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Mexico celebrates with mariachi & tequila

Published:Friday | September 23, 2011 | 12:00 AM
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The mariachi band thrilled guests at the celebration to mark Mexico's 201st anniversay of Independence, held at Cherry Gardens Avenue, last Thursday night. - Photos by Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
Senate President Dr Oswald Harding (centre) has plenty to say to Senator Marlene Malahoo-Forte and Dr Peter Phillips.
Dinorah Hernandez (left) and Saffia Bloomfield are having a good time.
Energy Minister Clive Mullings (left) and Industry State Minister Michael Stern in the company of Senator Marlene Malahoo-Forte.
New German Ambassador Josef Beck (left) reasons with Dr Nigel Clarke (right) and Chris Bovell.
Belles Michelle Bovell (left) and Betty McKenzie smile for the camera.
Lt Col Oscar Derby and wife Meredith caught in conversation.
Lisa Johnston (left) and Tanishia Ellis Hayles, charge d' affaires, Embassy of The Republic of Costa Rica, are all smiles.
Chargé d'affaires Guadalupe, Sanchez Salazar, smiles brightly with husband Vicente Montemayor.
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Guadalupe Sanchez Salazar, chargé d'affaires, Mexican Embassy, said it best when she opined that Jamaica and Mexico share more than the Caribbean Sea.

The mutual admiration was evident at the Mexican Independence Day reception held at Cherry Gardens Avenue on September 15, a day before the actual date. The two countries established relations (at the ambassadorial level) in 1966 and, like good tequila (which was, of course, on the menu), the relationship got better over time. Official greetings came from Salazar and Senator Marlene Malahoo-Forte, both highlighting the various areas of cooperation.

It was then time for the colourful 'El Grito de Independencia', literally translated 'the cry of independence'. Guests were given a history lesson that in the early hours of September 16, 1810, a priest, Father Miguel Hidalgo, rang the bell of his little church, calling everyone to fight for liberty from Spain. That marked the start of the revolution. Members of the St Jago High Cadet Unit presented the Mexican flag to Salazar, who then led the call as Father Hidalgo did two centuries and one year ago, each sentence greeted with the passionate response of "Viva!" from the crowd.

Guests were promised all things Mexican, including music. A mariachi band then appeared to many whoops and whistles, and they immediately went into full swing, performing Latin classics that had even the more stoic of guests clicking their heels as they sampled the cuisine.

Guests out included Energy Minister Clive Mullings; State Minister Michael Stern; Dr Peter Phillips; Venezuelan Ambassador Noel Martinez; Russian Ambassador Victor Zotin and wife, Olga; Brazilian Ambassador Antonio DaCosta; Cuban Ambassador Yuri Gala Lopez, wife Yaima and son Ariel; Ambassador Maxine Roberts and sister, Valerie; Gloria Palomino; Charles and Lisa Johnston; Joy McHugh; Rene Hooker; Andrew Issa; Eldon Bremner and Nancy McLean; Ricardo and Suzanne Allicock; Vivian Crawford; Pat Gooden; Jennifer Lim; Ramon, Deidre and Winne Corvera; Michael Kroener; Milton Samuda; Steve Miller; Winston Bayley; Clelia Barreto de Hunter; Hugh and Ouida Dunphy; Ann-Margaret Lim and Liz Levy; Peter Makwarela; Yuval Csillag; Martha Corbett-Baugh; Annette Insanally; Noel DaCosta; Stephen Facey; Mark and Betty McKenzie; Henry Rainford and Maurice Foster.

daviot.kelly@gleanerjm.com