Constitution Day
Puerto Vallarta loves any day when there’s a reason to celebrate. Constitution Day, on February 5th is recognized at the official date when the Mexican constitution was created in 1917. Drafted by Santiago Queretaro, the Public Constitution of the United Mexican States, or the Fundamental Law of Magna Carta, was signed by Venustiano Carranza and has been observed as a national holiday since that time.
Mexico attained liberty from Spain in 1810 but it took nearly a century for a concrete constitution to be formed, with many drafts in the meantime. The war took a lot of steam out of Mexico, creating a downfall of the economy, widespread unemployment and insufferable economic instability. The first stable constitution was unacceptable, not only as a copy of the constitution of the United States but also for the promotion of absolute sovereignty. It wasn’t until 1957 that the constitution was amended to prohibit foreigners from taking over the Mexican government! Though it has stabilized considerably, a huge issue that wasn’t addressed for decades was racial turmoil. Mexico is long on determination and grit, but there has always been a foundation of disagreement, not unlike other nations with vast diverse populations.
Schools are given a holiday on February 5th but in the interim, they study the constitution and every student in Puerto Vallarta is expected to have a firm understanding of the fundamentals.
One of the biggest achievements of the Mexican constitution is the freedom of religion. There was a time that Catholics were persecuted and slaughtered due to their allegiance to the Catholic Church, a little known fact for non-Mexicans. Prior to the administration of Venustiano Carranza, and the writing of the constitution as we know it today, the government focused largely on annihilating the influence of the Catholic Church over Mexicans. The Cristero War was one of armed civilians at war with the government, resulting in thousands of innocent deaths. The current constitution protects Catholics and all other religious beliefs, the rights of the press and media, and the freedom of speech.
In Puerto Vallarta, Constitution Day follows quickly on the heels of the Charro celebrations and these events coincide on many levels. It’s a great time to brush up on your Mexican history, find out what all the excitement is about, and have some fun in the process. For readers we recommend The Death of Artemio Cruz by Carlos Fuentes (the translated version by Alfred J. MacAdam) for fiction; History of the Making of Mexico by William Prescott for non-fiction, which will take you from the conquering of Cortés all the day to modern day.
Que es cómo es.
Timothy Real Estate Group is a locally-owned and operated real estate brokerage with a strategic location in the Romantic Zone of Puerto Vallarta in the Colonia Emiliano Zapata. Because the Puerto Vallarta area has varying neighborhood personalities, we practice localized real estate. We believe neighborhood knowledge is a top factor in solid sales, and we know our communities well.
We enable our clients to realize their vision for the future. We understand and plan for their concerns and are dedicated to transforming those concerns to peace of mind and joy.
Our philosophy of transparency, integrity, and professionalism imbues our culture with a tangible sense of purpose and results in the length and depth of the quality relationships we enjoy. We believe buying or selling a home is first and foremost about people. Of course we have the latest technology, marketing tools, statistics and research, but a successful real estate transaction really comes down to people. Connecting the right buyers to sellers or investors our professional agents structure solid transactions with successful solid outcomes. We believe in collaboration by connecting people in ways that bring satisfaction and success.
When you combine extensive local knowledge and our long standing reputation for honesty and sound judgment, you have an unbeatable resource at your disposal. You have Timothy Real Estate Group, a constant leader in Puerto Vallarta real estate.
