Overview
- Sergio Varela, a 20-year-old biomedical engineering student, posted TikTok videos showing the cistern he adapted as a temporary home in CDMX.
- He pays about 5,500 pesos a month for the space, which has no private bathroom or direct water connection.
- Varela says he received the building owner’s permission, installed ventilation, and uses a movable ladder to access and furnish the underground room.
- He leaves the space to use a bathroom in another apartment and relies on water containers, describing the arrangement as a stopgap to finish his degree.
- The videos drew offers of help and safety warnings on social media, while civil groups urged stronger student-housing and social-rent policies; no official action has been reported.