Mexico City’s princess and the paupers - A great-grandmother defends the turf of 5,000 street vendors in the capital’s core.

“Fight your way through parts of downtown Mexico City and you’ll understand why Mayor Marcelo Ebrard wants to clean up this town. Street vendors selling tacos, bootleg CDs and cut-rate clothing have converted the symbolic heart of Mexico into a gigantic swap meet.

His administration plans to relocate thousands of these bootstrap merchants, who block traffic, impede pedestrians, strew trash and evade taxes. But standing in his way is a 63-year-old ex-con and great-grandmother who has her own agenda.

That would be Alejandra Barrios Richard, leader of the largest association of sidewalk hawkers in the capitals historic center. Her 5,000-strong army occupies some of the most valuable real estate in Mexico, hard-won territory that the scrappy Barrios wont relinquish easily.”

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