Mexico City installed a chandelier in its metro for the World Cup. Then came the crush of memes

Mexico City’s Hidalgo metro station underwent a dramatic cosmetic transformation ahead of the FIFA World Cup, with workers installing a grand chandelier and rows of Victorian-style lamps near the entrance. The renovations, completed in May, drew immediate ridicule on social media, with users comparing the station to scenes from *Harry Potter* or *Titanic* and joking about the metro system’s attempt to mimic European elegance. Residents and commuters embraced the changes with humor, dressing in formal attire—such as tuxedos, wigs, and Disney-inspired costumes—to pose on the newly polished marble floors and under the ornate lighting. Videos circulated widely, including one influencer selling pink dresses aboard a metro train, claiming they matched the station’s ‘etiquette.’ The station became a viral sensation, overshadowing broader criticisms of Mexico City’s failing infrastructure. While workers plastered metro cars with axolotl murals and painted bridges purple as part of the city’s ‘axolotlization’ campaign, commuters pointed out persistent issues like flooded underpasses and crumbling stairs. Social media users juxtaposed images of freshly painted axolotls beside potholes and collapsed sidewalks, mocking the government’s focus on superficial upgrades over essential repairs. Critics, including art historian Aldo Solano Rojas, argued the renovations symbolized a misplaced priority. ‘State presence should reflect well-maintained sidewalks and functional infrastructure, not temporary aesthetic fixes,’ he said. The World Cup’s opening ceremony on June 11 highlighted the contrast between Mexico City’s polished facade and its long-standing infrastructure challenges. The memes and jokes underscored deeper frustrations, with many residents questioning why the government spent resources on metro decorations instead of addressing chronic problems like metro delays and road damage. Silvia Escamilla, a commuter, called the renovations ‘putting makeup on the city,’ emphasizing that real infrastructure investment was lacking.