Fresno City Hall observes Mexican Independence Day by raising southern neighbor’s flag

When Adriana González Carillo, the head consul of México in Fresno, viewed the Mexican flag as it was raised Friday morning in front of Fresno City Hall in commemoration of Mexican Independence Day, she saw a continuing bond between neighbors.

“Raising the flag of México is a symbol of opportunity between our countries, México and the U.S. on the 200th anniversary of diplomatic relations,” said González Carillo.

“We honor the shared prosperity that as good neighbors we build every day and celebrate our binational community of more than 3 million Mexicans and Mexican American that live in Fresno and the Central Valley,” said the consul in brief remarks.

González Carillo was joined by Fresno City Manager Georgeanne White, Salvadoran Consul Jason Manuel Castro Olivares, Fresno City Councilmember Mike Karbassi and Mexican Consulate staff for the brief ceremony.

“The relationship between Fresno and México stretches back decades,” said White. “México opened a consulate here in 1931 to assist the region’s growing Mexican population.”

González noted there are 3 million residents in the Valley who are from México or of Mexican descent.

The flag escort from the Ensenada campus of the Autónomas University of Baja California carried the Mexican flag that was raised. The group was the country’s national champion in 2017.