Mexico City's plan to tackle gentrification after angry protests against overtourism
Mayor Clara Brugada announced that the strategy includes regulations to prevent landlords from increasing rents beyond inflation. Additionally, officials plan to publish a list of "reasonable rental" proposals to guide the market.
Brugada said her government will open a discussion with residents of Mexico's capital about her plan, but that the idea is to work on a bill that includes measures to promote affordable rent.
The protest in early July was fueled by government failures and active promotion to attract digital nomads who work remotely often for foreign companies from Mexico City, according to experts. Hundreds of people marched in neighborhoods popular with tourists, but the demonstration turned violent when a small number of people began smashing storefronts and harassing foreigners.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said that the protest was marked by xenophobia.
'The xenophobic displays seen at that protest have to be condemned. No one should be able to say 'any nationality get out of our country' even over a legitimate problem like gentrification,' Sheinbaum said back then.
Many Mexicans have complained about being priced out of their neighborhoods — in part because of a move made by Sheinbaum in 2022, when she was the Mexico City mayor and signed an agreement with Airbnb and UNESCO to boost tourism and attract digital nomads despite concern over the impact short-term rentals could have.
During the protest, some people marched with signs reading 'Gringo: Stop stealing our home' and 'Housing regulations now!'
The Mexico City Anti-Gentrification Front, one of the organizations behind the protest, said it was 'completely against' any acts of physical violence and denied that the protests were xenophobic. Instead, the organization said the protest was a result of years of failures by the local government to address the root of the problems.
'Gentrification isn't just foreigners' fault, it's the fault of the government and these companies that prioritize the money foreigners bring,' the organization said in a statement. Meanwhile 'young people and the working class can't afford to live here.'
Some anti-gentrification groups have called for a new protest this weekend.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
9 hours ago
- The Independent
False online rumours spark protests outside Canary Wharf hotel earmarked for migrants
Protesters surrounded an empty hotel in London's finance district after false rumours online suggested it was being used for migrants from another hotel, where riots have broken out. The Home Office has earmarked more than 400 beds at the Britannia Hotel in the Canary Wharf, which it says it will use to house migrants at a cost of £81 per night per person. Protesters gathered at the site on Tuesday after social media posts claimed migrants were being moved there from the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, which has been the scene of violent protests over the past few days. So far, 10 people have been arrested in connection with that disorder, which was sparked when an asylum seeker was charged with sexual assault this month. Tommy Robinson, the far-right activist, is among those who claimed online that migrants were being transferred to the London hotel from Epping. The rumours sparked protests and counter-protests, with police drafted to the scene on Tuesday, despite the hotel currently sitting empty. Demonstrators had also seized on online claims that migrants were being housed at £400 a night, when the rooms infact cost £81 per night and the government will not be charged until migrants move in. 'Asylum seekers are not being removed from The Bell Hotel in Epping,' a Home Office spokesman said. Reform MP Lee Anderson was accused of further stoking division by attending the protest outside the Canary Wharf hotel and warning of 'an influx of illegal migrants'. 'What are we playing at?' he asked on social media. He posted a clip in which he said he is 'absolutely furious' and that families across the UK would not be able to afford a night's stay in the hotel. Care4Calais head of advocacy Charlotte Khan hit out at Mr Anderson for his video. She said: 'The truth is, MPs should be more responsible than to sow division and hatred in our communities.' She added: 'MPs... who spread misinformation and hate that dehumanises refugees should be held accountable for their role in encouraging violence and racism on our streets.' Nathan Phillips, head of campaigns at Asylum Matters, hit out at the demonstrations which he said had 'morphed into yet more racist violence'. 'In that context, it's clear how disgracefully dangerous and utterly irresponsible it is for an MP to use his platform to identify a site where people are about to be housed and encourage his followers to 'protest' against it. 'It's appalling that there's no accountability for an elected official who actively encourages the exact same sort of 'protests' that have led to violence and arrests in Epping this week.' In Essex, local Conservative MP Dr Neil Hudson warned that the riots were a 'crisis that has reached boiling point'. Essex Police have made 10 arrests, which saw more than 500 gather outside the hotel, with rioters attacking police vans and injuring a police officer. On Sunday night, two security guards working at the Bell Hotel were also attacked at a bus stop, and are recovering in hospital. Giving an update to the media in Chelmsford on Wednesday, Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington said: "I want to thank the people of Epping, I want to thank the people of Essex. "I also want to thank all those who have turned up to protest and express their views peacefully and lawfully, because there have been many of those. "What has been unacceptable has been the people who have come to Epping and committed violence, who have attacked people who work at the hotel, who have attacked officers, who have damaged property and who have caused fear and disruption to the people of Epping. "That is not tolerable, it will not be tolerated, and to that end, we have made 10 arrests." He appealed to the people of Essex to 'help us to do our job and make sure everyone can express their rights and their views safely and peacefully'. The latest demonstrations come a day after Angela Rayner issued an ultimatum to Sir Keir Starmer, warning that the UK faces a repeat of last year's summer riots unless 'the government shows it can address people's concerns'. The deputy prime minister said economic insecurity, immigration, the increasing time people spend online, and declining trust in institutions were having a 'profound impact on society'. And, amid fears this summer could see riots similar to those in the wake of the Southport murders last year, Ms Rayner said it is urgent Sir Keir delivers tangible improvements to living standards. Of the 18 places hit with the worst rioting last summer, Ms Rayner noted that 17 are among the country's most deprived areas. Michael Gove on Wednesday branded the comments about a repeat of last summer's violence 'a big mistake' which could 'tacitly encourage' fresh riots. The Tory ex-minister said she was right to acknowledge concern across the country about immigration and living standards and encourage the government to prove it can deliver. But Mr Gove told ITV: 'I think this is a mistake on Labour, to brief this out, I think it is a big mistake, it reminds me of what happened in the 1970s when [former US president] Jimmy Carter when America was going through difficult times said 'this country is in the grip of a malaise'. 'You do not, if you are the government, accentuate the negative in this way and you certainly don't suggest to people that violence might be about to break out in this way.' A spokesman for Tower Hamlets Council, the authority which is responsible for Canary Wharf, called on the government to ensure 'that there is a full package of support for those staying at the hotel'. 'We are working with the Home Office and partners to make sure that all necessary safety and safeguarding arrangements are in place,' the spokesman added.
Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Migrant, 34, brought to US as a child accidentally self-deports after missing freeway exit near Mexico border
A migrant who came to America as a boy 20 years ago is set to be deported after accidentally missing an exit on the freeway in Southern California and winding up in Mexico. Erick Hernandez, 34, of East Los Angeles, migrated to the US from El Salvador at 14 years old, making him eligible for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), NBC San Diego reported. DACA is granted to migrants who came to the US before turning 16 years old. It delays deportation so recipients can live and work in the country. Hernandez, whose parents gained legal status in the US, was working on becoming legal after marrying his wife, who is an American citizen. The couple had a daughter and are expecting a son in August. Hernandez's family and attorney told NBC San Diego that he was working as a rideshare driver on June 1 when he missed a freeway exit in San Ysidro and found himself in Tijuana. 'And when that happened, he lost everything, basically,' his immigration lawyer, Valerie Sigamani, toldthe outlet. DACA recipients need to apply for 'advance parole' to travel internationally and return to the US. Erick Hernandez, 34, of East Los Angeles, migrated to the US from El Salvador at 14 years old His wife, Nancy Rivera, is an American citizen. The two have a child together and are expecting their second Since Hernandez didn't have prior permission to leave and return to the country, his DACA status was stripped when he crossed the border. Now, he's being held at Otay Mesa Detention Center and undergoing an expedited removal deportation process to El Salvador. She added that when Hernandez was approached by agents with Customs and Border Patrol (CPB), they offered to let him back into the country if he paid a bribe. 'One of the officials told him, "Well, if you pay us $800, we'll forgive everything, and we'll let you into the United States with no problem,"' his attorney said. Hernandez assumed the payment was a part of a legal process, but didn't have enough cash with him. The Daily Mail reached out to CBP and Sigamani for comment. Sigamani said Hernandez is holding onto hope that he'll be able to return before his wife gives birth. 'He has a lot of hope. He feels like something good is going to happen. He's a person of faith,' she told NBC San Diego. Hernandez missed a freeway exit in San Ysidro and found himself in Tijuana (file photo) Since Hernandez didn't have prior permission to leave and return to the country, his DACA status was stripped when he crossed the border Hernandez's lawyer said he is optimistic but fearful of deportation to El Salvador Despite his optimism, she added that Hernandez lives in fear of returning to a country he hasn't lived in since he was a child. As Hernandez awaits his fate in a detention center, his pregnant wife, Nancy Rivera, is caring for their child alone and working full-time. She's concerned about making ends meet without him. 'I'm just worried that he's, if he gets deported, like, how I'm going to manage everything by myself,' she told NBC San Diego. 'It'' just a lot of, you know, stress, anxiety that I have.'
Daily Mail
10 hours ago
- Daily Mail
UK housing crisis sparks 10% increase in young British adults living with their parents - while more than half of people living alone now are pensioners
Soaring housing costs have sparked an increase of almost 10 per cent in the number of young British adults failing to move out of their parents homes, new figures reveal today. The number of those aged 20-34 still living with mum and/or dad rose from 3.3 million in 2014 to 3.6 million last year, the Office for National Statistics said. The figures suggest fewer people are leaving home in their mid 20s, with issues like rent and mortgage costs and the uncertain job market affecting their choices. The proportion is higher among men, with a third of those in this age group still with their parents, compared to a quarter of women, with the difference most prevalent in the early and late 20s. The ONS said it was part of 'a trend of adults reaching milestones later in life' which could be explained by 'a number of factors including increased housing costs'. The data also revealed that pensioners accounted for more than half (51 per cent) of all people living alone in the UK last year, up from 45 per cent in 2014. Over 65s were the only age group where the number of people living alone actually rose, thanks to increasing life expectancy. A higher proportion of women aged 65 years or over lived alone (40.9 per cent) than men of the same age (27 per cent). Labour has pledged to deliver 1.5 million homes before the next election and has introduced major changes to the planning system. Angela Rayner has also announced plans to build 180,000 new social homes in the next decade as the Government seeks to 'turn the tide on the housing crisis'. The figure would be six times the number of social homes built in the 10 years up to 2024. It forms part of a drive to build 300,000 new social and affordable properties by 2035, backed by a £39 billion investment announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in last month's spending review. But housing charity Shelter has argued that the Government needs to build 90,000 new social homes a year for the next decade – five times the figure Ms Rayner has committed to. According to Shelter, building 90,000 social homes a year would clear waiting lists, which currently stand at around 1.3 million households, and end the use of temporary accommodation.
