Criticism of Mexico's gentrification protests: allegation of xenophobia

Criticism of Mexico's gentrification protests: allegation of xenophobia

The words "skin from Mexico" are still visible on a shop window, while demonstrators violently entered the glass pane. In another clip, "Kill a Gringo" is sprayed onto a wall in Mexico City, during demonstrators carry posters that demand that western foreigners "stop stealing our home."

massemo against gentrification and increasing living costs

These impressive scenes found last Friday with a Great protest against gentrification and the increasing cost of living in the Mexican capital, which some attribute to the influx of foreigners from the USA and Europe.

criticism of vandals and the accusation of xenophobia

Although the demonstration was largely peaceful and reflected the growing resentment of inequality in the Mexican capital, those who vandalized and made business in wealthy and xenophobic statements were accused by the Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Xenophobie.

"No to discrimination, no to racism, no to class awareness, no to Xenophobia, no to Machismo, no to discrimination. All people, men and women are the same, and we must not treat anyone in inferior," said Sheinbaum at a press conference on Monday.

response from the US budgetary Ministry

The US Ministry of Internal Security, which conducts immigration in the United States, reacted to the protests on Friday with an ironic post to X: "If you are illegally in the United States and want to take part in the next protest event in Mexico City, use the CBP Home app to make your departure easier."

global parallels and the effects of gentrification

The protests in Mexico City reflect similar events that in cities such as Barcelona and Paris, where there was demonstrated against the exorbitant costs, some of which are attributed to over -tourism, short -term apartment rentals and an influx of people with higher purchasing power.

frente anti -gentrificación mx, one of the groups that have organized the protest, compared to their social Media with a new form of colonization, in which “the state, institutions and companies, both from abroad as well as nationally, provide different treatment for people with greater purchasing power.”

The reality of housing prices in Mexico City

Anti-gentrification activists claim that thousands of people in the Mexican capital have been forced from their apartments in recent years, since tourists and remote people, many of them from the USA, take over popular districts such as Roma and Condesa.

A spokesman for Frente Anti Gentrificación MX rejected Sheinbaum's proposal that her campaign was xenophobic and emphasized that the demonstration aims to draw attention to the misery of those who can no longer afford their apartments and to demand reforms from the government.

"In Mexico, housing costs have risen by 286 % since 2005, while real wages have dropped by 33 %," said Morales, referring to data from the National Institute for Statistics and Geography as well as the federal mortgage company.

"We are not against migration, because gentrification is not a problem of migration (which is a human right). We are against violence as a government model," said spokeswoman Yessica Morales to CNN and admitted that many people move to Mexico for various reasons.

gentrification as a long -term phenomenon

migration is not the only cause of gentrification in Mexico City. Experts emphasize that this is a phenomenon that extends over decades. "In the debates there is a confusion that gentrification arises when foreigners arrive. That is not true," said the activist and lawyer Carla Escoffié and noticed that inequality, defects in housing policy and land privatization are also causes.

"Not all foreigners are gentrifier, nor are the gentrifiers of foreigners, nor is a significant migration process for gentrification. Gentrification is based on inequalities, so that it is not the same," she added.

effects of short -term rentals and digital nomads

The introduction of short -term rentals such as Airbnb and the work guidelines during pandemic have significantly fueled the debate about gentrification in recent years.

"A new phase of gentrification has started since 2020, which has intensified," said Escoffié. "It is driven by digital nomads and short -term rental platforms such as Airbnb."

Airbnb defended its activities in Mexico City on Tuesday and said that it brought more than $ 1 billion in the local economy last year and argued that guests who book accommodations also spend money in shops and services in the capital.

regulatory measures and the situation on the housing market

The government of Mexico City signed an agreement with Airbnb and the UNESCO , to promote the capital as "Global Center for Digital Nomads and Creative Tourism". Sheinbaum, which was mayor of Mexico City at the time, presented the Initiative as a way to strengthen the local economy.

The challenges for the residents

This recruitment is particularly attractive to US citizens who can stay in Mexico for less than six months without a tourist visa before they need a special temporary residence permit. In 2022, 122,758 temporary residence permits for foreigners in Mexico were granted, according to the national migration institute , an increase of 97,825 in 2019.

a worldwide phenomenon

Taking up the displeasure with gentrification is not unique for Mexico City. Local governments in tourism facilities in Europe, such as the Canary Islands of Spain, Lisbon and Berlin, have announced restrictions on short -term rentals in the past ten years.

The left mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, announced that the government will eliminate the licenses of the 10,101 apartments by November 2028, which are currently approved as short -term rentals in the popular tourist destination.

residents in the Catalan capital have documented how the daily rental is more profitable for landlords than monthly rents, which led to dismissal and the conversion of apartments into short -term tourist accommodation.

"I am part of the rental association in Barcelona, and we see many cases of people who are thrown out by their landlords to use the property for tourism," said Adrián Trinidad , who lives in Les Corts, a district of the Catalan capital.

in Mexico City Airbnb has more than 26,500 entries, according to the rental platform , many of which are concentrated in the rents affected most.

In response to the growing criticism and the protests of 2022, the local government introduced new regulations, but experts argue that they are far from necessary measures.

meanwhile Airbnb says that the city needs regulations that support the sharing of apartments does not prohibit the prohibition. It is argued that many people in Mexico city are dependent on the platform as financial lifeline, whereby 53 % of the hosts provided that the service helped them stay in their apartments and 74 % of the hosts told them to help them cover vital expenses.

outlook for the future and upcoming challenges

activists are now preparing that Mexico opens its doors for football fans to the next World Cup 2026, which fears moral that the state could prioritize business interests on the needs of residents. "In view of the critical condition in which we are, who would suggest something like that?" she asked.