Zapopan, Jalisco-. The Tequila Regulatory Council (CRT) recognized former federal lawmakers Sergio Barrera Sepúlveda and Laura Haro Ramírez, along with Senator Clemente Castañeda Hoeflich, with the “Águila en Vuelo”, the council’s highest distinction, for their contributions to the protection and promotion of Tequila and the Mexican tequila industry.
The recognition was presented during an event at the CRT’s Boardroom in Zapopan, where the organization highlighted the legislators’ participation in the process that established July 24 as Mexico’s official National Tequila Day, aligning the national celebration with International Tequila Day.
CRT President Aurelio López Rocha said the measure was the result of efforts carried out across different branches of government and legislative periods.
“The ruling was approved in February 2024 in the Chamber of Deputies and subsequently reached the Senate. It was the current 66th Legislature of the Senate that, last April, approved July 24 as National Tequila Day,” López Rocha said.
Barrera introduced the initiative during the previous legislative session of the Chamber of Deputies, seeking to establish a single date for the celebration. Haro joined the initiative and supported its legislative process.
Neither former lawmaker attended the ceremony because of scheduling commitments.
Castañeda, who participated in the Senate debate last April and expressed his support for the measure, received the distinction during the event.
“Behind what has been described as a legislative effort, there is an enormous commitment from my colleagues to the industry and to Tequila in general,” Castañeda said. He added that he remains willing to work alongside the industry and the CRT, which he described as an example of professionalism in Mexico and internationally.
The designation became official after its publication in Mexico’s Official Gazette of the Federation on May 28, 2026.
