Chapala

The sidewalk was cordoned off by the authorities while the forensic medical service arrived. 

Staff (Chapala).- A man died outside the Juan Rayo soccer field, located on Madero Avenue, Chapala. He was playing a soccer game during the afternoon of May 28 when he began to feel discomfort, so he sought medical attention. 

He was escorted to the outskirts of the field, asking for help from the medical authorities, but by the time they arrived it was too late, and he had died on the sidewalk.

Translated by Paul Weeks

Section of the Jocotepec – Chapala bike path, which has had irregular lighting service. Photo: Courtesy. 

Héctor Ruiz Mejía (Jocotepec).- The Jocotepec town council approved the payment of a debt to the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) in the amount of 114,000 pesos. However, they will seek reimbursement, arguing that the balance was due to technical details of the Secretariat of Infrastructure and Public Works of Jalisco (SIOP) in the installation of lights in the bike path.  

The payment for the use of electric energy was unanimously approved, and the payment will be made in ten monthly installments of 11,401.20 pesos, however, the town council will seek the legal means to appeal the charge and seek a refund of the payment.

During the fourteenth session of the town council of the Government of Jocotepec, it was informed that the municipality has a debt of 114,012 pesos, generated during the period from January 21 to November 21, 2021.

The municipal trustee, Carlos Alberto Zúñiga Chacón, advised that the debt was generated due to irregularities and inconsistencies during the works of the bicycle lane by the Secretariat of Infrastructure and Public Works of Jalisco.

According to the trustee, the amount was the result of the study of the expenditure of the whole area in kilowatts, which resulted in 2,600 during the period, which represented a fee to the municipality of .05 under the concept of public lighting services.

The irregular monthly expense of approximately ten thousand pesos was due to the fact that the SIOP personnel, during their work on the bicycle path, left the electric service connected to the lights while the necessary technical operations were being installed.

«These were irregular works that now we had to resolve, but we will look for the way to legally request the refund of the undue payment», assured the municipal trustee Zúñiga Chacón during the session.

Translated by Christalle Dalsted

Alejandro de Jesús Aguirre Curiel, alcalde de Chapala. Foto: Archivo. Jazmín Stengel.

Jazmín Stengel.- Al proyecto de drenaje para la agencia municipal Riberas del Pilar, presentado por el gobierno municipal de Chapala el 5 de abril del presente año, le están haciendo modificaciones, informó el alcalde Alejandro de Jesús Aguirre Curiel en entrevista.

A pesar de que el proyecto se presentó ante la población, como una propuesta ya analizada a realizarse en una sola etapa de seis meses, el plan cambió. Aguirre Curiel aseguró que la obra se llevará a cabo por etapas, sin especificar cuántas, comenzó el 4 de mayo con reuniones en la zona principal y continuará en el área comercial de la agencia municipal, aún sin fecha.

Además, “primero se tiene que presupuestar la planta de tratamiento” para lo que ya se está negociando con una empresa privada, explicó el presidente. Sin embargo, durante la presentación del 5 de abril, se dio a conocer un costo de 68 millones de pesos para toda la obra. Esta incluía líneas de drenaje, una planta de tratamiento modular, y su respectivo conector entre ambos.

Cabe mencionar que de los 68 millones de pesos que costará la obra, se les pidió a los vecinos recaudar la mitad del monto, 34 millones de pesos. A pesar de haber puesto un plazo máximo de mes y medio, este no se logró debido a que muchos de los vecinos continúan haciendo caso omiso a la invitación.

Para comenzar la obra es necesario recaudar el 25 por ciento del gasto total por parte de los vecinos, es decir 17 millones de pesos. Por su parte, los representantes del gobierno aseguraron durante la presentación contar con los otros 34 millones de pesos, incluyendo la planta de tratamiento biológica, los terrenos donde instalarán la misma y la mano de obra para llevar a cabo el proyecto.

La recaudación se está llevando a cabo en las oficinas de SIMAPA y el monto a pagar por cada propietario se evalúa según las dimensiones de cada propiedad. Es decir, cada propietario de casa-habitación debe aportar 70 pesos por metro cuadrado de terreno y 100 pesos los comercios.

También se aseguró que, el plan ejecutivo del proyecto se encuentra a disposición del público en general dentro de las instalaciones del Sistema Municipal de Agua Potable y Alcantarillado (SIMAPA), en la unidad administrativa de la agencia municipal.

Predio cercado y con muro; este se encuentra dentro del Lago, en Riberas del Pilar. Foto: Cortesía.

