Civil Organizations Demand Review of 600 New Advertising Structures in Mexico City
Mexico City, August 17, 2026 – The collapse of an advertising totem in Huixquilucan, State of Mexico, last Friday, which resulted in the death of a woman, has raised alarms among civil organizations regarding a project to install 600 new advertising structures in Mexico City.
Groups such as Rescatando el Paisaje Urbano, Vecinas Contra la Publicidad Ilegal, and Mujeres por un Paisaje Digno have urged the Mexico City government to thoroughly review the safety conditions, dimensions, anchoring, and maintenance of these planned advertising installations.
Fatal Accident Prompts Urgent Calls for Safety
The concern intensified after the accident on Friday, August 14, in front of Paseo Interlomas. A metal structure fell onto a van driven by a woman on Vialidad de la Barranca in Huixquilucan. The victim died, and the incident was captured on video surveillance cameras.
For these organizations, the Huixquilucan tragedy should serve as a critical reference point to reinforce security measures, structural supervision, and Civil Protection protocols before authorizing any new advertising elements on sidewalks and roads in the capital.
Beyond Legality: Structural Integrity and Public Safety
The collectives argue that authorities should not limit their review to the legality of the advertisements but must also consider crucial aspects such as weight, dimensions, location, anchoring systems, resistance, and ongoing maintenance. Edgar Méndez, head of Rescatando el Paisaje Urbano, questioned the proliferation of totems and advertising furniture in public spaces.
Laura Hernández, director of Mujeres por un Paisaje Digno, directly appealed to the Head of Government, Clara Brugada Molina, to order a preventive review before allowing larger advertising structures. “Clara Brugada must order a preventive review before Mexico City permits the installation of larger advertising structures, as they can represent a latent risk for pedestrians and cyclists,” Hernández stated.
Concerns Over 600 Ecobici-Related Advertising Structures
The organizations’ appeal specifically targets a project linked to Ecobici, which, through a new tender, plans to authorize 600 advertising spaces in areas with high pedestrian and cyclist traffic. According to the groups, some of these structures could be up to 10 square meters in size. They demand to know the technical specifications of each structure and the studies that certify their installation does not pose a risk.
Claudia Reynoso warned that a potential failure could affect not only pedestrians and cyclists but also motorists and public transport users who daily circulate near such furniture. The organizations deem it essential to understand how the structures will be placed, their weight, dimensions, and the mechanisms used to ensure their stability under various conditions.
Transparency Demanded from Semovi
The groups also directed their demands to the Secretary of Mobility of Mexico City, Héctor Ulises García Nieto, requesting transparency regarding the advertising furniture associated with the public bicycle system. Information they believe should be made public includes the number of structures, dimensions, weight, and location, as well as structural reports, risk studies, and corresponding Civil Protection authorizations.
The collectives maintain that any structure placed on a sidewalk must guarantee safety conditions, regardless of its commercial or advertising use.
Enforcing the Outdoor Advertising Law of CDMX
The organizations emphasized that the Outdoor Advertising Law of Mexico City contains provisions related to the protection of the urban landscape, public space, and risk management. Therefore, they believe that the expansion of Ecobici should not become a means to introduce advertising structures without sufficient public information on their dimensions, characteristics, and installation conditions.
They have also called upon cyclist collectives, environmental organizations, urban development specialists, architects, residents, and public space advocates to request information about the project.
Source: https://www.infobae.com/mexico/2026/08/18/caida-de-totem-en-huixquilucan-alerta-por-instalacion-de-600-estructuras-publicitarias-en-cdmx/
