The Mexican Labor Calendar

January 1 – New Year’s Day, official holiday

February 5 – Dia de la Constitution, and beginning of Carnaval – Official holiday

March 8 – International Women’s Day

March 18 – Anniversary of the Nationalization of the Mexican Petroleum Industry in 1938 by President Lazaro Cardenas, a day of Petroleum Workers Mobilization.

March 21 – Birthday of President Benito Juarez – official holiday and frequently a day for protests over issues of democracy.

April 10 – Anniversary of the Assassination of Emiliano Zapata, a day of national peasant mobilization.

April – Semana Santa, Holy Week of Roman Catholic Calender – Most important vacation period in Mexico, most workers gone from work for 10 days.

May 1 – Primero de Mayo, International Labor Day – the annual mobilization of labor unions. Once Mexican labor unions saluted the president, today they challenge him.

May 5 – Cinco de Mayo, celebration of Mexican Victory over French at Puebla in 1862. Cinco de May not as important a holiday in Mexico as it is in U.S. among Mexican Americans.

May 10 – Mothers’ Day – day of recognition of mothers. President usually dines with a group of mothers. Day of debate on the status of women.

May 15 – Day of the Teacher – The weeks preceding this day usually involve teachers union mobilizations and protests, and culminate in the announcement of the terms of the contract between the Mexican Teachers Union )El SNTE) and the Department of Pubic Eduation 9 (SEP). The government presents awards to outstanding teachers.

July – Month of National Elections – a measure of Labor Union candidates.

September 1 – President’s Annual State of the Union Message – a day of evaluation and criticism of the government and its policies.

September 16 – Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla calls for Independence, in 1810. National Independence Day

October 12 – Dia de la Raza, celebrates the arrival of Columbus and the birth of Mexican people out of European and Indigenous groups. But an ambivalent holiday it is also a day of protest of indigenous peoples since the 500th anniversary in 1992.

November 1 & 2 – Dia de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, a day of national remembrance of the deceased.

November 20 – Anniversary of the Mexican Revolution

December 12 – Dia de la Virgen de Guadalupe – celebration of Mexico’s patron saint. This is also Mexican flag day.

December 16 – Las Posadas – remembers Joseph and Mary’s search for shelter in Bethlehem, begins the Christmas season ending on January 6.

December – Companies should pay their “Aguinaldo” or Christmas Bonus, but many do not, so there are always protests between November and into
the new year over bonuses.

December 25 - Christmas

December 28 – Dia de los Inocentes – Day of the Innocents – like April Fool’s Day, some newspaper run false stories, satires.