Ciudad Juárez Banks On Singer Juan Gabriel's Star Power To Boost City's Image

By Mónica Ortiz Uribe
March 30, 2015
Singer
Monica Ortiz Uribe
Singer Juan Gabriel (center) at the 2013 inauguration of a giant "X" sculpture in Ciudad Juárez.

The Mexican border city of Juárez hosted superstar Juan Gabriel over the weekend and unveiled a six-story mural in his honor. The events are part of the city's ongoing effort to shed its violent image and encourage more tourism.

Singer Juan Gabriel took to an outdoor stage Saturday night beneath a towering "X" shaped sculpture visible on both sides of the United States-Mexico border. More than 100,000 people cheered in the audience.

Ciudad Juárez was the launching pad of Gabriel's stardom. Today Gabriel's newest release tops Billboard's Latin Albums Chart.

On Sunday the mayor of Juárez unveiled a mural of Gabriel in a newly remodeled area of downtown. The mural is part of a multimillion dollar makeover aimed at reviving a tourist economy badly damaged by years of heavy drug violence. Violent crime like murder and kidnapping has steadily decreased in the past two years.

In August the city inaugurated a new interactive children's museum, the third largest in Mexico.