Mexico - Reverse side of the flag

Last modified: 2002-12-07 by juan manuel gabino villascán
Keywords: mexico | flag | reverse side of the flag | flag law | eagle | snake |
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by Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán, August 31, 2001

4:7

In this page:

• Proposal for regulating the National Flag's reverse side
• Final version of the Flag Law regarding the flag's reverse side

• Mexico
• National Coat of Arms
• National Flag Law
• Mexico - National index

Proposal for regulating the National Flag's reverse side

The current Act, approved on February 24th 1984, contains a serious effort to order and pinpoint concepts to regulate both the characteristics and the adequate and respectful use of the national coat-of-arms, flag and anthem. However, some aspects necessary to that aim were not adequately contemplated.

Article 2 describes the Coat of Arms, considering the lefthand profile of the eagle alone, with its left talon on the nopal and holding with the right one and its beak a serpent.

However, Article 2 does not contemplate the customary use of the coat-of-arms on the reverse of the flag: the righthand profile of the eagle with its right talon on the nopal and holding with the left one the serpent. Thus offending article 5 of the same Act, which states that "all reproductions of the national coat-of-arms shall match faithfully the model described in article 2".

This is clearly visible in the set of two flags which cover the back wall of (...) this Chamber of Deputies.

We propose to incorporate a second paragraph to article 2:

"When the national coat-of-arms appears on the reverse of the national flag, the Mexican eagle will show its righthand profile, perched on its left talon, holding the curved serpent with the right talon and its beak."

Abel Vicencio Álvarez, July 19, 1999.
Reported by Luis Havas, and translanted by Santiago Dotor, October 22, 1999.

All those law initiatives were discussed and passed by the Mexican Parliament on April 20, 1995, being published at the Diario Oficial de la Federación (DOF) of May 9, 1995, adding the article 2º of the Law published on February 8, 1984, that in turn abrogated that of 1968.

The article 2º is as follows:

Article 2º:

"The National Coat of Arms is featured by an Mexican eagle exposing its left profile, the upper part of the wings in a level higher than plume and slightly displayed in a battle attitude; with the sustenation plumage downwards touching to the tail whose feathers are arranged in natural fan. It puts its left grasp on a bloomed nopal that is born in a rock that emerges from a lake. It is grasping with the right grasp and the beack, in attitude of eat, a curved serpent, so that it harmonizes with the whole. Several "pencas" of the nopal grow to the sides. Two branches, one of encino to the front of the eagle and another one of laurel opposed, form a lower semicircle and they are united by a ribbon divided in three strips that, when the National Coat of Arms is represented in natural colors, correspond to those of the National flag.

When the National Arms is reproduced in the reverse side of the National Flag, the Mexican Eagle will appear standing in its right grasp, holding with the left one and the beack the curved serpent."