Peatónito Defends Mexico City's Streets, But Who Is the Man Fighting for Pedestrians' Rights?
In Mexico City, a masked man who goes by the moniker Peatónito, or Pedestrian Man, is sticking up for the rights of pedestrians.
In most cases this means he helps people cross the street and get around traffic jams.
According to The Guardian, the street sentinel’s introduction sounds like a phrase out of any Silver Age DC comic book. “My name is Peatónito,” he says, “and I fight for the rights of pedestrians.”
With crime and corruption plaguing every facet of Mexico, it is no surprise that the streets in the capital city would also need some help.
Mexico City’s traffic problems are intense. Fifty-two accidents out of every 1,000 are fatal. According to the National Council for the Prevention of Accidents, Mexico City saw 491 pedestrians killed in traffic accidents in 2013.
Peatónito’s true identity is Jorge Cáñez, a 29-year-old political scientist who works in a civic technology lab for the city.
Although being a superhero who sticks up for the rights of pedestrians is something that he does just two times a week, Cáñez clearly feels that he is engaging in a worthy cause. “In Mexico City, just moving from A to B is the most hazardous, complicated and inefficient thing imaginable,” explains the costumed and concerned citizen.
This is not the first time a masked man has heard the hero’s call in Mexico City.
According to CNN, a fellow going by the name of Superbarrio took to the streets in the 1990s, championing for the rights of the poor and the homeless alike.
In an interview, Superbario humbly described his powers as an ability to advocate. "I can't stop a plane or a train single-handed, but I can keep a family from being evicted," he said.
Watch a clip of Peatónito in action:
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