Boca del Río photo installation faces plagiarism accusations

A controversy has emerged regarding the installation of a photographic frame on the boardwalk in Boca del Río, Veracruz. Local artist Christian Aguilar Torres, known as ‘Chefcito’, claimed the municipal government installed a project nearly identical to a proposal he had submitted to the City Council in 2025.

However, the installation has faced accusations of plagiarism from a different direction. Observers noted that the Boca del Río structure is almost an exact copy of the ‘Photo Booth’ in Cozumel, also known as the ‘gate to heaven’. This Cozumel attraction features a large, tilted concrete frame used by tourists for photography and includes specific slogans.

The similarity caught the attention of Elías Farah Cen, Cozumel’s Director of Tourism, who shared the post regarding the Boca del Río installation. Residents of Cozumel have criticized the move on social media, noting that their local landmark has existed since 2023 and was a collective creative effort.