Mexican response to Hurricane Katrina

In late August 2005, Hurricane Katrina arrived in the southeastern portion of the contiguous United States, causing severe damage and destruction in several U.S. states and killing more than a thousand people.

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|image1=US Navy 050909-N-1467R-077 A U.S. Marine assigned to 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU-11) stationed at Camp Pendleton, Calif., cuts a fallen tree as part of the cleaning efforts st D'Iberville Elementary School.jpg

|caption1=U.S. and Mexican marines cleaning up hurricane debris outside of a Mississippian elementary school.

|image2=050912-N-6925C-005 President George W. Bush conveys his gratitude to a Mexican marine, on their clean up efforts.jpg

|caption2=U.S. President George W. Bush conveys his gratitude to a Mexican marine on their cleanup efforts}}

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|image1=050910-N-1467R-003 Mexican sailors assigned to the Mexican amphibious ship ARM Papaloapan (P-411) debark a U.S. Navy Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) as they prepare to work on rehabilitation projects in Biloxi, MS.jpg

|caption1=Mexican navy sailors assigned to the Mexican amphibious warship ARM Papaloapan (P-411) disembark from a U.S. Navy landing craft as they prepare to work on rehabilitation projects in an around Biloxi, Mississippi.

|image2=20050926174405 - Mexican army camp in San Antonio, Texas.jpg

|caption2=The Mexican army's camp at Kelly AFB during their deployment to the U.S.}}

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|image1=FEMA - 15502 - Photograph by Mark Wolfe taken on 09-12-2005 in Mississippi.jpg

|image2=FEMA - 15503 - Photograph by Mark Wolfe taken on 09-12-2005 in Mississippi.jpg

|footer=Mexican marines and Dutch sailors distributing aid and foodstuffs to Mississippian hurricane victims in September 2005.}}

In late August 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck the southeastern portion of the contiguous United States, causing severe damage and destruction in several U.S. states and killing more than a thousand people.

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|image1=20050926174219 - Mexican army mobile kitchen in Texas.jpg

|caption1=A Mexican Army mobile kitchen that was sent to Texas.

|image2=20050926174133 - Mexican soldiers breaking down tent in Texas.jpg

|caption2=Mexican soldiers disassembling tents near the end of the deployment.}}

On August 30, 2005, Mexican President Vicente Fox sent his condolences to U.S. President George W. Bush regarding the hurricane's effects: "In the name of the people and of the government of Mexico, I assure you of my deepest and most sincere condolences for the devastating effects caused by Hurricane Katrina".

He also mentioned his instructions to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs; that the United States would be provided with any kind of help that was needed.{{cite web|url=http://presidencia.gob.mx/actividades/?contenido=20544&pagina=2 |first1=Vicente |last1=Fox |authorlink1=Vicente Fox |first2=Jesús Olguín |last2=Sánchez |language=Spanish |title=Letter of condolence to President George W. Bush |date=August 31, 2005 |location=Mexico |accessdate=September 9, 2005 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050909100132/http://presidencia.gob.mx/actividades/?contenido=20544&pagina=2 |archivedate=September 9, 2005 }}

The Mexican Red Cross sent four rescue experts from the state of Jalisco to assist in rescue efforts in New Orleans. The government of the Mexican Federal District also pledged to help with relief efforts.

On September 4, the Mexican Navy offered ships, buses and helicopters to assist in rescue missions. The offer was accepted and the Mexican ship Papaloapan departed from Tampico, with two Mi-17 helicopters, eight all-terrain vehicles, seven amphibious vehicles, two tankers, radio communication equipment, medical personnel and 250 tons of food.{{Cite web|title=President Fox Sends New Message about Disaster Caused by Hurricane Katrina: Message from President Vicente Fox Quesada about Disaster Caused by Hurricane Katrina |authorlink1=Vicente Fox |first1=Vicente |last1=Fox |date=September 5, 2005 |first2=Suzanne Stephens |last2=Waller |location=Mexico |publisher=Sistema Internet de la Presidencia |url=http://fox.presidencia.gob.mx/en/activities/speeches/?contenido=20654&pagina=1 |accessdate=July 22, 2011 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722090732/http://fox.presidencia.gob.mx/en/activities/speeches/?contenido=20654&pagina=1 |archivedate=July 22, 2011 }}

On September 5, the Secretariat of Social Development pledged 200 tons of food, to be delivered in five airplanes by the Mexican Air Force.

