Torre Mítikah left Xoco with Little Water, Classism & Aggression
This article by Josefina Quintero M. originally appeared in the November 29, 2025 edition of La Jornada, Mexico’s premier left wing daily newspaper.
In an effort to form a network against gentrification, social organizations closed the Mítikah shopping center, identified as one of the most aggressive recent real estate projects, which not only dispossessed the inhabitants of Xoco, but where they’re also victims of classism and aggression by the residents of the enormous luxury apartment towers.
Activists and the Citizens’ Assembly of the People of Xoco made an urgent call to stop the gentrification processes that generate higher prices, displacement, obstacles to accessing water and transformations in the public space of various areas of Mexico City.
The impacts, identified by the communities themselves for years, have intensified with the presence of high-impact real estate developments that have caused increases in housing costs, restrictions on mobility and deterioration of the living conditions of the inhabitants of this native town.
During the rally held in the Plaza Mayorazgo, Silvia Chapa, from the Xoco people’s assembly, recounted how stones, bottles, and glass have been thrown at them from the balconies of the large towers; when they complain, they are treated with contempt, and the authorities have refused to address their demands.
Carmen, another resident, pointed out that the water consumption of the Mítikah complex represents 12 percent of all the water received by the town, with only four connections, while reports of water shortages increased by 1,750 percent between 2018 and 2022 and the complex now represents 18.4 percent of the territory.
The fight against gentrification prioritizes real estate speculation over the right to housing. Large-scale developments concentrate tax benefits, consume public resources, and exacerbate inequalities, while original families face displacement, discrimination, and the loss of their communities.
After carrying out the symbolic closure and a rally at the doors of the shopping center, the protesters decided to continue their protest on University Avenue, where they set fire to two cardboard towers that simulated apartment buildings.
After clearing the road, a group of young people formed a human chain at one of the entrances to the shopping center, which led to confrontations with visitors who were trying to force their way in.
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