The cry of independence - El Grito - San Miguel de Allende

Late in the evening of September 15, Mexicans around the republic join in the cry of Mexican identity—¡Viva México! ¡Viva México! ¡Viva México!—which heralds the beginning of national celebrations around the country. In San Miguel de Allende, this tradition holds a special place, given that the city was renamed in honor of one of the heroes of the independence, General Allende.

Beginning at 6am on September 15, authorities from cities of Dolores Hidalgo and Querétaro and the town of Atotonilco conduct civic celebrations, remembering the historical events and characters of the Mexican independence. At 11pm, from the balcony of the Ignacio Allende museum, Mayor Juan Antonio Jaramillo leads the call to independence and rings a bell in memory of the proclamation of independence by Father Don Miguel Hidalgo in Dolores Hidalgo in 1810. This reenactment occurs throughout the country; in Mexico City, the grito will be reenacted by President Vicente Fox. It is scheduled to take place despite the occupation of the Zócalo (main square) by protestors claiming that Andrés Manuel López Obrador won the July presidential election.