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The National Palace’s new resident has four legs and one role: to support emotional well-being

MND Staff
By MND Staff
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Rollo, new dog at Mexico's National Palace
According to the Mexican government, Rollo, an adopted mixed breed, "has a very important role: the support and emotional well-being of everyone.” (Gob MX)

The Mexican government has just introduced a new resident of the National Palace. And no, it’s not a politician or public official. It’s a puppy, and his name is Rollo.

In a video posted on the government’s official social media accounts, Rollo is seen running playfully through the corridors and gardens of the National Palace. In another scene, he’s behind a desk, wearing a tie.

“This is Rollo. He works at the National Palace,” the post says, adding that the adopted pet, a mixed-breed, has a “very important role: the support and emotional well-being of everyone.”

The video also indicates that Rollo has a brother named Theo, who is still looking for an adoptive family. However, details of where and how to adopt him have not been shared. 

Rollo joins other animals living at the National Palace, including the cats that inhabit its gardens and other areas of the palace. President Claudia Sheinbaum herself has shown off these pets during tours of the presidential headquarters.

In May 2026, during the visit of the K-pop group BTS to the National Palace, Sheinbaum said that 16 cats lived there. However, the number of these animals has varied over the years. 

In 2024, it was reported that 19 cats inhabiting the National Palace were designated as “living fixed assets” — a legal measure to guarantee resources for their food, medical attention and care for the rest of their lives.

The gatos that have been publicly identified include Coco, Zeus, Roja, Ollie and Balam — two of whom have made a debut on the internet. During the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Coco appeared in posts on official government accounts wearing Mexico’s jersey. Meanwhile, Zeus once wandered into a morning press conference during Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s term (2018-2024).

Unlike Rollo, these cats were not adopted. According to information from the presidential office, they have been there for years, and there is no precise record of how each one arrived.

With reports from Infobae and El Financiero

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