Mexican beer Corona Extra is once again giving local beer drinkers the opportunity to celebrate Cinco de Mayo in several bars around Malta. Various promotions are being held between 2 and 5 May to celebrate this popular Mexican fiesta that is a social as well as a cultural event.

Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for Fifth of May) commemorates the Mexican army’s defeat of French forces on 5 May, 1862, in the Batalla de Puebla (Battle of Puebla). During the battle, General Ignacio Zaragoza led the vastly outnumbered Mexican army to victory over the French forces of Emperor Napoleon III. The triumph of Mexican forces at the Battle of Puebla became a symbol of Mexican unity and patriotism.

Today Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in Mexico as well as regions in the United States with sizeable communities of Mexican origin, with festivities often including sports events, parades, music and dancing, picnics and beauty contests.

Young and old crowd into the streets, and into bars and restaurants to celebrate and remember what it means to be independent and free. Cooks combine their resources and talents to present their best dishes to their friends: tamales, pollo enchilada and chiles rellenos while guests sit outside drinking Corona Extra, joking and telling stories.

Sold in more than 150 countries on five continents, Corona Extra is the leading imported beer in the US, Canada, Australia, Japan and New Zealand. It is currently the fourth best-selling beer in the world.

Corona Extra is imported, marketed and distributed by Guido Vella Limited, a subsidiary company of The Farsons Group of Companies.