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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Y. Mara Teresa Hernndez

Why a centuries-old Mexica myth became Mexico’s enduring symbol

Mexico Emblem Eagle and Serpent - (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

The almighty eagle perched on a cactus while devouring a serpent on Mexico’s flag hints at the myth behind the foundation of the country’s capital.

It's a divine sign in an ancient legend, according to which the god Huitzilopochtli asked a group called the Mexica — who founded what was later known as the Aztec Empire — to leave their homeland in search of a place to establish a new city.

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