Los taponamientos de basura aumentan el riesgo de inundaciones. Foto: Cortesía.
Redacción.- La Comisión Nacional del Agua (Conagua) exhortó a autoridades estatales y municipales, así como a la sociedad en general a disponer adecuadamente de la basura, con el fin de facilitar la operación de la infraestructura de drenaje de aguas negras y desalojo de agua de lluvia,y así reducir riesgos de inundaciones.
Ante el inicio de la temporada de lluvias, la dependencia consideró como fundamental la suma de esfuerzos de todos los sectores para contribuir al adecuado funcionamiento de las estructuras hidráulicas, desde alcantarillas hasta drenes y túneles, independientemente de que sean responsabilidad municipal, estatal o federal.
Ello, debido a que desde los primeros escurrimientos se comienza el arrastre de diversos materiales, sobre todo basura, lo que genera taponamientos en la infraestructura y, como consecuencia, encharcamientos y hasta inundaciones.
Asimismo, la Conagua advirtió que es fundamental que los cauces de los ríos estén libres de basura, pues al mantenerse la capacidad de conducción, se evitan desbordamientos, inundaciones y daños a la población y sus bienes.
Además de los riesgos de inundación que generan las elevadas cantidades de basura y grandes desechos —como refrigeradores, salas, autos, alfombras y estufas—, que frecuentemente se arrojan a cauces e infraestructuras de desagüe, su retiro implica destinar grandes inversiones y mano de obra, los cuales podrían dirigirse a otras obras y tareas de prevención y fortalecimiento de la infraestructura hidráulica.
Finalmente, la Conagua reiteró su disposición a colaborar con las autoridades de los tres órdenes para reducir los riesgos de inundaciones y a vigilar los sistemas de drenaje y cauces bajo su responsabilidad, con el fin de afrontar de mejor manera esta temporada de lluvias, en beneficio de la población y sus bienes.
Restaurant at the pier, being remodeled for its next opening… Photo: Sofía Medeles.
Sofía Medeles (Ajijic).- The announcement of the upcoming opening of a restaurant in the controversial building located on the Ajijic pier, where the malecon begins, has generated a stir and mixed opinions among the Ajijic residents.
The opening of an Argentinean restaurant is emblazoned on a large advertising banner placed on the building . This has displeased some residents because, according to them, this type of billboard is not allowed in Pueblos Mágicos, especially in the main square or tourist area.
The government of Chapala has not commented on the matter and, as of the closing of this edition, has not said if the business has the licenses and other requirements to operate, such as the safety of the diners or the basic services to operate.
Several Ajijic residents were interviewed about the issue in an unscientific sample and most of them were against it. They felt that the concessionaire, Fabio Rizzo, was appropriating public space and abusing the rights of local people.
«This concession should be reviewed. Mr. Rizzo feels he owns the federal land and believes he is doing us a favor by letting us have the malecon. A business of this type could lead to the situation of the Piedra Barrenada (tourist-food zone of San Juan Cosalá), we do not want it to be replicated in Ajijic”, said one resident interviewed by Laguna..
“As local residents we can ask for support from the authorities to review the concession and what its permits allow. A more drastic action would be to campaign to prevent people eating there,» said a member of Pueblos Unidos de la Ribera, a group that has been in charge of stopping the invasions of federal land in Lake Chapala.
Rizzo has on several occasions stated that his permit covers not only the restaurant area, but 3,362 meters including part of the boardwalk and the Parque de la Amistad.
Not everyone interviewed opposed the concession. Some of those questioned said that although it is not the best way to set up a business, they are not opposed to it, since they believe it is a good attraction for tourism, as well as a source of work for those who live in Ajijic. «If everything is in order, go ahead,» said Adán, a local resident.
Whether or not the permit , licenses and services for the restaurants were in order was constantly talked about during the interviews.
«Many of us want the city council to tell us if they granted licenses because everything is in order, and if the restaurant has the necessary services and what are they going to do with the sewage, and how is the building in terms of security?» said another local resident named Blanca.
