The city that fears its women
Two days after the great march of March 8, the heart of Mexico City woke up converted into a fortress. Two-meter-high metal fences now surround the National Palace, the Cathedral and the Supreme Court.
The message is clear, and it is not exactly one of solidarity. The shielding extended through Madero, Eje Central, Bellas Artes and Juárez Avenue, where even hotels and businesses put up their own barriers.
The official version: protection, not prevention
In her Monday morning, President Claudia Sheinbaum had already released the forecast. He said it was “probable” that the National Palace would be armored. Your justification:
“To avoid a confrontation between police and women, we put up these fences.”
Sheinbaum acknowledged that “members of the black bloc and other groups seeking to damage the historic site” participate. Curious approach: instead of dialoguing with the organizers or addressing demands, the strategy is steel.
The federal president took the opportunity to make her assessment: “there are many advances” for women in Mexico, but “obviously there is more to go.” A classic. The problem is recognized to immediately minimize it.
Meanwhile, the city prepares for what looks like an invasion, not a legitimate demonstration. The billboards speak louder than any talk of “progress.” They say fear, distrust and a gap between power and the street that not even the thickest steel will be able to contain for long.
