Hidalgo

The next morning, on another side of Plaza de Armas, At the entrance to the Palacio Municipal, I paused at an information booth. In a rapid-fire monotone voice, that sounded as though it was computer generated, a lady spoke to me with a heavily Americanised accent. She handed over a map, on the back of which was an advert, ‘Calling back to the USA from Mexico is easy with AT & T Direct Service.’ It started to feel once again that I was not far from North America. 

At the top of the Palacio’s central staircase, I stood admiring a huge mural. At its centre was a painting of one of Mexican history’s most prominent characters, Miguel Hidalgo, issuing a proclamation against slavery from the steps that were just outside my current location.

I came to realise after a week in Mexico that there were certain key figures in the country’s history, who, judging from the frequency with which they revealed themselves in one form or another, enjoyed the status of superstar. At the top of the list, I would have to put Hidalgo. He was, it seemed, much revered. So just who was he?

At the start of the nineteenth century Hidalgo formed a secret society dedicated to freeing Mexico from the oppression of the Spanish colonial government. Thousands of Mexicans joined his crusade. and revolution which resulted in the capture of the cities of Guanajuato and Guadalajara in 1811. However, shortly after, his army was completely routed. Like most Mexican heroes, Hidalgo was captured and shot. After the establishment of the Mexican republic in 1824, he came to be regarded almost as a saint. The day on which he proclaimed his revolt, is celebrated as Independence Day.

This priest, come politician, come Mexican revolutionary and icon, kept on popping up in all manner of places. Every town it seemed had a plaza, boulevard, sculpture, several restaurants and hotels named after him. This is not to mention an international airport, a football stadium, a public holiday and a Mexican state.