By THE PULSE NEWS MEXICO STAFF

The Mexico City (CDMX) government — in what may be its last big hurrah before its own political demise con Dec. 1 — will host a nine-day celebration of the Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead), starting on Saturday, Oct. 27, with a colorful traditional parade and massive pre-Columbian-style altar in the Zócalo, dedicated in part to the victims of last year’s devastating Sept. 19 earthquake,

The official theme of the moribund pageantry this year will be migrants, intended to send a message that Mexico City is a sanctuary city for immigrants of all nationalities, Mexico City officials said.

“The Mexico City Constitution provides for the city to offer refuge and protection to all those who come here as refugees or migrants,” said the capital’s mayor, José Ramón Amieva Gálvez, during a press conference to announce the annual festivities.

“It also recognizes the territory’s pluricultural diversity.”

In addition to the Centro Histórico altar in the city’s central plaza, there will be smaller altars to the dead and other Day of the Dead activities at government institutions, precinct offices, cemeteries, museums, cultural centers and universities citywide through Sunday, Nov. 4.

There will also be a closing public concert by renowned Mexican singer Eugenia León at the Monumento de la Revolución in on Saturday, Nov. 3, at 7 p.m.. as well as a performance by folksinger and political commentator Óscar Chávez at the Teatro de la Ciudad Esperanza Iris that same night.

Also on Nov. 3, there will be nocturnal bicycle tour of the city organized by the Environment Secretariat (Sedema), and a memorial dedicated to the victims of the 1968 student movement in the Plaza de Santo Domingo.

City officials said that they expect the Day of the Dead celebrations to bring in revenues of about 400 million pesos, with an estimated 3 million foreign and Mexican tourists participating.

For a list of all the Mexico City Day of the Dead activities, check out the webpage www.cultura.cdmx.gob.mx/celebraciondemuertos.

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