A viral video showing a meeting between a owner and a construction worker Mazatlan turned into public demonstrations and a heated debate on urban tensions, disinformation and power of social media.
The incident, initially described as a case of a Mexican worker harassing Gringo (American), has since been clarified: the owner, José Ignacio Lizárraga Pérez, is a Mazatlán room for life – a Mazatleco – Not an American, Canadian or other foreigner.
@MayrifrancoJustice!! @Mexico 🇲🇽 #freedom #Mezicolindoyquerido♬ Sound Original – Mayri Franco
What happened earlier this week would have been as follows: Lizárraga, a 78 -year -old lawyer, asked the construction workers, lunch on a public sidewalk outside her house, to move because they blocked his entrance and his garage.
He said that his house is on Cruz Lizárraga avenue, a well -known street at a pâté of beach houses named not for him but for the clarinetist Don Cruz Lizárraga, the founder of the famous music group Banda El Recodo.
To be built right there, near the intersection with Hamm Street, is Calumny, A luxury residential complex of two 30 floors offering views of the ocean and high -end equipment.
“All that I asked for workers who blocked the entrance to my home on Monday is that they move on the other hand to open the way,” Lizárraga told Noroeste in a telephone interview, adding: “I am not a Gringo and I don’t want to be.
A video of the meeting was shared by a passer -by who believed that Lizárraga was a stranger and described him as such. Shortly after being displayed on Tuesday, he became viral.
The indignation of social media followed, the users accusing it of racism and classism and the harassment of a Mexican citizen on his own territory.
Wednesday, dozens of demonstrators gathered in front of the house of Lizárraga, singing, waving Mexican flags, throwing eggs and striking on its doors, while passing through the cars in charge. The rhythm of the song “By my Mexico” burned in the background.
“Listen, they destroy my garage doors,” said Lizárraga while the event took place.
Despite the bustle, no police intervened after the end of the damage, he said, adding that his wife had called the authorities for the sake of their security.
Lizárraga explained that the current construction of the Tower has brought daily disruptions for years, including blocked entries, noise and debris – a common experience for Mexicans in many urban places, made particularly irritating when construction is motivated by tourism and creating more rental units for foreigners.
🔵🔴 Gringo was armed #Mazatlan 🤣 Dozens of people gathered outside the house abroad who removed a worker from his sidewalk, just eating. They did roasted carnita, put music and even threw eggs at home 😱🤣 #Svnnotias pic.twitter.com/bgb48cg9r3
– Sonora Vision News (@Svnnotias) April 24, 2025
“At lunchtime, between 15 and 20 people come here to eat on average daily … I have no problem with that. … What I have a problem is when … they block the garage and block the front door.”
The worker involved, appointed Jorge, described feeling “attacked” but said that he did not want to degenerate the situation. His colleagues, however, expressed their anger at what they perceived as a lack of respect for local workers.
The episode rekindled debates on gentrification, The urban development and the impact of the construction of tourism, which, according to many inhabitants, has eroded community cohesion and tense public spaces.
The authorities, including Jaime Othoniel Barrón Valdez, public security secretary in Mazatlán, finally confirmed the local status of Lizárraga – a day or two after the incident – and warned against the justice of the mastery fueled by rumors on social networks.
“It is difficult to imagine that a lie can have such a scope,” said Lizárraga.
Although this incident proved to not involve a stranger, Gringo-Versus-Locals incidents are not uncommon in Mazatlán, a Sinaloa 442,000 port city.
About a year ago, A video triggered a fiery debate Between people who support the right of musicians to play the music of noisy banda On or near the beach and donors of an anti-noise prescription. Those who seek to ban such music included hotels, business leaders and politicians – would have tried to respond to the desires of tourists and non -Mexican residents.
