaboration/Research by: Bro. Jose Luis Santana
Treasurer of California Hispanic & Latin American Research Lodge
