1998 Mexico

Issued April 16, 1998, by Servicio Postal Mexicano as the Mexican counterpart to the U.S. Cinco de Mayo joint issue, this 3.50-peso stamp is titled "Festividades Mexicanas" and features a colorful scene of traditional folklorico dancing. The design captures the swirling skirts and celebratory energy that define the holiday's festivities across Mexico and Mexican-American communities in the United States. The artist credit "Romo" appears at the bottom left of the stamp design. Both the U.S. and Mexican stamps were released on the same date, making this one of the more coordinated binational postal collaborations of the decade.

The stamp reflects the spirit of Cinco de Mayo as it is celebrated rather than its strictly historical meaning. While the holiday marks the Mexican Army's victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, its most visible celebrations today — parades, music, and traditional dance — are especially prominent in the United States, where Mexican-American communities have embraced it as a cultural touchstone. The folklorico dancers on this stamp represent that living tradition.