The Secretariat of National Defense, on September 6, sent Mexican soldiers with expertise in rescue missions to the area affected by Katrina. Also sent the same day were 35 vehicles and 162.7 tons of food, carried by trucks traveling through the U.S. state of Texas.{{Cite web|title=Fifth Army helps Mexican Relief convoy movement to San Antonio |author=Fifth U.S. Army/ARNORTH |work=News |url=http://www.arnorth.army.mil/news/2005/September/MexicanRelief.htm |accessdate=July 22, 2011 |date=September 2005 }}{{dead link|date=April 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

The members of congress of the Federal District pledged a day of salary each on September 7, to be sent to those affected by Katrina. The National Commission of Water sent bottled water and canned food upon request. Naval ship Papaloapan arrived the same day, with 389 soldiers and other personnel from the Mexican Navy. Units of the Mexican Army, a total of 184 people, arrived by land with 35 military vehicles.{{Cite web|title=Mexican army convoys head for U.S. to deliver aid to Hurricane Katrina victims |work=Denton Record-Chronicle |publisher=Associated Press |url=http://www.dentonrc.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8CF2P2O0.html |accessdate=July 17, 2011 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130121155913/http://www.dentonrc.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8CF2P2O0.html |archivedate=January 21, 2013 }}

On September 8, the Mexican Army was received with honors at Kelly Air Force Base by the mayor of San Antonio, Texas.{{Cite web|url=https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/ID/17205/ |date=September 26, 2005 |title=Mexican Forces Wind Up Humanitarian Mission |first=Steve |last=Alvarez |work=American Forces Press Service |access-date=April 14, 2012 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414154322/http://www.defense.gov//News/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=17205 |archive-date=April 14, 2012 }} Local news channels noted the fact that the Mexican Army operated on U.S. soil after 159 years of absence, with the last time being the Mexican–American War in the 19th century.

On September 9, U.S. and Mexican marines, along with U.S. Navy sailors, helped clean up hurricane debris outside of an elementary school in D'Iberville, Mississippi.{{Cite web |url=http://www.defense.gov/photos/newsphoto.aspx?newsphotoid=7055 |title=U.S. Navy sailors from the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) and Mexican Marines carry a log as they remove Hurricane Katrina debris at the D'iberville Elementary School in D'iberville, Miss., on Sept. 9, 2005. Once the debris has been cleared the school will be used to provide food and medicine for evacuees. Department of Defense units are mobilized as part of Joint Task Force Katrina to support the Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster relief efforts in the Gulf Coast areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina. |date=September 9, 2005 |accessdate=March 3, 2010 |work=United States Navy |publisher=United States Department of Defense |author=DoD photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Sandberg, U.S. Navy. (Released) |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100303020058/http://www.defense.gov/photos/newsphoto.aspx?newsphotoid=7055 |archivedate=March 3, 2010 }}

On September 12, Mexican marines and Dutch navy sailors distributed aid supplies to residents in D'Iberville, Mississippi.{{Cite web|title=Photograph by Mark Wolfe taken on 09/12/2005 in Mississippi |work=FEMA |url=https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/images/45878 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170515065549/https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/images/45878 |archivedate=2017-05-15 }}{{Cite web|title=Photograph by Mark Wolfe taken on 09/12/2005 in Mississippi |work=FEMA |url=https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/images/45879 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170515065549/https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/images/45879 |archivedate=2017-05-15 }}

On September 25, the 184 person Mexican army contingent completed its 20-day-long mission to provide relief to hurricane victims and relief workers from Katrina and Rita. The Mexican Army's field kitchen, a tractor-trailer turned into a kitchen, served 170,000 meals during their deployment to the former Kelly Air Force Base. They also assisted in the distribution and management of more than 184,000 tons of supplies.

On September 26, 2005 in a small ceremony conducted by the Mexican consulate, the Mexican troops ceremonially ended their mission. They broke down their camp, packed their equipment, folded their flag and drove back to Mexico.{{citation needed|date=October 2015}}

{{Portal|Mexico|Weather}}

• Hurricane Katrina disaster relief
• Mexico–United States relations
• Military of Mexico
• Mexico's response to the December 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami
• Mexico's response to Hurricane Katrina
• Mexico's response to the October 2005 Kashmir earthquake
• Mexico's response to the May 2008 Sichuan earthquake
• Mexico's response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake
• Mexico's response to the February and March 2010 Chile earthquake
• Mexico's response to the March 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami
• Mexico's response to Typhoon Haiyan
• Mexico's response to the April and May 2015 Nepal earthquake

{{Reflist|30em}}

• "[https://web.archive.org/web/20050909100132/http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/nation/12586817.htm A helping neighbor: Mexican military sends relief]", a September 2005 article from The State.

• {{in lang|es}} "[http://estadis.eluniversal.com.mx/internacional/36853.html Mexican Army arrives in Texas]{{dead link|date=January 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}" article on El Universal.

• {{Commons category-inline|Mexican response to Hurricane Katrina}}

Hurricane Katrina

Category:International responses to Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina

Category:Vicente Fox