In Mexico City, Palm Sunday still brings colour to the streets. Pajareros, vendors who sell birds and their cages, line the route to the basilica with flowers, tinsel, and images of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Families walk for miles, carrying small cages as part of the annual procession.

Yet the scene has grown quieter in recent years. Critics say the trade is cruel and fuels animal trafficking, while tighter laws have pushed many sellers out. The pajareros insist they follow the rules, breeding birds at home and keeping only legal species.

For them, the day is not just about trade but tradition, a sign of faith that endures even as pressures rise.