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The municipal president of Chapala during an interview with Semanario Laguna.

Redaction.- The president of Chapala, Alejandro de Jesús Aguirre Curiel, was appointed vice-president of liaison with the Judicial Power of the National Association of Municipalities and Mayors, A.C. (ANAC), in Mexico City on March 11 of this year.

With this, «benefits will also be generated for our municipality of Chapala, because the commitment of PAN governments is with families; in addressing the needs and problems, thinking about a better course for Jalisco and Mexico,» he posted on his Facebook account. 

Translated by Sandy Britton

The SSJ expects the modules in the interior of the state to apply 150 to 200 doses per day. Photo: SSJ

Redaction.– On April 5, the Government of Jalisco announced a change in the Covid-19 Vaccination delivery model in the state. According to the General Strategic Coordination of Social Development and the Ministry of Health of Jalisco (SSJ), this change will be permanent. 

The Strategic Coordinator of Social Development, Anna Bárbara Casillas García, explained that as the percentage of the vaccinated population has increased, the new model will reach the rest of the population needing vaccines and boosters. In total, 17 vaccination points will be established in the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area and 37 in the rest of the state.  They will be able to deliver 150 to 200 doses per day. 

As of the closing of this edition of Semanario Laguna, Jalisco had received 11,883,162 doses from different laboratories, of which 90.4 percent have been applied.  As of April 5, 1,805,111 booster doses had been applied in the different groups, corresponding to 44.6 percent.

Translated by Elisabeth Shields

Héctor Ruiz Mejía (Jocotepec).- On March 30, a non-forest fire alarm was triggered in the area known as La Playa in Huejotitán, municipality of Jocotepec.

Extinguishing the fire required the coordinated work of 66 elements of the Ministry of Environment and Territorial Development (SEMADET), the National Forestry Commission (CONAFOR), as well as the Civil Protection and Firefighter Unit (UPCB) Jocotepec and the Government of Tlajomulco de Zúñiga.

Translated by Sandy Britton

Delegation personnel planted roses in the planters of the main plaza. Photo: Maximiano Macías Arceo

Sofía Medeles (Ajijic).-  The main plaza and the playground area at the Parque de la Amistad on the Ajijic boardwalk were beautified before the Holy Week and Easter vacations.

Installation of synthetic grass in the playground area of the Chapala boardwalk. Photo: Maximiano Macias Arceo

Last Thursday, April 7, the delegation staff were in charge of planting roses in the planters of the delegation and placing synthetic grass in the children’s playground area of the boardwalk.

Translated by Christalle Dalsted

In 2020, the CEDHJ issued a recommendation to Jocotepec for the lack of public policies to prevent crimes of enforced disappearance. Illustrative photo: Courtesy.

Redaction. – There is no strategy for the prevention of the crime of forced disappearance of persons in the municipality of Jocotepec.

As of January 18, 2022, according to the transparency request with official letter number SI/007/2022 of file 140285622000011, there was no strategy in terms of prevention of forced disappearance of persons.

Information was requested on the implementation or design of programs to combat the causes that generate conditions of risk and vulnerability to such crimes; however, the response was negative.

Said document stipulates that, with respect to the actions established for the prevention of the crimes of disappearance of persons, no preventive measures have been carried out, implemented or designed.

The suspension of activities by the state authorities due to the Covid-19 pandemic did not allow activities to be carried out for this purpose.

However, it was claimed  that, for the same reason, surveillance tours were reinforced by security forces as a preventive measure, in red spots, not specified, where disappearances could occur.

The State Commission of Human Rights of Jalisco (CEDHJ) issued the recommendation with folio number 6431/2020-IV, where it indicated that there has been non-compliance of public policies for the prevention of crimes of forced disappearance of persons committed by individuals, as well as for sufficient guarantees for the search and location of these persons, and for the attention and assistance of their relatives, since 2020 without anything changing.

This is despite an alarming situation of violence that has afflicted the lakeside municipality in recent weeks, since an armed conflict on March 10, when two policemen lost their lives and two firefighters were wounded.

Translated by Sandy Britton

The draw for the formation of groups was held at the Code Paradero Velodrome sports complex in Guadalajara on Wednesday, March 6. Photo: Government of Jalisco.

Redaction.- The Jalisco Cup 2022 amateur soccer championship will begin this weekend in the men’s division and a week later in the women’s division; in total, more than 200 teams will participate in its third year of competition.

