Walter Mercado: Mucho Mucho Amor

I hadn’t heard of Walter Mercado until he died in November last year, age 87 or 88. A flamboyant Puerto Rican astrologer, he seems to have been something of a legend in Latin America and spanish-speaking countries. He had his own astrology prediction show on TV for years. In his extravagant costumes, it’s said that he reached up to 120 million viewers a day, an impressive influence.

His appeal went far beyond astrology too. Mercado became a symbol of love and acceptance and he would always end his show with a similar quote, translated in to English:

“God bless you all, today, tomorrow and always, and I hope you receive from me peace, a lot of peace.”

“Pero sobre todo, mucho, mucho, mucho amor.” “But above all, much, much, much love.”

And, it seems as if Mercado’s legacy will live on as a documentary is being released this year about the famous astrologer entitled, “Mucho, Mucho Amor“, his catchphrase.

The film premiered at the Sundance festival at the end of January 2020 and will be out on Netflix in the summer. The film’s description states: “Light-years ahead of his time, Walter has become a nostalgic cult icon of self-expression and positivity for the gender-fluid youth of today.”

Two Birthdays

Mercado’s date of birth is quoted in most places online as March 9, 1932. However, on astro.com it states that he was born one year earlier on April 25, 1931 and it looks like a solid data source with an AA rating.

Not only does the later date knock a year off his age but it would make him a glamorous ‘Hollywood’ Sun Pisces rather than a cash-savvy, earthy Sun Taurus. Mercado may have chosen the later date for an astrological reason.

We must look at the original astrology chart (see below) to find out more. Unsurprisingly, Mercado’s Sun on the Taurus Ascendant is trine to Neptune, the media planet, adding the glamorous touch. Plus, he has the Moon in the sign of the performer, Leo.

Jupiter-Pluto Conjunction – Mucho Mucho

Also, Mercado was born on a Jupiter-Pluto conjunction in Cancer and that to me looks like a signature for ‘mucho mucho amor’. Cancer’s the caring star sign, Jupiter’s expansive and Pluto’s extreme which feels like a lot of love and kindness to give.

This year, 2020, Jupiter is once again conjunct Pluto and the first two conjunctions on April 5th and June 30th fall at 24 degrees Capricorn. This is very close to Mercado’s Saturn in Capricorn on his Midheaven, the peak of the horoscope.

Mercado not only had huge cultural significance but many people viewed him as a spiritual adviser, which shows the power and authority of his Saturn in Capricorn, its sign of rulership on the Capricorn Midheaven. And, as we so often see in famous people’s horoscopes, their legacy lives on and the astrology continues to work beautifully.

As the documentary is shown to the world this year and more of us learn about this truly dazzling astrologer, Jupiter and Pluto will propel Mercado to prominence once again. His influence will spread wider. From now on, I’ll personally be thinking of the Jupiter-Pluto conjunction as ‘mucho, mucho’ in Mercado’s honour.