Chapala

Joel Salvador – Chapala.  Torres Arrayga , who will portray  Jesus in the Stations of the Cross and Passion of Christ Chapala 2022, next to Father Juan Manuel. Photo: Jazmín Stengel.

Jazmín Stengel.- Joel Salvador Torres Arrayga, originally from Chapala, was always devout and, although his work took him away from the ecclesiastical groups for a few years, he returned this year, to represent Christ during the Stations of the Cross and Passion of Christ Chapala 2022.

The 25-year-old was familiar with the Church throughout his life. Coming from a Catholic family, as a child he was an  acolyte or altar boy in the parish of San Francisco de Asis.  Years later, in his adolescence he was part of the Seminarians in Family (SemFam) group coordinated from the same parish, and during his high school years he was a member of the Salesian Missionary Group of Chapala.

This year, due to his long and curly hair, he was invited by the ‘Bola’ and Jesús Chávez to be part of the new group that re-enacts the Stations of the Cross and Passion of Christ in the municipal capital. 

Translated by Patrick O’Heffernan

Three vehicles were involved.

Staff. – Once again there was a vehicle collision on the Chapala-Jocotepec highway, at its intersection the Ajijic libramiento. Three vehicles were involved. The accident occurred on the evening of April 10.  

The point has become the scene of several accidents.

The collision occurred when a white car cut into traffic in front of a NP 300 pickup truck, generating a collision and projecting the truck towards a Tida car that was traveling towards Chapala.  

No one was injured in the accident, but it did complicate the traffic flow at a point that on Sundays  has a heavy influx of vehicles in the afternoon. The point is known for frequent  road accidents and was redesigned a year ago by the Government of Jalisco.

Official photograph of the Chapala National team for the Jalisco Cup 2022.

Jazmín Stengel (Chapala).- With a 2 to 0 penalty shootout against Tuxcueca, Chapala won its first match of the 2022 Jalisco Cup season. 

After tying two goals to two, the final score was settled in sudden death penalty kicks, with Chapala achieving a 2 to 0 win against its strongest rival in the division, and an award of two points in the first day of the tourney.

The members of the Chapala Men’s Team 2022 are: Captain and starting goalkeeper, Javier Alejandro Sánchez Cervantes, #1; and substitute goalkeeper, Juan Ignacio Flores Aceves, #19.

In the field: Ricardo Vázquez Beltrán, #17; José Alonso Contreras de la Torre, #4; Carlos Corona Mercado, #15; Daniel Barra Macías, #16; Jonathan Romario Ibarra González, #12; José Francisco Pelayo González, #14; Carlos Amador Uribe, #13; Said Ali Guzmán Sánchez, #2; Ángel Alfredo Márquez Aceves, #6; Alfredo Amezcua Arellano, #10; Jesús García Salcedo, #7; Antonio de Jesús Flores Lira, #3; Rodrigo Rayo Razo, #18; Roberto Jesús Ochoa Vázquez, #5; Víctor Manuel Correa Ramos, #8; Julio César Rosales Tirado, #11; and Christopher Raygoza Segura, #9.

Coaching Staff: D.T. Sergio Iván Guizar Mendoza; Assistants: Moisés Chavarria Mendoza and Christhopher Salvador Raygoza Ibarra.

The truck was left with front end damage 

Laguna staff.-  A late model blue Ford Explorer pickup truck crashed into the traffic circle located on Gonzalez Gallo Avenue in Chapala, during the night of April 9, leaving the driver with injuries after the mishap occurred. 

The impact of the vehicle with the traffic circle was in an area where a tree abruptly stopped the truck. Municipal Police officers, Civil Protection and Firefighters, Municipal Transit, as well as the Chapala Red Cross arrived at the scene and transported the driver to receive medical attention. 

Translated by Sydney Metrick

Citizen depositing their ballot. A total of 3,870 votes were collected in Chapala. Photo: Jazmín Stengel.

Jazmín Stengel (Chapala).- Ten percent of registered voters in Chapala participated in the recall initiative to revoke the mandate of the President of the Republic, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO).

Presidents of polling stations assured that the low turnout was due to misinformation among the community. In the democratic exercise held on Sunday, April 103, 870 Chapala residents participated out of the 38,306 registered on the National Electoral Institute’s (INE) nominal list, or 10.1 percent. 

Of the total votes cast, 3,515 believed AMLO should continue to be the president of Mexico, while 303 wanted his mandate revoked due to loss of confidence and 52 canceled their vote, according to the figures of the Electoral and Citizen Participation Institute of Jalisco (IEPC). 

