Candelaria de los Patos

La Candelaria de los Patos is the neighborhood where I grew up. This boy is making an obscene gesture directly at the camera. Fortunately, I had a zoom lens on my camera, allowing me to photograph at a safe distance what was evidently an invitation to pick a fight, to come to blows. I knew my neighborhood well; I knew what they were capable of. A butcher carrying a knife in his left hand was waiting for me to step in, so I thought it best to take the photograph and move on. However, the mischievousness is still present.

The hand gesture can be interpreted in various ways. A direct interpretation is that it is a macho boast, not so much a direct and hurtful insult. Cantinflas would envy the way this young man is standing for a day of partying. The popular actor Cantinflas went on to betray his people and his characters; he came from these neighborhoods of the city where people have this mocking attitude, festive yet unequivocal.