The U.S. government has singled out Guadalajara’s San Juan de Dios covered market (recently hit by a major fire; see GR April 2-8) as a major hub for the sale of counterfeit merchandise.
“Right holders note that around half of the stalls in this market sell counterfeit apparel or footwear, or pirated video games,” noted the 2022 review of Markets Notorious for Counterfeiting and Piracy, conducted by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). “Despite these reports, no major enforcement raids were conducted in 2021,” the review continued.
Two other Mexican markets were mentioned in the review: the open-air 80-square-block Tepito market in Mexico City, and La Pulga Rio, a major market with approximately 300 stalls located in the heart of Monterrey.
Guadalajara’s Mercado San Juan de Dios, also known as Mercado Libertad, is the largest indoor market in Latin America, spanning over 430,000 square feet and hosting over 3,000 vendors.
Vendors affected by last week’s fire received financial and material assistance from Guadalajara municipal authorities this week.