Mexico President wants to get ‘United States’ out of the country’s name
Celebrating Mexican Independence Day in Mexico City on September 16, 2000.
GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Mexican President Felipe Calderon wants to change the country’s name to… Mexico, El Universal reported today.
The country’s formal name is the United Mexican States, but few people use it and Calderon said today it was time for Mexico to stop emulating its northern neighbor.
"Mexico is the name that corresponds to the essence of our nation. The name of Mexico is Mexico,” Calderon told reporters at Los Pinos, the presidential residence in Mexico City, according to CNN Mexico.
Mexico adopted the name in 1824 to emulate the United States of America, Calderon said.
With nine days left in office before President-elect Enrique Pena Nieto takes the helm, Calderon signed a bill proposing the name change, CNN Mexico reported.
According to the Associated Press, the constitutional reform would require approval by both houses of Congress and a majority of the country’s 31 state legislatures.
El Universal and the AP reported that Calderon first proposed the name change in 2003 when he was a congressman, but it failed to get support.
More from GlobalPost: Sandy Island 'proven not to exist,' according to Australian scientists
The story you just read is available for free because thousands of listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Every day, reporters and producers at The World are hard at work bringing you human-centered news from across the globe. But we can’t do it without you: We need your support to ensure we can continue this work for another year.
Make a gift today, and you’ll get us one step closer to our goal of raising $25,000 by June 14. We need your help now more than ever!