The Historic Center of Morelia: A Case of Successful Negotiation

Abstract

The historic center of Morelia is one of the most stately and best conserved in Mexico, so much so that in 1991 it was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO. Notwithstanding such a mark of distinction, the last 25 years have seen the center invaded by a proliferation of street vendors, a problem that until recently seemed insoluble. It generated not only social and environmental problems but also limited the enjoyment of the public spaces by residents and tourists alike. Thanks to consensual political action and multiple negotiations, the more than 1,500 vendors were removed and relocated in more appropriate locations, leaving the city center to better exhibit its pleasant environment and distinguished architectural past. This paper documents the methods used in the relocation process, especially the role played by the Patronato Pro-Rescate del Centro Hist�rico which, for Mexico, appears most encouraging and has generated a climate of optimism. El centro hist�rico de Morelia es uno de los m�s se�oriales y mejor conservados de M�xico e incluso en 1991 fue declarado Patrimonio de la Humanidad por parte de la UNESCO. No obstante, la proliferaci�n de comercio informal en las calles y plazas observado durante los �ltimos 25 a�os se convirti� en un problema que parec�a irresoluble y que generaba problemas sociales y ambientales, adem�s de que limitaba el disfrute de los espacios p�blicos, tanto para los ciudadanos locales como para el turismo. Gracias a una labor de consenso pol�tico y de m�ltiples negociaciones se logr� retirar a dichos comerciantes (m�s de 1.500) mismos que fueron realojados en sitios mejor dispuestos con lo cual el centro hist�rico luce una agradable imagen y se encuentra en mejores condiciones para perpetuar su centralidad. Se documentan los mecanismos utilizados y el papel desarrollado por el Patronato Pro-Rescate del Centro Hist�rico para alcanzar este importante objetivo que en M�xico resulta muy alentador y ha generado un clima de optimismo social.

Informal Traders and the Battlegrounds of Revanchism in Cusco, Peru

“…Intolerant and arguably more draconian policies of relocation and removal have received much attention over recent decades, partly because they appear to be a preferred contemporary strategy and have been implemented at some point by many city governments of the developing world (Smart, ; Dewar and Watson, ; Jones and Varley, ; Cross, 1998; 2000; Bromley, ; Custinger, ; Middleton, ; Skinner, ; Cabrales Barajas, ; Donovan, ). Relocation of traders is usually seen to be a compromise, giving a trading location for traders, and re‐establishing local authority control over urban space (Middleton, ).…”

“…Across the developing world informal trading constitutes a considerable element of the urban economy and yet policies targeted at traders increasingly pursue spatial displacement in response to the perceived preferences of the middle classes and sometimes tourists (Cross, ; Cabrales Barajas, ; Donovan, ; Musoni, ). Drawing parallels with Neil Smith's seminal work on zero tolerance policing in New York, recent studies conclude that informal trading in the global South, particularly in Latin America, has become the subject of revanchist policymaking (Swanson, ; Bromley and Mackie, ).…”