On the eve of one of the most deeply rooted and meaningful celebrations in all of Mexico, the Basilica of Guadalupe is preparing to receive thousands of pilgrims this December 12 to celebrate the Lady of Guadalupe, commemorating her first appearance on the Tepeyac Hill, 492 years ago. But even though the celebration of the also called Morenita del Tepeyac has been taking place for many years in Mexico and some Latin American countries, a little-known fact has to do with the image of the Lady of Guadalupe.
Did you know that for a time it was no longer the property of Mexico or even a Mexican? We tell you the story of how a foreigner came to obtain the rights to the image by paying just over two thousand pesos.
Who Owns the Rights to the Image of the Virgin of Guadalupe?
It was in 2002 when the Chinese businessman Wu You Lin realized that this piece was apparently in the public domain, so he quickly went to the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI) and registered the image of the piece under his name. Said registration only cost him 2,112 pesos which is 121.88 dollars, which allowed him to possess the rights over the commercial use of it, imposing a control that included the prohibition of its use in churches and congregations, which caused controversy among the religious union, because the image is an emblem of identity and faith for Mexicans.
In 2003, the Basilica of Guadalupe itself decided to give the copyright to María Teresa Herrera Fedyk for a generous amount of money. Since that moment it has passed through several owners who were able to make profits until before 2012, when the possession expired. Although since 2012 it has been public knowledge that businessman Wu You Lin did not attend the renewal of image rights before the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property, his name went down in history due to the great controversy and social anger it caused in the Mexican public.
Currently, it is unknown who the true owner is, as several people argue that they own the rights, even though the IMPI indicated that no one has been able, since 2012, to try again to register the image as their own to market it. Did you know the history of the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe?
This story was written in Spanish by Lizbeth García in Cultura Colectiva News
