Mexico City: Resilience on the streets
In Mexico City people working in the so called ‘informal economy’ make up 49.7% of the population. This means that 5 out of 10 workers are neither monitored nor protected by the Government. So many street vendors have had little choice but to stay out to support themselves and their families and find new solutions to overcome this crisis.
“I am not scared about this, I survived so many difficulties in my life: earthquakes, diseases, poverty… I am not going to be stopped by this virus”
Martha, is a natural remedies seller. She poses here holding some dandelion cuttings, that are in demand due to claims that they prevent Coronavirus infection. It’s selling for a high market price of 400 pesos for a kilo, and she capitalised by cutting them from fields in her home town where they grow in abundance. On the streets you can see street performers, artisans, artists, sex workers and chefs. Stalls selling disinfectant gels, cartoon themed face masks and even natural medications to prevent the virus. The very nature of their work puts them in contact with a high number of people. Despite that, for many to abandon the streets means being completely unable to provide subsistence for themselves and their relatives.
Pedro is an 86 year old puppet maker and seller. Even if his age puts him among the most at risk candidates for contracting the virus he still goes out everyday to the city centre trying to sell his handcrafts. Statistics show that approximately 4 million senior citizens around the country work in the informal economy.
“I will keep on going out to play until they force me not to. I need to find my own solutions since the government is not going to help me.”
Carlos is an organillero, a street musician who plays a pipe organ that represent a very typical element of the Mexican folklore. He had a street concert cancelled recently so is having to play for tips.
Giving birth to four kids was my crisis! (she laughs). My children and I are strong. We grew up facing many difficulties and we survived, I am not worried about the virus.”
Sandra is a 27 year old mother of 4 who since the beginning of the epidemic started to sell face masks.
Buskers play in Mexico city center. Despite the quarantine, small, informal public events are still organised. Here people enjoy the music, applying social distancing sitting on bollards a couple of metres apart. Like the rest of the world, people are trying to navigate their need to stay afloat - whilst respecting the rules and lives of others. The general attitude seems to be a mix of mistrust towards the authorities, fatalism and a pragmatism to creatively overcome the issues on a day-to-day basis.
Photography and words by Valeria Luongo