Present Day

San Miguel de Allende, Statue of hero Ignacio Allende

San Miguel de Allende, domes

Present Day
Many of the newer San Miguel residents, transplanted Liberals, have begun to complain about changes in San Miguel. I guess there’s always something to bitch about. People have to feel that they matter….

The latest is a proposed MacDonalds in the centro. Even though the golden arches and plate glass windows won’t be visible from the street, just a small sign above a door in a colonial façade, they have to gripe about it. Making spectacles of themselves, they march and protest, while the Mexicans point and laugh. Anti capitalists all….

They had the same reaction a couple of years ago when a Starbucks opened, right on the main square. But there it is, and they line up to buy expensive coffee with fancy names….

Personally any new business is welcome, chain store or not, they offer choices and oportunities to aquire or enjoy things previously unseen here in the Mexican provinces. They don’t know how good they have it compared to the old days when we had to travel 80-90 miles for Chinese food.

The Mexican authorities don’t quite know what to do about them. It won’t take them long to figure it out though. They took to dragging long haired American hippies in off the street and shaving their heads a few years back. And their not far from deporting a few of the more active protesters to make an example of them when they finally get tired of their antics. It is their country after all, and progress and prosperity after years of backwardness and poverty is always welcome.