- Marchers carried signs reading “gringo go home” and “to gentrify is to erase memories.”
- A flood of American and European arrivals since the pandemic has transformed many Mexico City neighborhoods, causing rents to soar.
- President Claudia Sheinbaum denounced the nativist tone of the protests. “Xenophobic displays of this kind must be condemned,” she said.
A demonstrator holds a sign that reads in Spanish, “To gentrify is to erase memories,” during a protest on Friday against gentrification in Mexico City.
(Jon Orbach / Associated Press)
MEXICO CITY — Since the early days of the pandemic, foreigners have flooded Mexico City, particularly Americans and Europeans drawn by the cost of living and possibilities of remote work.
During that time, several neighborhoods in the city center have transformed, with tortillerías, corner stores and barber shops replaced by wine bars, cafes and Pilates studios, many of which advertise in English. Rents have soared, and some locals have been priced out of their homes.
Some blame the city’s housing crunch and rising costs on the new arrivals — and the more than 35,000 Airbnbs operating here.