This building was constructed in 1988, initially it was intended to be built on the dock, however, due to opposition from town residents, the location was changed to where it is currently located.
Rizzo Jasso has claimed that the National Water Commission (CONAGUA) granted him the authorization to use the area for 50 years. The property has had different restaurants over the years; however, they all ended up closing.
Translated by Patrick O’Heffernan
Jalisco is the fifth state in the country to eliminate the mandate for use of masks in open and closed spaces. Photo: El Financiero.
Laguna Staff.- After two years of pandemic the state of Jalisco has eliminated the obligatory use of Covid masks – cubrebocas – as of May 10.
The move was proposed by Governor Enrique Alfaro Ramírez and accepted by the Health Board in view of the low rate of contagions and hospitalizations in the state. However, the public was urged not to lower their guard.
«These indicators make us think that we can take a careful step forward while understanding that this is not over. But we have made the decision to eliminate the mandatory use of masks in our state,» said the governor.
The provision also applies to schools, colleges and study centers in response to the insistent demand of parents due to the discomfort of masks during the hot season.
«We have made the decision in the Health Board that masks will only be mandatory in public transportation and in the health infrastructure of our state, particularly in hospitals. We are also recommending people who have symptoms of any type of respiratory disease to use them, and not to be careless,» said Alfaro Ramírez.
The Ministry of Health of Jalisco (SSJ) reported a decrease in hospitalizations due to Covid-19, with an average hospital occupancy of 15 people, as well as the low positivity in tests during the last five weeks. The Ministry is retaining the mandate in specific spaces and population groups, and public transportation and health facilities, including laboratories.
The SSJ also said people are free to use masks if they wish. Likewise, institutions or establishments may require the use of masks in accordance with their recommendations.
Jalisco is the fifth state in México to rescind the mask mandate in open and closed spaces. The other four are: Baja California, Guanajuato, Nuevo León and Guerrero.
Translated by Patrick O’Heffernan
By Patrick O’Heffernan
The 2000 presidential election was one of the closest and most controversial in US history, and expat votes largely determined its outcome. Everything hinged on Florida where Bush’s lead has shrunk to 300 votes. But in the totals there were hundreds of overseas ballots that had arrived past Florida’s deadline for mail in ballots. Florida election officials rejected these ballots, giving Gore the lead. The United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida famously (or infamously) overturned the rejections, giving Bush Florida with a 537-vote lead and giving him the presidency, based on overseas ballots.
The current election season is now underway as state primary candidates in several states are on the airwaves battling it out. And those primaries are more important than ever because of demographic shifts and gerrymandering. States have redrawn 327 of the US House’s 435 districts in the redistricting process so that only 26 of those districts are considered to be highly competitive. When the court battles are over, that number may rise to 35 competitive seats, meaning that in the remaining 400 Congressional seats, the primary election determines the winner.
So voting now in the primary elections in your state may be the only chance you get to weigh in on Congressional candidates. The same is even more true for the state legislature and is also true for a number of governorships. The lesson is that NOW is the time to register and vote, not in November (do that too!). If you are registered, get your ballot and mail it or email it in. If you are not registered, go to VotefromAbroad.org and register. If you don’t know, go to VotefromAbroad.org and find out. And if you are confused, go to the VoteFromAbroad tent at the Lake Chapala Society Monday morning for all the help you need.
Expat voters can and have determined elections. Now is the time to vote.
Appointment site of SAT for RFC cards.
Patrick O’Heffernan and Catherine-Claire Blythe. Do you have RFC number? Do you know if you do? Do you know what it is and that you need one? If the answer was no to any of there questions, read on.
The 2022 Tax Reform law passed by México now requires all citizens and legal residents (Permanente or Temporal) to have a Registro Federal de Contribuyentes (English: Federal taxpayer registration), known simply as an RFC number.
Plus, if you do business in México– even if you are only a customer of CFE or the water company or an internet provider – you need to fill out a form Constancia de Situación Fiscal (English: Proof of Fiscal/Tax Situation), which companies will soon be asking you for, if they have not already.
