SANTA ANA, Calif. – During the 2024 Fiestas Patrias celebration, Santa Ana Mayor Valerie Amezcua proudly presented a Key to the City to Mayor Dr. Manuel Gálvez Sánchez from Sahuayo, Michoacán, Mexico, commemorating the ongoing Sister City relationship between the two municipalities. The ceremony took place on September 14 alongside members of both city councils and staff.
“The Key to the City is a symbol of unity between our two communities,” said Mayor Amezcua. “Through our sister city agreement, Sahuayo and Santa Ana are building friendship, goodwill, educational, cultural, environmental, and business exchanges that will benefit us both.”
This marks the second year that a delegation from Sahuayo has attended Santa Ana’s annual Fiestas Patrias event, which celebrates Mexican Independence Day with a vibrant two-day festival.
The Sister City Agreement, signed in 2022 at Santa Ana City Hall, was further formalized during Mayor Amezcua’s visit to Sahuayo in 2023. During their latest visit, the Sahuayo delegation engaged with city officials, local businesses, Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce, and the National Hispanic Business Women Association. They toured notable sites including Santa Ana College, Bowers Museum, and Santa Ana Zoo.
The Sahuayo delegation also discussed several ideas for collaboration between the two cities, such as a joint mural in Downtown Santa Ana, a business expo in Santa Ana focused on international trade, the potential donation of surplus water equipment to Sahuayo, and an exhibit of traditional masks from Sahuayo, called Tlahualiles, to be held at Bowers Museum from October 24, 2026, to April 25, 2027.