A nightclub in Mexico City has sparked a viral backlash by charging American citizens a cover fee of nearly £240, while other nationalities pay significantly less. The Japan nightclub in the Roma Norte neighbourhood announced the tiered pricing system on Instagram, where the post has garnered over 26,000 likes and hundreds of comments, mostly in support.
Under the policy, US citizens pay 5,000 pesos (approximately £240) for entry, while citizens from any other country receive a 93% discount, paying just 350 pesos. Mexicans and other Latin Americans get a 95% discount, paying 250 pesos, and students and teachers receive a 97% discount, paying only 150 pesos.
Club owner Federico Crespo said the move was a response to what he described as a year of insults from the United States under President Donald Trump. 'This is a response to a year of insults directed at us – as a country – by the United States,' he said. 'It’s very much a response to the many attacks against Mexico from Trump.'
Crespo also cited the gentrification and 'touristification' of Mexico City, particularly in trendy areas like Roma and Condesa, where an influx of American 'digital nomads' has driven up rents and displaced locals. The club’s policy is part of a broader backlash against what many see as a US takeover of the capital.
The extra revenue from the cover charges is distributed among the club’s workers, Crespo said. 'It’s a way to give that money to the people most affected by this issue: rising rents, the soaring cost of living and the need to commute longer distances to get to work.'
