SOAR - Mexico City Chapter
Mexico City joined the SOAR family in October 2015. The earliest known Armenian who arrived in Mexico was Francisco Martin in 1632. In 1723, Armenian national Don Pedro de Zárate arrived on a Spanish galleon from China to Acapulco. In 1897, Mexican President Porfirio Diaz planned a project to establish an agricultural community with Armenian settlers in Northern Mexico, but the project never materialized. Soon after the Genocide, nearly 300 Armenians immigrated to Mexico, with a majority settling in La Merced and establishing themselves as shoemakers and shop owners. The Armenian community of Mexico never established a school or community center, which led to quick assimilation into the larger Mexican population. The Armenian community of Mexico is comprised of approximately 400–500 people today.