The RFC number and the Constancia de Situación Fiscal will be used by the Mexican government to track income and potential money laundering, but they will be used for many other things. Without an RFC number on your CFE bill, you won’t be able to sell your house or buy a car. Without an RFC number you won’t be able to open a bank account, and in some places, sign up for an internet service. So, you can’t blow it off.
This is a NEW REQUIREMENT FOR EVERYONE over the age of 18. who lives in México, full time or part time, whether or not you earn money in México. If you have a Temporal, a Permanente or a CURP, you must get an RFC number. Some people who have been here awhile may have been assigned an RFC number, so you should go online and check if you have one (see video link in the box).
If you don’t have an RFC, you have to actively go through a process to get one. The process is complicated, although you can hire someone to help you. But at some point you will have to personally visit a Mexican tax office so they can obtain biometric information of physiological characteristics like – but not limited to – fingerprints, iris patterns, or facial features.
The process for the Constancia de Situación Fiscal is much simpler and is done completely online, although you can hire someone to help you with it, too.You will need your RFC before filling out the Constancia de Situación Fiscal form.
You get an RFC number by physically showing up at an office of the Mexican equivalent of the American IRS, called the Sistema de Administración Tributaria (English: Tax Administration System), known by its initials, SAT. You must go in person, with your documents, so they can obtain your biometric information. And you have to do it by July 1,o 2022.
The nearest SAT office to Lakeside is in Guadalajara at Calz. Lázaro Cárdenas 2305, Las Torres, Guadalajara 44920.
For an RFC, you must get an appointment, which you can do online at http://citas.sat.gob.mx. You will need your CURP number (if you don’t know your CURP number, see below). Follow the steps on the site for a personal RFC (not a business RFC). If you don’t speak Spanish, use Google Translate to convert it to English or have a bi-lingual friend help you.
Fill in your info, follow the steps which will bring you to a calendar to use to schedule an appointment, but you will likely see a notice telling you there are no appointments available. If so, enter your email address to be put into a “virtual line” for the next available appointment. You will get an email confirming that you are in the virtual line and to monitor your email for your date. If you actually can make an appointment, take it because it may go away in a few seconds as thousands of people are trying to get them.
For the Constancia de Situación Fiscal, you can complete the process online, but you must have a RFC number first to fill out the Constancia de Situación Fiscal. Note that the Spanish word «Constancia» simply means “proof” in Spanish and there are other documents with the word «Constancia» on them . You need a document whose full title is Constancia de Situación Fiscal. You can go to satid.sat.gob.mx and fill out the correct form.
As this is a new process and involves taxes, whether or not you pay them in México, it might be helpful to check with an attorney or accountant who is familiar with Mexican tax law and the new RFC process.
While it may be convenient to use online translation to fill in the forms in English, SAT has not clarified if this is acceptable and a safer course may be to get help filling in the forms in Spanish until SAT clarifies this. Since the form for the Constancia de Situación Fiscal requires that you video yourself repeating some information in Spanish, you might want to get coaching in proper pronunciation.
Additionally, the Mexican government has not addressed a number of questions, such as a requirement for those with existing RFC umbers to update them with biometrics, or “snowbirds” with Temporals currently out of the country , an attorney or accountant can help you keep abreast of changes and new requirements.
For this story, Catherine-Claire Bly compiled the information for a Facebook post and Patrick O’Heffernan organized it in Semanario Laguna news style
(Sidebar box)
Videos to help you through the RFC process.
While this is all very complicated, there is help online in the form of videos by Qroo Paul of Two Expats in Mexico. Here ae the relevant videos:
RFC number explained and why you need one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7_bMe2LUYU
How to find out if you I already have a valid, current RFC.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0B9kUK37lQA
Making an appointment with SAT for an RFC, and paperwork/items to take with you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7_bMe2LUYU
Step-by-step instructions on how to obtain a «Constancia de Situación Fiscal» online.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh2li1L6mA8
Finding your CURP alpha/number if you don’t know it.
