Guns or books?

Guadalajara (Mexico)The Guadalajara Book FairThe Guadalajara International Book Fair (FIL), popularly known as the FIL, was born from the vision of a university rector who wanted to transform the city. And he succeeded. Raúl Padilla López (1954-2023) is largely responsible for Guadalajara's culture: thanks to the FIL and the International Film Festival, which he himself championed. He also championed tequila (more than just a drink, it's a cultural phenomenon), the murals by painters who emerged from the Mexican Revolution (especially those of José Clemente Orozco), and the... mariachisYes: Guadalajara, the capital of the state of Jalisco, concentrates a great deal of Mexican identity.

Padilla's suicide two years ago left a great void. Enrolled in the radical left as a student, he had among his professors the Catalan exile Josep M. Murià Romaní, a militant of Estat Català (Macià's party) who for a time taught Spanish history at the university. It's not hard to imagine what kind of Spain he painted... Murià's son, José María Murià, helped Padilla get the Ministry of the Interior to erase his communist record from his youth, a condition sine qua non to be able to run for rector, a position he obtained in 1989. Before that, Padilla and Murià Jr. had launched the first FIL in 1987. Today, after Frankfurt, it is the most important, especially due to its festival format.

Under Padilla's leadership, both the FIL and the university, which he modernized and decentralized, took a leap forward. Already a former parish priest, he maintained control of the University of Guadalajara (UdeG): he even ended up placing his brother, José Trinidad Padilla, at the helm, who is now president of the FIL.

On the eve of its 40th anniversary, the FIL is fully consolidated, both qualitatively and quantitatively. This year, bets are being placed on whether it will surpass one million visitors. The student audience, whether university or high school, is crucial. In most of the 125 municipalities of the state of Jalisco, there are high schools, known as Preparatorios, that are affiliated with public or private universities: many young men and women arrive by bus to the book fair. For a few days, they live in a world of books. The fair is packed with young and enthusiastic people.

Guadalajara's cultural brand links it with Barcelona, ​​this year's guest city. Both will strengthen ties with more initiatives. Starting in March, a direct Barcelona-Mexico City flight will bring them closer together. The 2004 edition, with Catalonia as the guest country, marked a turning point: for years it was considered the best. Now it's Barcelona's turn. Padilla has always admired Catalonia and its capital. Much of the credit for that goes to the Murià family, of course.