Mexico City poets protest, win concessions on historic venue

Protesters gathered outside the Casa del Poeta Ramón López Velarde to oppose recent changes, including a controversial plan to convert the historic venue into a cabaret. The Secretary of Culture of Mexico City initially announced the plan but later rescinded the decision following public outcry.

While the removal of the site's director, Andrés Carreño, was seen as a positive step by the Committee to Defend the Casa del Poeta, their demands extend further. They insist that the Café Bar Las Hormigas, located within the building, should not be used for commercial purposes unrelated to literary production. A key demand is the establishment of a consultative council, including representatives from INBAL and INAH, to have a say in institutional guidelines and prevent arbitrary decisions by authorities.

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We celebrate Carreño's removal and that the name of the Casa de Ramón López Velarde was respected, but we continue with the issue of the Consultative Council and that Café Bar Las Hormigas is not used for purposes that do not correspond to the space.

The protest featured a street play critiquing the Secretary of Culture's decisions and poetry readings from López Velarde's works. Although the building remained open, the demonstration took place on the street to highlight the issue. The poets rejected an initial dialogue invitation but will attend a new meeting on June 26, convened by the Secretary of Culture of CDMX, to continue discussions on the consultative council and the café's use.

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The house must be respected.