Copyright The New York Times
They had come on planes and buses, in pedicabs and on scooters. Some navigated the crowd in wheelchairs or pushed babies in strollers. They were there, in Mexico City’s central plaza, to see the singer known as the “Divo of Juárez,” or simply “Juanga,” a nickname used by millions of fans with all the familiarity of cousins. Juan Gabriel — in his time as famous as Bad Bunny is today — has been dead for nearly a decade. But on Saturday, he drew more fans to the screening of a 1990 concert than most performers attract when alive: More than 170,000 people thronged the plaza, known as the Zócalo, according to city officials. For some, the show was a chance they had thought would never come. “This is the dream of those of us who never got to see him in person,” said Cristian León, 33, who works in his family’s hardware business in Mexico City.
