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‘In India, train runs for VIP’: Mexican mayor arrives late to inauguration; train leaves without him

The incident took place on December 15, when authorities formally inaugurated Light Rail Line 4, part of the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area.

3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Dec 24, 2025 04:45 PM IST

As the ceremonial first train prepared to leave the station, Mayor Gerardo Quirino Velázquez Chávez was seen running with his aides (Image source: @IndianGems_/X)

India is often criticised for its lack of punctuality and compared to countries like Japan, Germany, and Switzerland, where being on time is widely admired. However, a milestone day in western Mexico ended up as a humorous lore after the mayor of Tlajomulco de Zúñiga was left stranded on the platform during the inauguration of a new light rail line—after he arrived late.

The incident occurred on December 15, when authorities formally inaugurated Light Rail Line 4, a part of the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area. As the ceremonial first train prepared to leave the station, Mayor Gerardo Quirino Velázquez Chávez was seen running with his aides, attempting to catch the departing train.

Within seconds, the doors shut and the train left, leaving the mayor on the platform.

According to media group El Heraldo de Mexico, the new line is 21 kilometres and connects eight stations. It aims to significantly ease congestion, reduce travel time, and serve over a lakh passengers daily, especially in rapidly expanding residential areas.

Watch the viral video here:

A Mayor in Mexico, was late for the inauguration of the new train line and couldnt be part of the first trip.

In India the train driver would have been arrested for not waiting for the minister 😭🤡pic.twitter.com/G5s7HtbHQG

— 🚨Indian Gems (@IndianGems_) December 21, 2025

The video has since gone viral across all social media platforms, prompting a conversation where users compared the incident to India. “Haha true! In India, train waits for hours if minister is late for inauguration. Driver dares to leave on time? Straight to jail or suspension! Here in Mexico, mayor runs behind and waves goodbye,” a user noted.

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“In India, coordination failures are usually met with… swift action. Under standard assumptions, this mayor’s tardiness might be seen as a minor inconvenience. However, in practice, the train driver might face consequences for not awaiting the dignitary,” another user commented.

“Mexico’s mayor had to run for the train. In India, the train runs for the VIP. One is punctuality, the other is feudalism with tracks,” a third user reacted.