Hundreds of people in Mexico City commemorated the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla on Saturday with a parade and re-enactment of the famous 5 May 1862 battle, when Mexican troops defeated the French army.
Residents of Penon de los Banos, a neighborhood in the east of the capital, dressed in costumes representing soldiers from both sides, as well as the "Zacapoaxtlas," an indigenous tribe who helped the Mexican army defeat the French.
Mexican troops defeated the army of Napoleon III, then considered the mightiest military in the world.
A year later, however, troops sent by Napoleon III took control of Mexico City, forcing the government of Benito Juarez to flee.
"Cinco de Mayo", as it is known in various parts of the world, is not an official holiday in Mexico and is barely recognized by most Mexicans living south of the Rio Grande.

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