Redacción.- Tanto vecinos de la zona, como grupos activistas en pro de la liberación del terreno federal, han denunciado la falta de atención de las autoridades hacía una de las invasiones al lago en la población de Riberas del Pilar.

Este predio se encuentra en la calle Paseo del Lago, entre San Pablo y San Mateo y, según testigos, planea construir una casa. Las medidas del espacio invadido son 75 metros de frente, y de 20 a 25 metros de largo hacia el Lago.

Cuando el Lago sube su nivel, este terreno se inunda, debido a que se encuentra dentro del cuerpo lacustre. Foto: Cortesía.

En este caso en particular, no solo se encuentra en terreno federal, sino que el supuesto propietario está realizando rellenos con material ahora que bajó el nivel del Lago, para poder construir, es decir, este predio está dentro del territorio del Lago de Chapala, por lo que, cuando sube el nivel, el espacio es cubierto por agua.

Algunos testigos entrevistados, quienes prefieren mantenerse en el anonimato, aseguraron que ya existen denuncias tanto en la Comisión Nacional del Agua (Conagua), como en la Procuraduría Federal de Protección al Ambiente (PROFEPA), en las cuales, las autoridades competentes no han actuado. 

Por otro lado, según estos testimonios, han clausurado por parte del Gobierno de Chapala al menos en dos ocasiones; sin embargo, los sellos han sido removidos, además de que se le ha brindado servicios como agua potable y electricidad.

Aspecto del relleno y lo que se ha construido hasta el momento. El área terraplenada se encuentra en la calle Paseo del Lago, entre San Pablo y San Mateo. Foto: Cortesía.

El hombre señalado es conocido entre los denunciantes como “El Torero”, los cuales señalan que se trata de una persona muy agresiva, y que poco le importan las cuestiones de invasión. Actualmente, en el terreno se encuentra una caballeriza. Uno de los activistas fue a hablar con la mujer que le cuida los establos, quien afirmó que el acusado si está en planes de construir una finca ahí, de la cual, hasta ahora, tiene construido el muro de la fachada.

Tanto es así la molestia, que la Comunidad Indígena de San Antonio Tlayacapan se vio envuelta en el caso, actuando para reducir el terreno que se estaba apropiando, cercando al menos un tercio de este y colocando señalamientos que avisan que pertenece al polígono de la comunidad.

Actualmente, el terreno que contiene el relleno se encuentra sin ningún tipo de clausura. Por su parte, el presidente municipal, Alejandro Aguirre Curiel, comentó que recientemente se reunió con el secretario general del Gobierno de Jalisco, Enrique Ibarra Pedroza, para pedirle apoyo para poder intervenir y actuar en zonas federales, ya que, al ser cuestión federal, “no depende de ellos”.

“Ha habido varias reuniones con el director de la Conagua, que mandó una propuesta, pero está muy lejos de lo que necesitamos; entonces buscamos replantearla […] ofrecieron acercamiento, asesoría y disposición de venir, pero buscamos autoridad y facultad para intervenir y accionar”, aseguró el edil.

Carlos Miguel Real Navarro, new municipal director of the Human Rights Commission in Chapala.

Jazmín Stengel (Chapala).-  The new municipal director of the Human Rights Commission (CDH) in Chapala, Carlos Miguel Real Navarro, expressed concern that «the culture of respect is being lost,» in an exclusive interview with Semanario Laguna.

Since his appointment, which took place on May 26, the lawyer with a master’s degree in Constitutional Law and Amparo ( people’s right to have access to the courts) has observed countless violations of the human rights of the inhabitants of Chapala and its delegations.

Real Navarro believes that education is the basis of everything, and that respect and self-respect must be recognized in order not to harm or cause harm to our human rights. That is why the 29-year-old will focus on education while addressing the present problems. 

Among the faults he can point out are complaints about Public Safety, mostly issued during the 2018-2021 administration, where abuses of power and conflicts between hierarchies within the same department were mentioned, as well as from municipal and state officials towards the community. The lack of response to reports of serious crimes and lack of agility in the search for missing persons are other examples.

That is why Real Navarro wishes to use his knowledge to defend his people. «I am a citizen more than anything else.  I like to help and solve people’s problems,» said the official.

Real Navarro has started to manage the first support required by the National Institute for Adult Education (INEA) and the Colegio de Bachilleres del Estado de Jalisco (Cobaej) so that citizens who no longer have access to the primary school system can acquire literacy skills, complete secondary or preparatory education as well as receive workforce training. 

He noticed that minors stop attending school at an early age, so Real Navarro will join the prevention programs managed by the Women’s Institute, Ciudad Niñez (Childhood Legal Services) and the Dif de Chapala (Social Assistance Program). One such program is the Barrios de Paz (Neighborhoods of Peace) program which includes ways to reinforce and strengthen the institutional capacities of the municipality. 

