The “pastry war”, the most delicious of casus belli
FUNNY WARS 2/5. After Louis-Philippe recognized Mexico's independence in 1830, trade relations between the two countries grew. But France wanted to negotiate more favorable agreements and then found a pretext to start a conflict: the ransacking of a pastry shop in 1838. Second installment in our “Funny Wars” series.
April 16, 1838 marked the beginning of hostilities between France and Mexico. In the complicated context of the independence of this former Spanish colony, the French demanded a large sum of money due to the economic situation of some of their compatriots settled in Mexico . These relations deteriorated, giving rise to a war which, according to legend, started from the looting of a pastry shop.
At least, that's the accusation made by a French pastry chef named Remontel, who owns a shop in the Tacubaya neighborhood of Mexico City. He claims that Mexican officers, after tasting some sweets in his establishment, left without paying, causing him great harm for which he is seeking compensation.
Armed with his claim, he joined forces with other French merchants in the country [a large French community has been established in Mexico since independence]. Together, they expressed their discontent to Baron Deffaudis, then the French ambassador to Mexico. Their grievances were transformed into an official demand for financial compensation, the amounts of which reached such heights that the Mexican state could not honor them.
Courrier International
