Merchants Block Mexico City Street Demanding Zócalo Barrier Removal

Traders and workers in Mexico City's historic center staged a protest, blocking the major thoroughfare Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas. Their demand: the immediate removal of metal barriers erected around the Zócalo, the city's main square.

The demonstrators argue that the barriers, installed for an unspecified event, have severely impacted their businesses. They report that the closure of streets leading to the Zócalo has disrupted commercial activity, resulting in substantial financial losses. According to the protesters, at least two streets remain affected, and over 300 commercial establishments are experiencing a considerable decline in sales.

Merchants, including those from the area known as "la calle de las novias" (the street of the brides) on República de Chile, voiced their distress over "millions in losses" due to the lack of customers. They emphasized that the barriers impede the free flow of people, directly affecting their income. The protest caused significant traffic disruptions in a key area of the city center as authorities responded to the demonstration.

The merchants are calling on the capital's government to dismantle the barriers and allow unrestricted access to the historic center. They assert that the current situation, marked by reduced mobility, is unsustainable for their livelihoods.