Mexico’s national flag shows an eagle holding a snake while perched on a prickly pear cactus.
The emblem appears in the white central stripe between green and red vertical bands. It illustrates the foundation story of Tenochtitlan: the Mexica were instructed to establish their city where they saw an eagle on a cactus. According to the traditional account, the sign appeared on an island in Lake Texcoco.
Mexico adopted the present national flag on September 16, 1968, although earlier Mexican flags used related colors and imagery. Green, white and red were first associated with the Army of the Three Guarantees in 1821. Their official interpretations have changed over time; today they are commonly linked with hope, unity and the blood of national heroes.
The emblem is often described as an eagle eating a snake, but the official coat of arms depicts the eagle gripping the snake in its beak and talon. It is therefore more precise to say the eagle is holding the snake.