Marani Soto Alarcón and her daughter Emilia, for whom the shop is named. Photo: Sofía Medeles.
Sofía Medeles (Chapala).- Despite being young, Ajijic resident Marani Soto Alarcón has achieved a balance between being an entrepreneur and fulfilling her motherly duties while following her vocation as a florist.
Marani is 28 and was born in Las Trojes, Jocotepec. She left her hometown to look for new opportunities, and eight years ago she arrived in Ajijic.
Soto Alarcón said she has always practiced entrepreneurship, from selling shoes in her hometown, to being a beautician, with food businesses and in her current and favorite business, the flower shop «Las Plantas de Emilia,» named in honor of her daughter.
“When I came to Ajijic, I worked in places where I was not as comfortable,” she said. “Since I was a child, I have had a taste for plants, a connection, though it was something I saw as a hobby, not as a way of life.» She recalled that a television program helped her get rid of her fear, and she decided to set up the business she loves so much.
Presenting a revolutionary proposal to traditional flower shops, fused with the sale of plants and accessories for them, Marani opened her first flower shop, motivated by the desire to have economic stability, both for her and her daughter Emilia.
“I found the perfect formula to work and live from what I like,” she said. “I started with nothing, with gifted furniture and a loan of 2,000 pesos that I still haven’t paid to my mom… but it’s nice to see the evolution of the business, and how it has been accepted and valued by customers.”
As for the challenge of being a mom, while holding the growth of her business hand in hand, she describes it as easy. She can manage her time and spend it with her daughter, fulfilling the maternal life as well as the professional life.
“It’s hard to have chosen a profession where holidays are the days with the most work,” Marani said. “One of the busiest days is Mother’s Day, and this is the first year I have seen my daughter. Previously I would see her the next day, but this is a sign that the business is growing and is on the right track.”
Despite her achievements, her professional path has not stopped. She says there are plans to expand Las Plantas de Emilia. Today, she has a branch in downtown Ajijic and one in the San Antonio Tlayacapan delegation, which she plans to move to a larger site within the same town. She may also open a flower warehouse and become a distributor, and there is an opportunity for a high-end line of floral arrangements, also called Boutique de Flores.
“I plan to continue educating myself, taking courses, because it is a business that renews itself, has trends, and needs innovation,” she said. “This is a town used to the traditional, but thanks to the foreign influence, it has become more open to new designs and ways of using flowers.”
Marani offered advice, both to young people and to enterprising mothers. First, lose your fear because it does not get you anywhere – it gets you stuck. Second, find your vocation and do things with pleasure. Third, and more focused on mothers, is to find trusted support to take care of the children.
“At the beginning, the business absorbs your time, so it’s good to have support,” she said. “If you have the potential and the desire, get rid of your fear. Approach people, knock on doors and be kind when you have your business.”
Marani reflected that there is no formula for success, since everyone must follow the path their heart and their decisions indicate. She invited people to visit her at the Ajijic branch, Carretera Oriente #18, or the San Antonio branch on Colón #117. She can satisfy a variety of tastes and work within any budget.
Translated by Mike Rogers
View of Lake Chapala from the shore of the beach next to the Ajijic dock. Photo: Archive.
Editorial Staff. Jalisco Governor Enrique Alfaro Ramírez ruled out the construction of a second aqueduct to supply the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area (AMG) during his term of office.
«This was my campaign commitment and I stand by it. We are not going to take one more liter from Chapala. We cannot drain the lake to solve the city’s supply problem. That commitment continues. We are not going to build a new aqueduct, but we are going to continue with the maintenance works of the old system,» said the state president.
He made this statement after academics from the Universidad de Panamericana (UP) urged state authorities to inquire about the need to build a new aqueduct to draw water from Lake Chapala.
The governor of Jalisco dismissed this observation by declaring that no more water can be taken from Mexico’s largest lake. The specialist in water technologies, Daniel Sánchez Tapetillo, replied that the second aqueduct would have the function of substituting for the first one in case it failed.
