The Gustavo A. Madero municipality, led by Janecarlo Lozano, has carried out the relocation of more than 500 street vendors who were on the Calzada de Guadalupe, moving them to commercial plazas in the area. This measure was taken in preparation for the pilgrimage that will take place at the Basilica of Guadalupe in December.
Operation Basilica 2024 has begun with this action, in which 280 employees of the municipality are tasked with conducting a comprehensive cleaning of the area. This plan includes tree trimming, lamp repairs, pothole filling, and painting. The Calzada de Guadalupe will be completely remodeled this year to welcome the more than 20 million pilgrims who visit the Basilica annually.
Janecarlo Lozano, mayor of Gustavo A. Madero, emphasized that the Basilica of Guadalupe has become the most visited religious center in the world, surpassing visitors to St. Peter's Church in the Vatican last year. There are plans to turn the calzada into the Historic Center of Gustavo A. Madero, with plans to build hotels and restaurants that can serve the pilgrims.
With the aim of enhancing religious tourism, an investment of 30 million pesos is proposed for the remodeling of the plazas and the calzada. It is expected that, starting in 2025, the Calzada de Guadalupe will be transformed into one of the most modern corridors. The mayor mentioned that the goal is to attract investment to provide security to the area and draw in investors interested in developing hotels and restaurants.
However, Janecarlo Lozano assured that there is no intention to provoke gentrification that would expel existing vendors and hotels, but rather to attract significant investment. The remodeling plan includes the complete renewal of pedestrian walkways, sidewalks, and improving accessibility for pedestrians at the intersections of the Calzada de Guadalupe.
Data provided by the Government of Mexico City indicates that in 2023, around 11 million pilgrims visited the Basilica of Guadalupe between December 9 and 12. Throughout the year, approximately 20 million visitors were recorded at this iconic pilgrimage site.
