Vigil replaces party on Mexican Independence Day

By Timothy Pratt (contact)

Monday, Sept. 17, 2001 | 9:28 a.m.

Las Vegas's Freedom Park looked like any public square in Mexico on the country's independence day: Sept. 15, 11 p.m., when traditionally the crowd shouts " Viva Mexico," and the party begins.

But Saturday night about 1,000 Mexicans and other Hispanics gathered there to pledge allegiance to the stars and stripes. They carried or wore American flags and shouted "U.S.A.! U.S.A!'

Angel Bravo, 31, stood in the crowd, covered in a U.S. flag, a candle spilling hot wax on his fingers, the National Anthem playing over speakers on a flatbed truck. The Rev. Alex Cisneros had just led the crowd in prayer.

Bravo grew up in Michoacan, Mexico, but crossed the border illegally 16 years ago and came to Las Vegas. He said his uncle, Guadalupe Bravo, now deceased, worked on the railroad in Las Vegas in the 1920s and was among the first Hispanics to settle in the area.

Bravo became a citizen in 1986 under an amnesty program and works in real estate. He said his uncle's children served in the Vietnam War, and he is ready to join the military if necessary.

"I am an American, after what this country has given me," Bravo said.

Organized by Las Vegas Spanish-language radio stations, KDOX 1280-AM and KVBC 105.1-FM; newspapersEl Mundo and El Universo; and the magazine, TV Las Vegas, the candlelight ceremony replaced the traditional festivities that usually draw up to 20,000 Mexicans and other Hispanics to the site.

Eddie Escobedo Sr., publisher of El Mundo and director of the Mexico Patriotic Committee, organizers of the annual event, said the committee canceled what would have been the 18th annual Mexico Independence Day celebration following Tuesday's terrorist attack. The other media agreed to join the effort.

"We didn't know what to expect," Escobedo said afterward. "Mexicans here in Las Vegas take this day very seriously. But I thought it inappropriate to put on a celebration, and decided we would do a memorial ceremony instead, even if it meant doing it with three or four people."

Jose Diaz, 21, stood nearby with several friends. He was born in San Diego, though his mother is from Mexico.

"I came tonight because those people in New York are from here, just like me. I feel for them, and would now fight for them," Diaz said.

Flavio Duarte, 22, of KVBC 105.1-FM, came from Baja California, Mexico, in 1995 to Las Vegas. He is now a resident and hopes to become a citizen.

"This country has given us what our own countries never could -- an opportunity," Duartes said. "With this event, we wanted to show our feeling for the nation."

Luis Lopez, 37, from Guatemala, and Blanca Lopez, 35, from Mexico, were surrounded by their three daughters, from 8 to 14, all of whom were born in the United States.

The father of the three who were girls lighting candles on the ground said he would go to war if necessary.

His wife said, "I hope to God we can respond to this situation like civilized people, and not like those who attacked us."

"A war would be horrible."