The newly appointed director is aware of the legal situations of the 39 boys and girls of the municipality who are in foster homes. Some of the minors removed from their families between 2018 and 2021 had inconsistencies in the legal process.

In certain cases, the minors were attending school and were being cared for by their grandparents or close relatives. The government decided to remove them without an investigation. The legal process began after they were already in shelters, said Real Navarro. This is a clear violation of the minors’ human rights by the municipal and state authorities at the time.

Real Navarro promised to make sure that the authorities respect their work as public servants. When a public servant receives complaints that show that he does not perform his duties or ignores those duties the municipal General Secretary and Mayor Alejandro de Jesús Aguirre Curiel can remove the person from his position as a municipal official. 

Real Navarro is a native of Chapala.  He has dedicated his life to defending the rights of the people as an activist from his private office, in the companies he has worked for, and now as a public official. In addition, he hopes to be named president of the ECOFAM (Esfuerzo y Comisión por las Familias) association this year.

Translated by Nita Rudy

Merchants and public officials during the project presentation May 31.

Jazmín Stengel (Chapala). After some electrical fires in boardwalk commercial stalls, the City Council is looking to put the electrical lines underground. Additionally, they will reorganize the registration and permits of the stallholders.

The coordinator of Economic Development in Chapala, María de la Luz Mendoza Huerta, the director of Regulations, Sergio Armando Real Serrano, and the chief of staff, Joaquín Huerta Barrios, presented a document based on safety reports from the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) and the Municipal Fire Department and Civil Protection.

Without legal representatives or CFE engineers present to explain the technical reasons, María de la Luz Mendoza only showed a couple of photographs as evidence of the report sent by the federal agency to the municipality after the fire on May 6, caused by an electrical overload in one of the commercial premises.

Central corridor of the commercial area of the Chapala boardwalk.

The safety report issued by the CFE urged the municipality to fix the electrical installation within a week, or the service would be cut off. The Municipality negotiated to have more time to carry out the work and to establish a dialogue with the merchants in the area.

The CFE’s recommendation dictates that the wiring of the electrical installations must be hidden and compliant. The Government of Chapala proposed that the merchants and the CFE-approved electrical engineers coordinate the work; the authorized engineer will evaluate the situation and the materials necessary to reinstall the upgraded electrical system and advise the merchants.

It is expected that the installation of the new power lines will be underground. Although the budget for the work has not been disclosed, the material will be paid for by the tenants, while City Hall will provide the labor from the Public Works Department.

The merchants asked for the area to be kept under surveillance since there have been robberies, even «they have stolen the cables from my shop», said one merchant present. In response, the reactivation of the small security booth located on the Chapala boardwalk was added to the proposals.

A letter of commitment will also be signed with the person in charge of the meter centers to avoid theft of electricity among neighbors. Many of the current connections are clandestine.

The director of Regulations, Sergio Real, said that while collecting electrical installation documents from the tenants, he will also update the merchant registration lists.

The goal is for all the merchants to have current permits, although the official did not specify exactly when. It is estimated that more than 300 vendors use the commercial area. The first registry from 2006 has only 132 merchants, plus a large number of street vendors, and more than 100 were granted permits during the 2018-2021 administration, many others work clandestinely. 

Translated by Paul Weeks

Geolocation devices on display

Jazmín Stengel (Chapala).-  While waiting for the implementation of a full ALE program  of security devices  and cameras, the municipality is distributing 10 geolocation devices  in the form of necklaces bracelets that women can use to summon help.The ALE Strategy which Chapala intends to implement locally is  theJalisco state program to provide women who have been victims of recurring domestic violence  with signaling devices and security cameras that can summon police to their location  if  they are attacked. 

The Women’s Institute obtained more than half a million pesos for the purchase of the ten geolocation devices and two electronic tablets that will serve as monitors, to obtain the immediate location of victims under protection of gender or domestic violence.

The interim geolocation devices will be given to victims of high or recurrent levels of violence. When wearing the geolocator, a victim of  gender or intra-family violence will only have to press the device to activate its location on  an Institute monitor and alert  the nearest patrol which should respond immediately.

The Institute’s budget also includes the salary for adding a second psychologist to the Institute’s staff, a purchasing purple patrol car, which will supplement the two patrol cars and central office already existing in the municipality,  and uniforms for its patrol officers.  

