02/24/11 – On the 24th of February, Mexico celebrates its annual Flag Day. Earlier today, President Felipe Calderón gave a speech at a press conference held in Los Pinos in commemoration of the holiday. The President was accompanied by national defense agents, and Senate President Manlio Fabio Beltrones, President of Congress Jorge Carlos Ramirez, and Supreme Court President Juan Silva Meza also made appearances.
Calderón stated that real, durable, lasting peace will not be achieved until an end is put to the activities of criminals, specifically narco-traffickers. Despite the atrocities that citizens have experienced due to the drug cartels’ actions, the President wanted to remind the people of the government’s progress in ensuring public security. He stated that recently, “the infamous El Teo, El Tío, who used to work for Ignacio Coronel, and El Jabalí, who was captured this past Sunday, summarize the theme of the week.”
Some of the main issues that the Mexican President addressed included the need to agree on economic reform policies and stand united at this time to fight against poverty and criminals that continuously ignore the law. Calderón called upon political parties and forces, government officials and local governments to put aside their differences and unite. He stressed the importance of putting forth the nation’s interests before their own personal ones. The President also gave special recognition not just to heroes of the past but to police and soldiers who constantly put their lives on the line to protect the country.
Calderon also included in his speech a description of what the flag’s colors stand for:
“Red symbolizes the costs of constructing this nation and it is this generation who must defend it now. White represents peace. Lasting peace can only be formed through compliance of laws. Green represents hope and Mexico’s future. The destiny that Mexican’s work for every day. The dream that there will no longer be misery, that we can walk peacefully in the parks. A nation more just, more democratic, equal, free, safe, prosperous, more friendly to the environment, a Mexico that will last us forever.”
Sources:
Redacción. “Calderón llama a defender a México.” El Universal. 24 February, 2011.