«The second aqueduct is not to take more water from the lake than the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area already has a concession for. To believe that is a mistake. We have a concession of 236.5 million cubic meters a year, that is, 7.5 cubic meters per second. The two aqueducts could never operate simultaneously.»
The specialist assured that, after 30 years of age, the maintenance of the first aqueduct is urgent, because in the event of a failure, 60 percent of the water needed would no longer be supplied. In his opinion the useful life of the current system has already been exceeded.
Sanchez Tapetillo said he regretted that the governor did not listen to the proposals of academics from the University of Guadalajara (UdeG), the Pan-American University (UP) or the Technological Institute of Superior Studies of the West (ITESO), since they are institutions that for years have reviewed the issue and their contributions are to act in time and prevent more than 60 percent of citizens of Guadalajara from running out of water.
Translated by Nita Rudy
Juan Antonio Vázquez Ayala is the new water administrator in San Nicolás de Ibarra.
Jazmín Stengel (Chapala).- The petitions have been heard. Juan Antonio Vázquez Ayala was appointed as the new administrator of the Municipal Water and Sewage System (SIMAPA) in the delegation of San Nicolás de Ibarra, Chapala, at the insistence of the inhabitants.
During the meeting held on April 25 with the municipal president Alejandro de Jesús Aguirre Curiel and a committee of officials, the inhabitants of the town requested the replacement of Santiago García as administrator of SIMAPA and of the spokesperson Ricardo Razo, due to alleged mismanagement of the water and its wells, as well as the making of decisions without consulting the people.
Although the petition issued during the meeting by the villagers wanted Luis Morales Contreras and Irma Reyes Delgado included as part of SIMAPA’s municipal council, other people received the appointments.
Vázquez Ayala was appointed as the new water administrator in San Nicolás de Ibarra and will oversee the documentation, organization, procedures, complaints and recommendations that the population has before SIMAPA. In other words, he will act as an intermediary between the demands of the delegation and the central offices of the municipality.
The appointment of the new spokesperson, who will represent the population in the SIMAPA Council, has not yet been approved. However, the neighborhood committee will decide the new person in charge through a general meeting with the people, stated Vazquez Ayala, who took the opportunity to thank the mayor for his participation and the people for giving him their trust.
Translated by Sandy Britton
Cecilia Flores, presidenta y fundadora del colectivo Madres Buscadoras de Sonora. Foto: Cortesía.
Héctor Ruiz Mejía.- Pese a que el municipio de Jocotepec registra más de 50 personas desaparecidas, hasta el momento, ninguna madre se ha sumado a la búsqueda de sus hijos.
Cecilia Patricia Flores Armenta, presidenta y fundadora del Colectivo “Madres Buscadoras de Sonora”, quienes apoyan en las búsquedas en Jalisco, invitó a las mamás del municipio a sumarse al movimiento.
De acuerdo con datos obtenidos vía transparencia, bajo el folio 00097120 ante la Fiscalía del Estado de Jalisco, existen al menos 58 registros vigentes de personas de Jocotepec cuyo paradero se desconoce; las denuncias fueron realizadas desde enero de 2014 a diciembre de 2019; no obstante, Cecilia aseguró que no hay ninguna madre del municipio que haya solicitado ayuda al colectivo.
Asimismo, informó que tan solo en el estado, hasta el año 2022, suman poco más de 16 mil personas en calidad de desaparecidas o no localizadas. Lo que se podría traducir en 16 mil madres que no pudieron celebrar el 10 de mayo con normalidad.
Flores Armenta comentó que Madres Buscadoras de Sonora nació a raíz de la trágica desaparición de sus hijos Marco Antonio Sauceda y Alejandro Islas Flores, desde hace poco más de tres años, al no contar con el respaldo de las autoridades.
