A billboard fell from its perch high above the street in Mexico City’s Iztapalapa borough during a storm on Thursday, injuring four people, damaging property and triggering a billboard ban.
After authorities said the 18-meter-high billboard had been placed without the necessary permit, Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said she will move to ban the placement of additional billboards in the capital.
Officials said the advertising company that installed the sign didn’t obtain a permit from the urban development and housing department and ignored a notice in Mexico City’s official journal in December 2015.
Department officials organized 10 meetings with important players in the advertising industry between February and June to urge them to take down billboards installed above sidewalks.
“Although there were promises, not a single billboard owner followed through,” they said.
“We will not permit any more billboards in the city, the mayor said, adding that the city government has initiated 40 proceedings against different billboards around the city. She said her administration will immediately begin legal action to take down all those that do not possess the proper license.
Sheinbaum said in the case of billboards that do have all the necessary approvals but are believed to present a potential risk to people and property, the government will talk with the owners to negotiate substituting other forms of advertising.
