In 1939, when the Spanish Republic was defeated, the Mexican government headed by General Lázaro Cárdenas acted as a loyal friend of the Spanish Republicans. The Mexican diplomats in France tried to alleviate the harsh living conditions of the exiles and eventually more than 20,000 Spaniards found a warm welcome on Mexican soil. After France, Mexico was the nation with the largest community of Spanish exiles. With the support of successive governments of that country, the Spanish Republicans created a series of institutions, among them “the schools of the exile.”  Initially, they were founded to provide jobs for Spanish teachers, and to educate the children of the exiles. The educational system of those schools was a great success and from their establishment until today they have remained as centers of excellence where the educational ideals and methods of the Second Republic were applied, contributing to the spreading of Spanish culture among thousands of Mexican students.