Por lo que, a pico y pala, desesperada, pero impulsada por la fe de encontrar a sus hijos, fundó el colectivo que se extiende hasta una gran mayoría del país y han encontrado más de 900 personas sin vida y con vida a otras 800.
Cecilia Flores exhortó a todas aquellas madres, que estén atravesando una terrible situación como lo es tener a un hijo desaparecido, a no tener miedo, “nuestros hijos tienen el derecho de ser buscados”, exhortó.
Agregó que la situación en Jalisco es muy complicada, pues la mayoría de los cuerpos encontrados por el colectivo han sido en fincas y encontrados “mutilados”, explicó Flores.
En el último operativo del colectivo en Jalisco, que tuvo lugar el pasado febrero, se encontraron 281 bolsas negras con restos, al parecer fueron 81 cuerpos, así como cinco fincas más, sin el conteo todavía de cuántos cuerpos había.
Por último, Cecilia exhortó a la población a tomar conciencia de la situación y a las autoridades a realizar su trabajo como corresponde, pues no desea que ninguna otra madre, sepa “lo que es estar muerta en vida”.
Foto: Cortesía.
Jazmín Stengel.- Los abusos de acoso sexual en las escuelas son conocidos, sin embargo, pocos alumnos se atreven a levantar la voz ya sea por presión social o lo tedioso que resultan los procesos jurídicos. Así lo consideró la ex alumna de la Preparatoria Regional de Chapala de la Universidad de Guadalajara (UdeG), Daniela Báez, quien lo vive en carne propia.
A dos meses de la denuncia por abuso sexual interpuesta en contra de David “N”., profesor de la misma preparatoria, la denunciante no puede creer lo tortuoso que resulta para las víctimas tener que comprobar el abuso del que fue objeto, luego de someterse a reiteradas pruebas para que prosigan las investigaciones.
Sin embargo, y a pesar de haber interpuesto la demanda en la Fiscalía Estatal, ésta bajó la carpeta de investigación al Ministerio Público de Chapala (MP), institución que ha citado incontables veces a Báez para solicitarle diferentes estudios físicos y psicológicos al respecto, algunos sin un sentido lógico para la afectada.
Como el hecho de tener que presentar un estudio ginecológico “bastante grotesco”, a pesar de que el abuso sucedió hace más de siete años, cuando Báez tenía 15 años de edad y el profesor cerca de cincuenta, en el 2015. Y es que, en México es la víctima quien se ve obligada a presentar todas las pruebas necesarias para comenzar un proceso jurídico.
En su caso, Daniela tiene que comprobar de manera minuciosamente lo sucedido. Como señalar las diferentes casas a las que asistían, horarios a los que iban y detalles de los que hacían dentro de las mismas, situación que se ha vuelto bastante incómoda y tediosa para la afectada.
Por su parte, la UdeG emitió un comunicado el pasado 15 de marzo informando la suspensión del profesor señalado, David “N”., hasta concluidas las investigaciones oficiales. Una vez, dada a conocer la sentencia del juez, la universidad también dictará la suya.
Es por eso que, Daniela llegó a comprender el por qué muchas de las víctimas se rehúsan a denunciar. Además, la presión social juega otro factor importante, ya que se debe tener la fortaleza para soportar los comentarios que la gente no involucrada rumora.
El pilar fundamental para que una persona afectada tenga el valor de levantar la voz y acusar a su agresor es tener un círculo de confianza y apoyo, Báez en su caso lo tuvo. Tras una fuerte experiencia comenzó a asistir al psicólogo quien fue el primero en detectar el problema y la marcha del 8M este año, le dio fuerzas para alzar la voz dentro de su familia y en la comunidad.
Este movimiento, más que el afán de dañar la reputación de las personas tiene la finalidad de concientizar a la sociedad, según han declarado en otras ocasiones para Laguna. “No se trata de cuánto pague o hasta dónde llegue”, reconoció Báez, ya que su único objetivo es que la gente reconozca que esas acciones están mal y dejen de justificarlas.
© 2016. Todos los derechos reservados. Semanario de la Ribera de Chapala