History of the Mexico Flag: From the Trigarante Flag to 1968

Mexico’s modern national colors emerged during the final stage of the independence struggle. The Army of the Three Guarantees used green, white and red in a flag associated with the Plan of Iguala. Unlike today’s flag, the bands were diagonal and each carried a star.

Contemporary government histories connect the three guarantees with religion, independence and union. The order and political interpretation of the colors changed over time, but the tricolor endured.

Later in 1821 the colors were rearranged vertically. Under the First Mexican Empire, the central white band carried an eagle on a nopal with an imperial crown. This established the basic format that still defines the flag: vertical green, white and red with the national emblem at center.

After the empire ended, the crown disappeared and republican imagery developed around the eagle, snake, cactus, lake, oak and laurel. The artistic treatment changed repeatedly during the nineteenth century, but the central Mexica foundation imagery remained recognizable.

President Venustiano Carranza ordered a profile treatment of the eagle in 1916, restoring a form linked more closely to indigenous representations. The emblem continued to evolve artistically during the twentieth century.

The contemporary national flag design was formally established in 1968. Mexico’s current national-symbols law subsequently defined the flag’s 4:7 proportions and placement of the coat of arms.