Tepito is a place that highlights all over Mexico because of the informal trade, the typical neighborhoods that characterize it, to the devotion of its people by Santa Muerte and San Judas Tadeo , and it has always been a hot spot for crime and drug trafficking. This has become a neighborhood full of tradition and danger, but it certainly has been very influential in society, history, economics and politics of the country . Karla is
a woman who has always lived in the rough Tepito neighborhood, at 35 years with three children and with great effort and finished only primary school, had her first son at age 15, she has learned to raise her family and talk to us as life in this city full of conflicts and folklore. The
tepiteños trade have inheritance, are very few people have surveys, and most are poor, the families are large and there are many cases where more than two families living in a small apartment. Here women grow up to have children and find a man to hold it, no matter who abuse, humiliation, hit them, or cheat, machismo is an idea deeply rooted in this small world, where are the worst crimes of passion, revenge or settling scores.
Poverty has generated in this neighborhood crime and drug trafficking that is considered one of the most dangerous in Mexico City. Karla
coupled to 15 years with the father of her first daughter, went to live with her mother and eventually split up because he beat her, did drugs and cheated on her with other women.
After two years back together with another person, because she was pregnant with her second child, and as the money was not enough began selling drugs in his house, they began to business fruits and decided to rent a stall to sell bags and wallets, they repeatedly fell operational surprise and they confiscated his goods, but they earned extra money with the other business, until one day they dropped a raid on his house and all the drugs found, luckily she was not, had gone to the doctor to get a review because she was pregnant again when he returned he found the news that her husband was arrested about to be transferred to prison.
Karla did not have the 300 thousand dollars he was told to let it go because as it was not the first time her husband stepped in jail all their savings were on bail or kickbacks for free.
At present this is the story of many women living in Tepito, where their husbands go to jail and forced to support his family and find a lover who occasionally helps them economically and give them affection.
They face a world where if you have no education are nothing, before women earned their living by washing outside, are now more practical and prefer to learn the business of trading and that is why women who enter are treated equally so that a man, even were the first to jump to defend violence possessions and territories.
A particular case is to Alejandra Barrios who stayed 27 months behind bars, having been accused by the death of Jorge Ramirez Espindola, husband of the leading vendors of Tepito, Maria Rosette. Conflict caused by defend territories marked.
In 1983, Alejandra Barrios recorded before a notary public Legitimate Civic and Commercial Association, filiation PRI, which has maintained control of street vendors in a large part of the Historic Center. This organization brings together the largest number of informal traders at the Centre, about 4 thousand, who have to pay 50 pesos a day, on average, or from 15 to 20,000 weights to ensure shelf space for a given time.
Based on reports from leaders of that activity, only in the Historic Center 30 000 informal traders operating in nearly 200 thousand that might exist around the Federal District, although there are other versions that consider that this figure could be between 300 to 500 thousand. Official figures from the Federal District Government contrast with those of the leaders, because for them there from 8 to 9000 traveling in the first frame of the city.
formal business leaders have blamed public servants themselves encourage this activity and even receive perks from it, as they raise up to 600 million pesos per month dues, for what they anticipated difficult to eradicate.
President of the Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce, Services and Tourism (Concanaco-SERVYTUR), Raul Alejandro Padilla Orozco, said in a note published by Day in February 2005 that the hawkers have become a political spoils , especially at election time, so I asked to take decisive action to remove characters from the government the temptation to extort money from citizens.
And what happened with the street of the historic center, cleaned up the first box and relocated elsewhere, promising exclusive spaces for them to carry out its vintage, but these places are not yet constructed or are in poor condition and poorly located. In February 2007 the city government by Marcelo Ebrard, expropriated the land of Jesus Carranza 33 and Tenochtitlán 40 erroneously called "The Fort to" since the latter is in the street 97 Rock colony of Morelos, the government argues that the site was a base of operations of drug trafficking and piracy as it plans to build a clinic or day there, after this event there were rumors that the government intended eliminate street vending, and even disappear Tepito destroyed most of the buildings to create places, and said that the government already had the model of the final draft of a new Tepito.
However, merchants, neighbors, family, et., Defended the property and after what happened with the downtown merchants, the tepiteños ensure that these places they planned to do in their territory, are the same as promised the vendors from the historic center.
ambulantaje informal trade in this area has been fixed to be more mobile. For this reason the government reached an According to traders, which is that it will allow them to sell as long as they assemble and dismantle the metal structures of the posts, leaving their places clean, otherwise they will be fined and confiscated.
established commercial stores plagued by piracy, since people prefer to buy at flea markets, where the product will come out cheaper. 
The famous "put off" begin to assemble the steel structure of the posts at 3:00 am and was withdrawn at 6:00 pm. In Tepito you can find everything from original things and good quality at a lower price, although these products generally tend to be of doubtful origin, to imitations of poor quality and very cheap. Also at the flea market are made from esoteric, to beauty parlors, and kitchens on wheels.
According Karla gains a good month of sales, for example, in December 
, reaching up to 200 thousand pesos. However, as well as make money, traders pay about 6 thousand dollars a month for the use of a small bench space, although much depends on the location of the job. are also required to pay light, personal cleansing, the diableros, to "put off", among other investments. If a trader wants to stop renting and buy the place, spending amounted to 180 thousand pesos.
more than 20 000 people visit daily Tepito, but those who visit fear being assaulted and therefore they take precautions.
Tepito The cultural importance has been stressed by writers, painters and musicians Mexicans and foreigners.
The world-famous novel The Children of Sanchez by Oscar Lewis, occurs in Tepito. Tepito is the impressive scene of the novel red-eye corner by Rafael Ramírez Heredia.
The verbal and nonverbal communication has come to sociolinguistic transformation which makes impressive use of creativity in puns codes, intonations and colorful Mexican mischief. Undoubtedly
like everything else, Tepito has its pros and cons but in the end is an area that commands respect.
Sources:
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tepito
http://prietosilvav.podomatic.com/
Interviews:
Karla Estrada, merchant and resident of Tepito
Dante González: Historical Center merchant
Enrique Hernández, who informs traders of the authorities plans (unofficial spokesman )