So far, the emergency system for protected persons (those with restraining orders or  a history of domestic violence)  responds to  27 to 35 people per week throughout the municipality, according to the report of Public Safety in Chapala. When Public Security receives a report of an assault, they go to the scene, neutralize the situation and accompany the victim to file an official complaint with the Public Prosecutor’s Office.

In cases where the victim foresees further issues with the aggressor, regular visits are made to the victim for the next 60 days. At the end of this period, if the circumstances of the situation do not improve, the service may be renewed.

Although the Women’s Institute and Municipal Public Security will be in charge of the geolocation devices, the Regional Public Prosecutor of Chapala determines which women should receive them. The municipal trustee, Gamaliel de Jesús Soto Pérez, also  can decide on the need for a device in certain circumstances,  explained legal advisor Diego Muñoz.

Protection and emergency services are available  in case of gender or domestic violence to  women, men and the LGBTTQ+ community, since the Women’s Institute, working directly with the Jalisco Secretariat for Substantive Equality between Men and Women to protect all  citizens from domestic violence.

Translated by Christalle Dalsted

The pickup ended up impacting a tree.

Wagon involved in the accident.

A collision  between two vehicles took place  during the afternoon of May 31 on the Ajijic-Chapala highway. Two people were injured in the accident, but their injuries were not life-threatening.

The accident involved a black Ford double cab pickup truck and a gray Honda wagon. The pickup ended up crashing into a tree, while the Honda had damage to the front only.  

Emergency Services arrived at the point, near the Chapala Civil Protection and Fire Department station, while the area was heavily loaded with traffic due to the collision. 

Translated by Sandy Britton

Moment of the arrest of Leo «N» in Ajijic. Photo: Facebook.

Sofía Medeles (Ajijic).- An alleged stalker who was detained by police after he was chased and beaten by angry residents was released from custody after authorities said they had received no official complaints.

The individual, identified as Leo »N», had been accused of taking photographs and posting them without peoples’ consent. He was freed after serving 36 hours for an “administrative offense.”

The alleged stalker was arrested on Tuesday, May 31, outside the Italo hotel where he was staying in the center of Ajijic.  According to Ramón Gabriel Cerna Sánchez, deputy director of Public Security of Chapala, there had  been earlier complaints on social networks about a man with similar characteristics to the individual under arrest.

Ajijic Acting Delegate Maximiano Macías Arceo, said that while he had no precise information about the young man, his behavior appeared to suggest he suffered from mental problems.

The alleged stalker posted images he had obtained without consent. Photo: Facebook.

Several people said they had contacted Macías Arceo to file a complaint against the young man with the Public Ministry. But no complaint reached the ministry, authorities said.

A source at the Italo hotel said the man had stayed there for about  two months. While he was never aggressive or harassing, he was “rather distant.”

One of those whose photos were published said: “It alarms you, because they are exposing your image and what places you travel – along with a serious accusation.

“But from what (was) published, it is evident that he is not very well in the head. His family is the one that should be looking out for him, given his condition.”

Marcela Montaño, a psychologist, said that while she could not give a specific diagnosis, her advice for dealing with a mentally unstable person would be to avoid them to avert a dangerous situation..

Translated by Alan Ferguson

Officers of the Chapala Port Captaincy, as well as municipal authorities and service providers, commemorated the Navy Day with a civic act where poetry was recited and they asked to work as a team for the well-being of the Lakeside municipality. Photo: Mr. Arturo Ortega. 

Staff (Chapala).- With poetry and recognition of  the Navy sailors have helped protect the  security Lakeside, , the 80th anniversary of the commemoration of the Navy Day was celebrated on June 1 in Chapala.

Those present, in addition to remembering the most important historical dates of Lake Chapala,  offered an arrangement of flowers for sailors who died in the line of duty. «For us it is the “Chapalico Sea,” we have sailed in its waters and adventured in its waves», acknowledged one of those present.

Luis Jorge Ochoa Ochoa, former port captain in Chapala, recited the poem «Cruel Sea» by Gustavo Rueda Medina in commemoration of the Navy’s 80th anniversary, next to the ancient tree El Zalate de Felisa, on the Chapala boardwalk.

Officers of the Chapala Port Captaincy, as well as municipal authorities at the Chapala boardwalk.

«The Mexican Navy has been and is for Mexicans, not only the guarantee of national sovereignty in our waters, but a source of pride and deep respect,» acknowledged municipal president Alejandro de Jesús Aguirre Curiel.

To conclude the commemoration, the sailors offered a wreath for the comrades who died in Lake Chapala, which was placed in front of the lighthouse.

The port captaincy in Chapala has been present at the lakeside municipality for more than 25 years. 

Translated by Kerry Watson