July 1, 1962 - President Kennedy left Mexico today after having received the applause of crowds as enthusiastic as those that greeted him Friday. More than 200,000 people crowded into the area of the Basilica of Guadalupe, where the President and Mrs. Kennedy attended mass in the morning. President Kennedy appears to have aligned Mexico as a strong supporter of the Alliance for Progress, which is designed to speed social and economic development in the hemisphere. Overall, President Kennedy worked hard and consistently at advancing the idea that the revolutionary heritage of the U.S. was similar to that of Mexico. Observers viewed this approach as one of the factors that contributed to the success of the President’s visit.
