What you see in the photograph is the Sinaia, a French ship that usually operated the Marseille–New York route, but which in May 1939 made a very different journey, transporting a large group of Republican exiles from the French town of Sète to Mexico. It was one of the many voyages undertaken by different vessels with the same destination. President Lázaro Cárdenas welcomed to the country nearly forty thousand people fleeing Franco, among them writers and intellectuals coming from Barcelona and Catalonia. 

This exile is one of the key bonds between Mexico and Barcelona, the guest of honour at the thirty-ninth edition of the Feria Internacional del Libro de Guadalajara (Mexico), one of the main events of the Spanish-language publishing industry, held from 29 November to 8 December.

In fact, it is believed that people from Catalonia have been present in Mexico from the sixteenth century to the present day, although most arrived fleeing Spanish fascism. Many of these exiles left their mark on Mexican science, politics, and the arts. Likewise, in recent years many Mexicans have ended up choosing Barcelona as their place of residence.

Among the Catalans who emigrated to Mexico aboard ships like the Sinaia or the Nyassa, the Siboney, the México, the Isere, the Orizaba and the Flandre, there was an initial group of 456 children from Catalonia and Valencia, mainly; and afterwards, a wave of people, including well-known figures such as the writer and author of Uncertain Glory (Incerta glòria), Joan Sales i Vallès (Barcelona, 1912–1983); the writer and journalist Anna Murià i Romaní (Barcelona, 1904 – Terrassa, 2002), who was director of Diari de Catalunya during the last months of the war; the actress Emília Guiu i Estivella (Manresa, 1920 – San Diego, California, 2004), who built a major career in Mexico; the poet and playwright Josep Carner i Puig-Oriol (Barcelona, 1884 – Brussels, 1970); the writer and journalist Avel·lí Artís i Gener (Barcelona, 1912–2000); and the writer Pere Calders i Rossinyol (Barcelona, 1912–1994), to name just a few of the artists and authors who found in Mexico refuge and a favourable environment for their work.

Not a few exiles managed to return to Catalonia before dying, but in the meantime they left in their host country a Catalan seed that would eventually bring many Mexican citizens to the city, including several writers. One of them is Juan Pablo Villalobos, who currently lives in Barcelona and was, in fact, born in Guadalajara (Mexico, 1973). Among his most recent works is El pasado anda atrás de nosotros (2024). Also residing in the Catalan capital is the novelist and poet from Veracruz Jordi Soler, whose parents left for Mexican exile from Barcelona. En el reino del toro sagrado (2024) is the title of the latest novel by this singular writer, who hosted music and literature programmes on Mexican radio, served as a diplomat in Ireland, and who is now established in Barcelona.

Remember that Mexico and Barcelona will experience an intensive cultural exchange in the coming days to celebrate Barcelona’s role as guest of honour at this year’s Feria del Libro de Guadalajara. For more information on the Catalan capital’s participation in this publishing event, consult the following link.