Social action of street vendors in Chiapas

Abstract

The aim of this research was to analyze the processes and mechanisms by which street vendors sustain their informal activities in the center of San Cristóbal de Las Casas, a city in the Mexican state of Chiapas. To this end, a qualitative study was conducted involving interviews and participant observation in order to achieve a detailed description of the perceptions of these social actors. The main findings show that to become established as a street vendor involves factors associated with acknowledgement of ethnic identity, primarily family connections and ties of friendship. Continuity and progression of street vendors are attributed to their forms of organization, as these actors play a key role in appropriation of certain public spaces.