Books on display at the Zócalo International Book Fair

The Zócalo International Book Fair Ended; Nearly 2 Million People Attended, Paloma Saiz Says

ByReyes Martínez Torrijos

This article by Reyes Martínez Torrijos originally appeared in the October 19, 2026 edition of La Jornada, Mexico’s premier left wing daily newspaper.

After 10 days of reflection, artistic expressions, book presentations and solidarity, the 26th edition of the Zócalo International Book Fair concluded this Sunday. Its director, Paloma Saiz, commented that this year is “when I’ve seen the most people.” She estimated that more than one and a half million people attended.

The cultural promoter said that the forums are full of audiences and “the bookstores are selling much more, like never before. It means we are winning: people are reading.”

She noted that during the covid pandemic capacity was reduced, and some 800,000 people were registered. “Now it is calculated that more than one and a half million, almost 2 million” attended this edition.

“The fact that makes me very happy is that the exhibitors report that ‘they are selling like they never had before,’” she stated.

The afternoon in the Zócalo, under a Sun that at moments has summer vestiges, was the center of a diverse attitude. There were children already reading the books that had been bought for them. A young woman firmly states that her idea is to go “take a walk around” the fair, in response to the question of the woman who appears to be her mother.

Among the stands a multitude of conversations take place about books, prices, social phenomena. There are people who cross the aisles already with their copies open and show them off to their companions; there are those who eat a snack, or the girl who walks along, focused, reading the back cover of a book by Charles Bukowski.

In the middle of the capital’s plaza and amid a crowd of people in search of books and conversations, Saiz highlighted: “I see many more young people than I normally used to see.”

She added that “a long time ago we had an audience of people in their forties and up. Now I have seen a great number of young people. We have a comics pavilion that has attracted them a lot, but in addition the program is designed for everyone. It has many things they like.”

Greater awareness is beginning to emerge among them about the moments we are living. That is why activities like these are essential, where they listen to intelligent people, not fake news; here they hear talks by people who know what they are saying.

Paloma Saiz

Paloma Saiz reported that the Zócalo FIL gave away five books, which were added to another five provided by the Brigada para Leer en Libertad. It reached a figure of some 40,000 copies given away in these 10 days.

The aisles reveal the delight seen in the visitors. In their attentive gaze as they tour the tents there is desire, interest in the worlds contained in the writings.

The gathering’s four forums appear packed for a good part of the more than 40 activities this Sunday. In one of them a talk led by journalist Julio Hernández ends and a conversation begins with Argentine novelist Dolores Reyes, who last year suffered harassment in her country.

The author of Cometierra says that left-wing governments have a greater number of female voters and those of the ultra-right are fed by a majority of male voters. She thus sketches a brief picture of feminism in Argentina and Mexico.

Meanwhile, writer Liliana Escliar said in that space that there have been advances in favor of women, but there are threats due to the growth of conservative governments in the region.

In another forum, Paco Ignacio Taibo II talks about Los esbirros del palacio, by illustrator Augusto Mora. Further on, novelist Juan Villoro talks about soccer and stresses that the refusal of the promotion mechanism in the Mexican soccer league is an attack on democracy. He refers to Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano, who believed that people should not be prevented from enjoying this sport.

The general atmosphere is one of reflection, of interest in books or the current situation of Mexico and the rest of the world. At times, decades of history are addressed to establish intellectual scenarios, or emotion is expressed through music, as in the recital by singer Leiden, granddaughter of Cuban poet Roberto Fernández Retamar.

Interest is present. There are people on bicycles, in wheelchairs, with strollers and on foot. A teenager excitedly asks her parents to accompany her to a stand. Two young people cross with the One Piece flag held high. The day begins to cloud over and the final night of the Zócalo FIL 2026 arrives.