'Gringos out!': Mexicans protest against tourists and gentrification

Mexico City has seen a wave of protests as local residents become increasingly frustrated with the effects of gentrification in their neighborhoods. On July 4th, a group of demonstrators gathered in Parque México, located in the trendy Condesa district, to voice their anger over rising rents, unregulated short-term rentals, and the growing number of Americans and Europeans moving into areas like Condesa, Roma, and La Juárez. Many locals feel that they are being priced out of their homes and communities, as landlords prefer to rent to tourists who can pay more. Some protesters also complained about changes in their neighborhoods, such as restaurant menus being written in English and food being made less spicy to suit foreign tastes.

The protest started peacefully but soon turned violent. Some radical demonstrators attacked coffee shops and boutique stores that cater to tourists, smashing windows, scaring customers, and spraying graffiti with messages like 'Gringos Out! ' President Claudia Sheinbaum condemned the violence, calling it xenophobic and saying that it is wrong to demand that people from other countries leave Mexico. However, most of the people at the protest were motivated by personal stories of displacement, like Erika Aguilar's. Erika's family had rented the same apartment in La Juárez for 45 years, but in 2017, they were told they had to leave because the building was being sold to a real estate company. The new owners planned to turn the building into luxury apartments for short-term rentals, and Erika's family was given an impossible offer to buy the building themselves. Now, Erika and her family live almost two hours away from the city center, in a different state.

Activists like Sergio González say that thousands of families have been forced out of their homes in central Mexico City over the past decade. He describes the situation as an 'urban war' over who has the right to live in the city. The mayor of Mexico City, Clara Brugada, has announced a plan to regulate rent prices and build affordable housing, but many people feel that these measures are too little, too late. Some blame the government and property owners for not protecting long-term residents, while others point to the foreigners who have moved to Mexico City, especially during the pandemic. Erika says she does not blame the foreigners, as she understands why people want to live in Mexico City, but she misses her old neighborhood and the sense of community that has been lost. Many small businesses have been replaced by expensive cafes and restaurants, and Erika feels that the soul of her neighborhood has disappeared.