# 3203 - 1998 32c Cinco de Mayo
1998 32¢ Cinco de Mayo
Holiday Celebrations
City: San Antonio, TX
Quantity: 85,000,000
Happy Cinco De Mayo
Following the Mexican-American war of 1846-48 and the Reform War of 1858-61, Mexico’s Treasury was nearly bankrupt. On July 17, 1861, newly elected president Benito Juárez announced that Mexico would not be making any foreign debt payments for two years.
The Spanish forces arrived at Veracruz in December 1861, followed by the British and French in January 1862. The three forces occupied Veracruz before advancing to Orizaba. But then in April, the alliance crumbled as the French revealed they wanted to spark a war. The British and Spanish forces left, while the French marched for Mexico City.
Even though the French had agreed to withdraw to the coast, Mexican forces saw them on the march and believed that a battle was brewing. Around the same time, negotiations had broken down and the French commander, Charles de Lorencez, saw Mexican complaints as a plot to attack his forces. Lorencez then decided to halt his withdrawal and instead occupied Orizaba. On April 28, the French defeated Mexican forces under Ignacio Zaragoza in a skirmish at Acultzingo Pass. Zaragoza’s troops then retreated to the heavily fortified Puebla.
1998 32¢ Cinco de Mayo
Holiday Celebrations
City: San Antonio, TX
Quantity: 85,000,000
Happy Cinco De Mayo
Following the Mexican-American war of 1846-48 and the Reform War of 1858-61, Mexico’s Treasury was nearly bankrupt. On July 17, 1861, newly elected president Benito Juárez announced that Mexico would not be making any foreign debt payments for two years.
The Spanish forces arrived at Veracruz in December 1861, followed by the British and French in January 1862. The three forces occupied Veracruz before advancing to Orizaba. But then in April, the alliance crumbled as the French revealed they wanted to spark a war. The British and Spanish forces left, while the French marched for Mexico City.
Even though the French had agreed to withdraw to the coast, Mexican forces saw them on the march and believed that a battle was brewing. Around the same time, negotiations had broken down and the French commander, Charles de Lorencez, saw Mexican complaints as a plot to attack his forces. Lorencez then decided to halt his withdrawal and instead occupied Orizaba. On April 28, the French defeated Mexican forces under Ignacio Zaragoza in a skirmish at Acultzingo Pass. Zaragoza’s troops then retreated to the heavily fortified Puebla.