The statement is a direct quote attributed to Mayor Eric Garcetti about welcoming Anime Expo back to the L.A. Convention Center for five years. As a factual claim about what was said, it can be verified through official records or news reports from the specified date. The content itself (welcoming an event) is not inherently true or false, but the accuracy of the quote's attribution and context determines truthfulness. Given the source and timing, this appears to be a verifiable statement that was likely made as part of an official announcement.

Eric Garcetti served as Mayor of Los Angeles from 2013 to 2022 and was no longer in office by May 2026, so he could not have made the statement as mayor at that date.

Eric Garcetti was mayor of Los Angeles until December 2022 and would not be referred to as mayor in 2026, as he was serving as U.S. Ambassador to India at that time.