Gentrification is an issue affecting cities around the globe. Mexico is no stranger to the topic, which MND has covered in depth, especially over the past few months. We even have had some of our Mexican writers in different cities weigh in from their perspective as many people began to intertwine the issue of immigration with that of gentrification. A series of small protests in Mexico City this summer served to further add confusion by mixing the two issues, and a lot of international media attention was given to the protests. So much so that many Americans, Canadians, and others considering moving to Mexico began to ask, “Am I still welcome in Mexico?”
Most of us already living here found this concern to be misplaced and unfortunate. Ask pretty much any immigrant to Mexico (and I have asked many) if they feel welcome by the local population and comfortable living here, and the answer is almost always a resounding “Yes, absolutely!” Politicians both locally and nationally made sure to separate the topic of gentrification (which is a real problem in an increasing number of cities in Mexico) with that of immigration (which I would strongly argue is absolutely not an issue — you can read why here).
So what does it all mean? Is this something to be concerned about? Where is the problem most prevelant? And most importantly, how should you think about the problem here in Mexico so that you can be aware of it? Check out MND’s Confidently Wrong podcast this week as we do a deep dive into the issue.
Travis Bembenek is the CEO of Mexico News Daily and has been living, working or playing in Mexico for nearly 30 years.