The ballot boxes at the Secundaría Técnica during the preliminary count. Photo: Jazmín Stengel.

A canceled vote may be a ballot that is marked unclearly but it also can be considered a null vote, a popular method to show dissatisfaction with either ballot choice. 

Many interested in voting were unable to do so because no special polling place was installed in the entire municipality. The closest one was in the main plaza of Jocotepec, as it is the head of the 17 th electoral district.  A special polling place is needed when people are outside of their normal polling area.  With the election occurring during Easter week many voters were not in their voting districts.  

The municipal seat of Chapala had five poll locations with two voting boxes each where 1,355 opinions were collected, of which 1,263 were in favor of the president remaining in office, 80 that he be recalled and 12 people annulled their vote.

The delegation of Ajijic obtained 91 votes in favor of the recall of the mandate. However, 859 preferred that Andres Manuel continue as president, and 19 people canceled their vote.

The relocation of some polling places caused confusion among the population. This is what the lists that helped participants to locate their polling place looked like. Photo: Arturo Ortega.

There were 908 participants in Atotonilquillo; 852 of them in favor of López Obrador continuing to govern, 43 against and 13 canceled their vote. Being the farthest delegation from the municipal capital, it only had two double-box polling places.

In San Antonio Tlayacapan, with one voting center at the Cuauhtémoc Federal Elementary School at the corner of the main plaza, a total of 405 votes were cast, 70 of them in favor of the recall and 330 for AMLO’s continuation; five canceled their vote.

In Santa Cruz de la Soledad, the total number was 232 participants, 18 in favor of the presidential recall and 211 against. San Nicolás de Ibarra did not have a polling center and was included in the polls that were installed in the neighboring town of Santa Cruz de la Soledad.

«Due to budget cuts», the number of polling places were reduced, and several sections were combined, explained Luis Orozco, general coordinator for the Movimiento de Regeneración Nacional (Morena). In addition, the precincts marked with the numbers 460, 461, 464, 465, 471 and 473 do not appear in the list of published results, as of the closing of this edition.

Translated by Nita Rudy

The president of Chapala, Alejandro de Jesús Aguirre Curiel, and the secretary of tourism of Jalisco, Claudia Vanessa Pérez Lamas 

The president of Chapala, Alejandro de Jesús Aguirre Curiel, announced improvements for the Magic Town of Ajijic and the municipal capital to better accommodate tourists. The initiative is part of the project “Model of Magic Towns of Jalisco.” 

Aguirre Curiel shared details of the improvements to infrastructure and tourism on social media. «The four elements of the project will create better conditions to receive visitors and show off the beauty of our Magic Town, Ajijic. The four areas are: study and improvement of circulation, creation of the position of tourist agent; study and improvement of the towns’ image; and waste management,» he said.

The president emphasized that the objective is to improve the quality of life both for people who are residents of the magic Town and for visitors. He states that «for Ajijic and for Chapala this news means a lot, because it strengthens economic and tourism growth, without losing the traditions and culture that identify us».

During the press conference held at Casa Jalisco on April 11, the first investment of 20 million pesos (about US$1 million) was announced for the start-up of the magic Towns Model in the nine magic towns of the state; during the year, for a total investment of 359.7 million pesos (about US$18 million). 

Finally, Aguirre Curiel recognized the role of Governor Enrique Alfaro Ramírez in getting Ajijic designated a magic town, highlighting its traditions and excellent climate as some of its main attractions while acknowledging the influence of the residents of the expatriate community.

Translated by Elisabeth Shields

The mayor of Chapala (right) accompanied with the Jalisco Secretary of Tourism.

Editor.- Chapala Mayor Alejandro de Jesús Aguirre Curiel announced the projects to improve the Pueblo Mágico aspects of Ajijic and  the tourist areas of Chapala in his  presentation of the Model of Magic Towns of Jalisco.

Aguirre Curiel shared details of the project  and the funds to improve infrastructure and tourism on social media.

 «This project consists of four thrusts  that will allow our Pueblo Mágico, Ajijic, to better receive visitors and show off its beauty: Analysis and  improvement of mobility in the town; Establishing a Tourist Agent; Analysis and improvement of  its visual presentation; and waste management».

The mayor emphasized that the objective is to improve the quality of life of the people who live in Ajijic and the people who visit it, so he considered this an important policy «for Ajijic and for Chapala this news means a lot, because it strengthens the economic and touristic growth of our municipality, without losing the traditions and culture that identify us».

During the press conference held at Casa Jalisco on April 11, a first investment of 20 million pesos was announced for the start-up of the Magical Towns Model in the nine towns of the state that have this distinction.

