Fed up with Trump and gentrification, Mexico City nightclub charges $300 'gringo' cover fee

"Federico Crespo was tired of President Trump's bullying. Of his punishing tariffs, his threat to bomb cartels in Mexico and his ruthless campaign against immigrants in the United States. Crespo was also tired of the American tourists and remote workers who had flooded his native Mexico City, driving up rents, displacing locals and altering everything from the city's nightlife to its culinary scene. The owner of a popular dance club, Crespo, 39, wanted to call attention to what he saw as a multitude of U.S.-related woes. So he started charging Americans nearly $300 to enter his bar."

"Mexicans and other Latin Americans pay $14. Customers from Canada, China and anywhere else pay $20. The door policy at Japan nightclub has gone viral, triggering anger and even death threats, while also earning Crespo widespread praise. The controversy spotlights mounting geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and Mexico as well as growing backlash against what some see as an invasion of Americans and other foreigners in Mexico City."

"A July 4 protest last year against "American imperialism" drew hundreds of marchers, some of whom turned to vandalism, smashing windows of more than a dozen storefronts, including a bank and a Starbucks. Some chanted "gringo go home" in English and scrawled "Kill a gringo" graffiti on walls. The march echoed demonstr"

Federico Crespo, owner of the Japan nightclub in Mexico City, imposed a nearly $300 cover charge on Americans to protest President Trump’s tariffs, threats toward cartels, and actions against immigrants. Crespo also blamed American tourists and remote workers for rising rents, displacement of locals, and changes to nightlife and the culinary scene. Mexicans and other Latin Americans pay $14, while customers from Canada, China, and elsewhere pay $20. The door policy went viral, drawing criticism, anger, and death threats, alongside praise from people who view it as legitimate protest against gentrification and American cultural influence. The controversy reflects broader U.S.-Mexico tensions and growing resentment toward foreign presence in the city.

Read at Los Angeles Times