Palm Sunday in Mexico City still brings color to the streets, with pajareros—vendors who sell birds and their cages—lining the route to the basilica with flowers, tinsel, and images of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Families walk for miles, carrying small cages as part of the annual procession. However, the scene has grown quieter in recent years.
Critics say the trade is cruel and fuels animal trafficking. Tighter laws have pushed many sellers out. The pajareros insist they follow the rules, breeding birds at home and keeping only legal species.
For the pajareros, the day is not just about trade but tradition, a sign of faith that endures even as pressures rise.