Finally, Alejandro Aguirre, recognized the influence of Governor Enrique Alfaro Ramírez in the designation of Ajijic a Pueblo Mágico, highlighting its traditions and excellent climate as some of its main attractions, without forgetting the influence of the retired residents of the Expat community.

Translated by Patrick O’Heffernan

Camiones en la zona del Bajío, al poniente de Ajijic. Archivo 2021.

Redacción.- Criminales de cuello blanco han puesto sus ojos sobre Chapala para apoderarse de terrenos en zonas federales, usando escrituras falsas y notarios corruptos que usurpan funciones, para así, expedir documentos apócrifos con los que intentan adueñarse de los espacios públicos.  

Tanto el Gobierno de Chapala, el Colegio de Notarios del Estado de Jalisco y el Gobierno del Estado, han llamado a la población para denunciar malas prácticas de notarios públicos, esto luego de indagar que, en complicidad con particulares, han realizado la falsificación de documentos para adueñarse de terrenos en zonas federales.

Parte de una escritura, que Jaime Natera López, Presidente del Colegio de Notarios de Jalisco, calificó como falsa al ser firmada por un notario que se encontraba suspendido y fuera de su jurisdicción.     

Las autoridades municipales, en coordinación con las estatales, han emprendido una estrategia para detener actos ilícitos por parte de notarios y personas que intentan apoderarse de terrenos en Chapala. La Dirección General de Delitos Patrimoniales y Financieros de la Fiscalía de Jalisco, cuenta con Carpetas de Investigación por irregularidades cometidas en el municipio. 

En el Colegio de Notarios de Jalisco pidieron responsabilidad a quienes quieran adquirir un bien, para que sea con base en la ley y, lamentando que gente que tachó como “gandalla”, se quieran apoderar de terrenos, asegurando que no se protegerá a ninguna persona que intente hacer actos ilícitos. 

“No vamos a solapar a nadie, también ahí tiene dos cosas, la dirección de catastro, que es la que participa con los avalúos y el registro público de la propiedad, creo que; no creo, estoy totalmente convencido de que esas escrituras no pueden dar seguridad jurídica”, dijo en entrevista a medios Jaime Natera López, Presidente del Colegio de Notarios de Jalisco.     

Desde hace diez años el problema de las invasiones en cerros y zonas de playa del Lago de Chapala ha ido creciendo de manera acelerada, sin que ninguna autoridad se haya atrevido a ponerle un alto a las invasiones que, en muchos casos, se sospecha que se han usado métodos de corrupción de particulares y notarios públicos, que buscan apoderarse de terrenos de la nación.    

Los notarios públicos que sí están avalados son: Jorge Chávez, Sergio Macías, Juan Carlos López, Sergio Macías (padre), Luis Enrique Ramos, Juan José Rodríguez, Adriana Villaseñor, así como fedatarios de La Barca, Ocotlán, Ayotlán, Tototlán y Atotonilco, con la condición de que estén presentes. El usurpar funciones para un trámite notarial cuenta con penas que van de dos a seis años de prisión. 

Por Leticia Trejo:

Estoy reacomodando mis libros, es impresionante la cantidad de libros que llega uno a acumular con los años. Mis favoritos, claro, son los que hablan de la Salud y el Bienestar y encontré uno que habla de la relajación, su primera edición fue en 1973 y lo escribió Marianne Kohler. ¡Han pasado más de 40 años! Y todavía no hemos logrado que la cultura del buen descanso, la relajación y el reposo penetren en nuestras sociedades, en nuestras culturas ni en nuestras células. Me parece muy relevante que la autora mencione que el descanso es importante para el dominio de sí mismo. Generalmente nos metemos en problemas, porque ante un estímulo que nos incomoda reaccionamos en lugar de responder.

Tuve un maestro de meditación que nos explicaba que cuando se logra el autodominio somos capaces de vivir el estímulo, ver el pensamiento consecuente, sentir la emoción inevitable, pero con el entrenamiento adecuado tenemos la capacidad de hacer una pausa y eso, queridos lectores, hace la diferencia entre una reacción y una respuesta. Una reacción es primitiva, generalmente irracional y va cargada de adrenalina, es veloz y si le pusiéramos un color sería roja, como la señal de peligro. Una respuesta es racional, en milésimas de segundo, pasa por un análisis en el que conscientemente se toma la decisión de cuál es la mejor forma de actuar ante ese estímulo y si tuviera color sería quizás verde como la señal de adelante. Puedo confesar ahora que, el motivo por el cual hace 22 años cambié mi vida fitness de gimnasio, spinning y música electrónica por el estudio, la práctica y la enseñanza del Yoga, es porque estaba harta de reaccionar ante cualquier estímulo, siempre sintiendo que los demás me hacían cosas de las que debía defenderme o atacar, como en estado de alerta. No es de extrañar que este libro, al final, también hable de Yoga.

