Protests and confusion in Mazatlán after ‘gringo’ supposedly harasses construction worker

A viral video showing an brushwood betwixt a homeowner and a operation idiosyncratic successful Mazatlán has escalated into nationalist protests and a heated statement implicit municipality tensions, misinformation and the powerfulness of societal media.

The incident, initially described arsenic a lawsuit of a gringo (American) harassing a Mexican laborer, has since been clarified: The homeowner, José Ignacio Lizárraga Pérez, is simply a lifelong Mazatlán section — a Mazatleco — not an American, Canadian oregon different overseas national.

What happened earlier this week reportedly was this: Lizárraga, a 78-year-old lawyer, asked operation workers, eating luncheon connected a nationalist sidewalk extracurricular his home, to determination due to the fact that they were blocking his entranceway and garage.

He said his location is connected Cruz Lizárraga Avenue, a well-known thoroughfare 1 artifact from the formation named not for him but for clarinetist Don Cruz Lizárraga, the laminitis of the celebrated euphony radical Banda El Recodo.

Being built close there, adjacent the intersection with Hamm Street, is Stelarhe, a luxury residential analyzable of 2 30-floor towers offering water views and high-end amenities. 

“All I asked of the workers who were blocking the entranceway to my location connected Monday was that they determination to different broadside to wide the way,” Lizárraga told Noroeste successful a telephone interview, adding, “I’m not a gringo nor bash I privation to be. I’m from Mazatlán, and my household has been present for generations.”

A video of the brushwood was shared by a bystander who believed Lizárraga was a foreigner and labeled him arsenic such. Shortly aft being posted Tuesday, it went viral.

Social media outrage followed, with users accusing him of racism and classism and the harassment of a Mexican national successful his ain territory.

On Wednesday, dozens of protesters gathered extracurricular Lizárraga’s home, chanting, waving Mexican flags, throwing eggs and banging connected his doors, portion passing cars honked successful support. The bushed of the opus “Por Mi México” blared successful the background.

“Look, they’re destroying my store doors,” Lizárraga recounted arsenic the protestation unfolded.

Despite the commotion, nary constabulary intervened until aft harm was done, helium said, adding that his woman called authorities retired of interest for their safety.

Lizárraga explained that the ongoing operation of the operation has brought regular disruptions for years, including blocked entrances, sound and debris — a communal acquisition for Mexicans successful galore municipality locations, made particularly irritating erstwhile the operation is being driven by tourism and creating much rental units for foreigners.

🔵🔴 Se le armó al gringo en #Mazatlán 🤣 Decenas de personas se reunieron afuera de la casa del extranjero que quitó de su banqueta a un trabajador, solo por estar comiendo. Hicieron carnita asada, pusieron música y hasta le aventaron huevos a su casa 😱🤣 #SVNNoticias pic.twitter.com/BGb48Cg9r3

— Sonora Visión Noticias (@SVNNoticias) April 24, 2025

“At lunchtime, betwixt 15 and 20 radical travel present to devour connected mean regular … I person nary occupation with that. … What I bash person a occupation with is erstwhile … they artifact the store and they artifact the entranceway door.”

The idiosyncratic involved, named arsenic Jorge, described feeling “attacked” but said helium did not privation to escalate the situation. His colleagues, however, voiced choler astatine what they perceived arsenic disrespect toward section workers.

The occurrence has reignited debates implicit gentrification, municipality improvement and the interaction of tourism-driven construction, which galore locals consciousness has eroded assemblage cohesion and strained nationalist spaces.

Authorities, including Jaime Othoniel Barrón Valdez, caput of nationalist information successful Mazatlán, yet confirmed Lizárraga’s section presumption — a time oregon 2 aft the incidental — and cautioned against mob justness fueled by societal media rumors.

“It’s hard to ideate that a prevarication tin person specified a reach,” Lizárraga said.

Although this incidental proved to not impact a foreigner, gringo-versus-locals incidents are not uncommon successful Mazatlán, a Sinaloa larboard metropolis of 442,000.

About a twelvemonth ago, a video sparked a fiery debate betwixt radical supporting the close of musicians to play large banda euphony on oregon adjacent the beach and backers of an anti-noise ordinance. Those seeking to prohibit specified euphony included edifice owners, concern leaders and politicians — allegedly successful an effort to cater to the desires of tourists and non-Mexican residents.

With reports from Infobae, Reforma and Noroeste