“The Battle of Puebla took place on 5 May 1862, near the city of Puebla during the French intervention in Mexico. The battle ended in a victory for the Mexican Army over the occupying French forces. The French eventually overran the Mexicans in subsequent battles, but the Mexican victory at Puebla against a much better equipped and larger French army provided a significant morale boost to the Mexican army and also helped slow the French army's advance towards Mexico City. There were a total of 10,540 soldiers in the war. 462 French soldiers died in combat. Only 83 Mexican soldiers died in the battle. The Mexican victory is celebrated yearly on the fifth of May. Its celebration is regional in Mexico, primarily in the state of Puebla, where the holiday is celebrated as El Día de la Batalla de Puebla (English: The Day of the Battle of Puebla). There is some limited recognition of the holiday in other parts of the country although this holiday remains very popular in the United States where it is celebrated yearly as Cinco de Mayo.

The 1858–60 Mexican civil war known as The Reform War had caused distress throughout Mexico's economy. When taking office as the elected president in 1861, Benito Juárez was forced to suspend payments of interest on foreign debts for a period of two years. At the end of October 1861 diplomats from Spain, France, and Britain met in London to form the Tripartite Alliance, with the main purpose of launching an allied invasion of Mexico, taking control of Veracruz, its major port, and forcing the Mexican government to negotiate terms for repaying its debts and for reparations for alleged harm to foreign citizens in Mexico. In December 1861, Spanish troops landed in Veracruz; British and French followed in early January. The allied forces occupied Veracruz and advanced to Orizaba. However, the Tripartite Alliance fell apart by early April 1862, when it became clear the French wanted to impose harsh demands on the Juarez government and provoke a war. The British and Spanish withdrew, leaving the French to march alone on Mexico City”. – Wikipedia



Mexicans wearing period costumes re-enact the battle of Puebla in the Penon de los Banos neighbourhood of Mexico City, Mexico, May 5, 2016. The battle marked the defeat of French forces by Mexican troops and local Indians in the central state of Puebla in 1862. During the re-enactment, participants fired homemade shotguns loaded with gunpowder and hundreds of men dressed as Indian peasants fought mock battles against others dressed as French invaders. (Photo by Henry Romero/Reuters)





Mexicans wearing period costumes, fire a cannon during a re-enactment of the battle of Puebla, in the Penon de los Banos neighbourhood of Mexico City, Mexico, May 5, 2016. (Photo by Henry Romero/Reuters)





Mexicans wearing period costumes re-enact the battle of Puebla in the Penon de los Banos neighbourhood of Mexico City, Mexico, May 5, 2016. (Photo by Henry Romero/Reuters)





Mexicans wearing period costumes, fire a cannon during a re-enactment of the battle of Puebla in the Penon de los Banos neighbourhood of Mexico City, Mexico, May 5, 2016. (Photo by Henry Romero/Reuters)





Mexicans wearing period costumes re-enact the battle of Puebla in the Penon de los Banos neighbourhood of Mexico City, Mexico, May 5, 2016. (Photo by Henry Romero/Reuters)





Mexicans wearing period costumes re-enact the battle of Puebla in the Penon de los Banos neighbourhood of Mexico City, Mexico, May 5, 2016. (Photo by Henry Romero/Reuters)





Mexican wearing a period costume re-enacts the battle of Puebla, along the streets in the Penon de los Banos neighbourhood of Mexico City, Mexico May 5, 2016. (Photo by Henry Romero/Reuters)





A Mexican wearing a period costume re-enacts the battle of Puebla, take part along the streets in the Penon de los Banos neighbourhood of Mexico City, Mexico May 5, 2016. (Photo by Henry Romero/Reuters)





A Mexican wearing a period costume fires a homemade shotgun during a re-enactment of the battle of Puebla, along the streets in the Penon de los Banos neighbourhood of Mexico City, Mexico May 5, 2016. (Photo by Henry Romero/Reuters)





A boy and other people wearing a period costume re-enacts the battle of Puebla, take part along the streets in the Penon de los Banos neighbourhood of Mexico City, Mexico May 5, 2016. (Photo by Henry Romero/Reuters)





A boy and his father wearing a period costume re-enacts the battle of Puebla, take part along the streets in the Penon de los Banos neighbourhood of Mexico City, Mexico May 5, 2016. (Photo by Henry Romero/Reuters)





Mexicans wearing period costumes re-enact the battle of Puebla, along the streets in the Penon de los Banos neighbourhood of Mexico City, Mexico May 5, 2016. (Photo by Henry Romero/Reuters)





Mexicans wearing period costumes re-enact the battle of Puebla, along the streets in the Penon de los Banos neighbourhood of Mexico City, Mexico May 5, 2016. (Photo by Henry Romero/Reuters)





A Mexican wearing a period costume re-enacts the battle of Puebla, in the Penon de los Banos neighbourhood of Mexico City, Mexico May 5, 2016. (Photo by Henry Romero/Reuters)