Cozumel Lawmaker Honors 178th Anniversary of El Cedral Traditions

Cozumel, Quintana Roo — Deputy Renán Sánchez Tajonar, president of the Governing Board and Political Coordination of the XVIII Legislature, recognized the historical and cultural value of the Santa Cruz de Sabán festival during the 178th anniversary of the traditional celebrations in El Cedral.

“As a native of Cozumel, I am filled with pride to see that after 178 years we continue to honor a promise that gave rise to what we are today. This tradition is ours and we must care for it, because in El Cedral lies the essence of Cozumel,” the lawmaker said, accompanied by families who carry on the tradition, residents, and local authorities.

Sánchez Tajonar highlighted that the celebration — which combines a religious novena with a popular fair — represents the living memory of those who repopulated the island after the Caste War in 1848, sustained uninterrupted for five generations by descendants of Don Casimiro Cárdenas Sanguino.

The deputy emphasized that the state congress remains committed to institutionally supporting the cultural expressions that define Quintana Roo’s identity, as well as securing legislative and budgetary tools to strengthen the preservation of the town, its fair, and its traditional bearers.

Before the traditional pig’s head dance, Sánchez Tajonar shared a moment with Martín Cárdenas Ávila, the chief staff bearer of the Cárdenas family, a symbol of history and tradition.