Last year, Ciudad Juárez canceled the public celebration of the country’s 200th birthday party. After four years of brutal drug cartel violence, the city on the U.S.-Mexico border opted out of the nation’s biggest celebration of the century.
This year, under a new mayor, the party is on, even though Juárez has one of the worst murder rates in the Americas.
Residents are tired of hiding.
The excitement of hundreds of elementary school kids at an independence day assembly in southeast Juárez is electric. Tiny mariachis in fake mustaches and “folklorico” dancers in full skirts and blue eye shadow shout “Long live Mexico!” as is tradition on the eve of the nation's birthday. Mexican Independance Day is September 16th, but festivities begin early.
“Viva Mexico!” a teacher shouted. “Viva Juarez!” the students responded.
Teresa Contreras is the director of the school. She said having a celebration helps motivate the families. It's our responsibility as their teachers, she said, to teach the children good values in spite of the terrible violence that surrounds them.
While killings are down this year, the murder rate is still far worse than what it was four years ago when the drug violence first erupted here. Some 1,600 people have died this year. Nationally, police have arrested a number of cartel bosses, but daily murders, extortion and disappearances continue with impunity.
At a street corner, a woman sells Mexican flags, noisemakers and revolutionary portraits. Business is brisk. Last year, when the festivities were canceled, she said sales were abysmal.
One of her clients is Issac Fernandez, the manager of new bar that opened in a once booming party zone now lined with decaying businesses.
“To see Juarez, so sad, only motivated us to created new jobs,” Fernandez said. “If we continue to be afraid, things won't get better.”
But not everyone shares his point of view.
Another client pulls up wearing dark glasses and a woven necklace with the image of a saint. His name is Juan Vasquez and he works for an ad agency. When I ask how he'll celebrate Mexico’s Independence Day, he said it will be across the border in El Paso, Texas.
“The thing is with the terrible situation happening in Mexico right now, the U.S. is like a safe haven for some Mexicans,” Vasquez said.
It's true. Since the violence started, one Juárez demographer estimates up to 40,000 people have fled the city to the neighboring United States. The Mexican consulate in El Paso holds its own independence day bash – last year 10,000 people attended.
At the site of the Juárez fiesta, workers drill together a massive facade depicting the original church where a patriotic priest declared independence from Spain 201 years ago – known as “El Grito”.
Mayor Hector Murguia stands proudly on the main stage in a crisp white collared shirt.
He said it was his job to show what this city is about. It is alive. People go to work everyday and try to do better for their families, Murguia said. With violence down across the city, sacrificing the celebration this year is simply unacceptable, the mayor said.