Para reposar y descansar no necesitamos grandes inversiones ni de tiempo ni de dinero, solo una revisión honesta de qué tanto estamos apegados a nuestro amado estrés; sí, así es, hemos tatuado en nuestro ADN la tensión crónica, el encogimiento muscular, el endurecimiento de los tejidos conectivos, de modo que el día que intentamos bajar la velocidad y el ritmo llegamos a sentir ansiedad y la mente dando su opinión dice que “eso de relajarse no sirve para nada, que no estamos para perder el tiempo en tonterías, mejor sigamos estresándonos que eso nos sale tan bien”. Aprender a relajarse es aprender el arte de preservar el mayor tiempo posible la juventud en la mente y en el cuerpo. Quiero ser honesta contigo, al principio odiarás intentar relajarte, te dará ansiedad o te sentirás muy, pero muy incómodo, pero si continúas y sabes ser paciente los beneficios son ENORMES.

Mejora la calidad de tu piel, duermes mejor y te despiertas descansado, la energía te dura más, tu mente está más clara y enfocada, tu digestión mejora y no estarás cansado todo el día. Hay dos pautas vitales para lograrlo: aprender a estirarse y aprender a respirar. Si queremos prevenir el cansancio crónico debemos divertirnos sanamente, la fatiga nace generalmente del aburrimiento. 

Estírate, visita a algún amigo o amigos, haz ejercicio físico, respira conscientemente, practica mindfulness, practica meditación, y hazte consciente de que cuando tu logras el equilibrio entre estrés y reposo estás mejorando tu calidad de vida y tus relaciones con los demás.

About 50 merchants protest on Francisco I. Madero avenue after the stall and its merchandise was seized. Credit: Jazmín Stengel.

Jazmín Stengel (Chapala).– Street merchants were evicted, and their merchandise confiscated by the Department of Regulations, Registration and Licenses, near the recently restored area of the Chapala boardwalk. They protested on Francisco I. Madero Avenue, at the intersection with Hidalgo, on Saturday, April 2. 

The Triqui merchants are from Oaxaca. After having been relocated several times in the last month by the authorities (due to restoration of green space, and new urban image policies going into effect) they refused to move again. They had been asked to relocate to the east side of the boardwalk, in the parking lot of the restaurant area known as La Rampa. They were joined by ten other local merchants.

As a result, agents of the Department of Regulations, Registration and Licenses immediately confiscated a street stall on the Chapala boardwalk, using public security personnel; they denounced the Oaxaca Triqui merchants in the area. 

On Monday, April 4, a dialogue was scheduled with the authorities during working hours. Up to that time ten stalls had been allowed to continue working in the locations already registered, since the owners had a valid commercial permit. However, on Saturday, April 2, shortly after noon, inspectors accompanied by public security came to confiscate the merchandise from the first street stall, without having given prior official written notice, according to testimonies of the indigenous merchants. The stall had been there for thirty years.

Merchants and municipal authorities struggled during the seizure of merchandise. Credit: Special.

The agents involved refused to identify themselves, answering «oi este wey (I heard this guy).» As they moved on to other stalls, merchants struggled to defend their product and labor rights. One video of such an interaction went viral on social networks. «They take things away like vile thieves,» said one of the affected merchants on the video. In one of the multiple videos published by the Triqui Merchant Guild of Oaxaca, one can observe the struggle between merchants, officials, and public security. «Three men pulled me,» said a minor involved. A Triqui woman was bruised after the struggle.

The aggressions on both sides escalated when the merchants demanded that a count of the confiscated merchandise be made public. However, the product was taken to City Hall facilities, resulting in a blockade by about fifty protesters at the intersection of Francisco I. Madero Avenue and Hidalgo Avenue. The Triqui Merchant Guild said they are organizing to demand their human rights, labor rights, and the reimbursement of the affected merchandise. They have multiple options including a human rights complaint, a legal claim, or a commercial injunction to avoid being removed and discriminated against.

As of the closing of this edition, the affected parties were attended by the municipal president, and were informed that the count of the merchandise was finished. However, municipal president Alejandro Aguirre asked those present to keep the boardwalk free of street commerce during the upcoming Holy Week and Easter vacations. This does not solve the relocation problem for the indigenous merchants.

Translated by Amy Esperanto