Joseph Stanko: Cinco de Mayo and the Perils of Debt

I'm sure my fellow members know that today is not Mexican Independence Day, but rather commemorates a victory over French invaders in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.  Ah, but do you know why the French invaded Mexico in the first place?  I didn't, so I went looking for the answer and here's what I discovered:

In 1862, the French landed in Veracruz along with forces from Queen Isabella II of Spain and Queen Victoria of Great Britain. They had come to collect the debt owed to them by Mexico—debts that Mexican President Benito Juarez had officially suspended because the country was essentially bankrupt.

Countries that cannot pay their debts are reduced to fighting for their very survival -- a sobering lesson to bear in mind as you drink your Dos Equis and toast Mexico's narrow escape from the graveyard of nations.

Feliz Cinco de Mayo!