The Jalisco Cup will be played from April 9 to August 7 with 118 teams in the men’s category and 74 in the women’s category; the draw for the formation of groups took place at the Code Paradero Velodrome on March 6. 

The Chapala men’s team is emerging as one of the Cup’s favorites. The team took second place in the 2021 tournament, winning a trip to Spain as a prize.

This year, the winning team will travel to France to see the training of the Paris Saint-Germain Football Club team. The prize for the runners-up will be a trip to Colombia.

In the men’s division, the first match of the Chapala team will be as visitors against Tuxcueca, on Sunday, April 10 at 4pm; the Jocotepec team will play against Valle de Juárez, also as visitors, on the same day and at the same time. 

The complete schedule of games can be found at https://copajalisco.mx/Rol_regular/4.

Translated by Elisabeth Shields

 Atrium of the parish of San Francisco de Asís

Jazmín Stengel.- The dramatic presentation of the Passion of Christ, which last took place in 2019, will be staged again this year in the atrium of the parish of St. Francis of Asis on Good Friday, April 15, starting at 7pm. The usual tour through the streets of the parish of St. Francis of Assisi will follow.

Following the usual route through the main streets of the municipal capital, until reaching the Tepehua neighborhood, where the crucifixion will be represented as in previous years.

The program of the Holy Week celebrations begins on Palm Sunday, April 10 at 1:30pm and 8:00 pm, the blessing of the palms and the solemn mass will take place. On that day, parishioners are asked to wear red.

Holy Thursday, April 14, will begin with Lauds at 8am, and at 7pm the ‘Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper’. The ‘Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament’ by the children from 8pm to 9:00 pm; for the youth from 9:00 pm to 10:00 pm; women from 10:00 pm to 11:00 pm; and men from 11:00 pm to 12:00 pm.

The Stations of the Cross will take place on Good Friday at the end of Lauds, starting at 9:00 am from the atrium of St. Francis of Asis Parish to the Chapel of Refuge as was previously customary. 

After the staging of the Passion of Christ, the traditional ‘Rosary of Condolence’ will take place at approximately 8:00 pm. Therefore, the priests calculate that ‘The March of Silence’ will begin its journey around 9:00 pm., according to the program of activities for Holy Week of the parish of St. Francis of Asis in Chapala.

The following day, Saturday, April 16, only Lauds will be held in the morning and the Eucharist of the ‘Easter Vigil’ will be at 9pm. The priests invite the parishioners to attend Holy Saturday dressed in festive attire and to bring to the mass the candles and images they wish to bless during the ceremony.

Finally, Easter will be celebrated in the Refugio Chapel with recreational activities, games and religious talks for the children given by the seminarians of the parish. On Monday, April 11, Tuesday, April 12 and Wednesday, April 13, at 10am for kids and at 5pm for youth and adolescents.

Translated by Christalle Dalsted

The cost per game for a local team can be 700 pesos already. Photo: Courtesy.

Héctor Ruiz Mejía (Jocotepec).- The fee for the use of the soccer fields in the municipality of Jocotepec will only increase by 50 pesos per game. The anticipated 1,000 peso increase was considered unfeasible for the league involved.

After the indignation caused by the rumor spread on social networks of an increase of up to one thousand pesos for the use of the sports facilities, the municipal president of Jocotepec, José Miguel Gómez López, met March 22, 2022, with the delegates of the inter-weekly soccer league to reach a resolution.

After negotiations, an agreement was reached to only increase the fee for the use of the fields by 50 pesos, according to one of the delegates, who preferred to remain anonymous.

As a result, the fee per game for using the field will be 200 pesos, up from 150 pesos. This does not include fees for referees.

The mayor decided not to increase the fee any further after meeting with the 16 delegates representing the 17 local teams, who described the conditions under which they run the league.

«He thought we were a municipal league, but once we explained to him that we are in fact a private league, he changed his mind,» said the interviewee.

The interviewee said that because the league is not for-profit, and is intended to be a sporting event for the purpose of «having fun and having a good time,» the mayor understood the importance of not making fees prohibitive. As it stands, the cost per game sometimes reaches 700 pesos with all the refereeing expenses; this amount is then divided among the team, which can total 18 members.

Even so, the interviewee explained, only about eight of the 18 typical team members can afford to contribute to the cost of the game, since many players «do not even have 20 pesos» to help with the expenses.

The delegate added that the increase of only 50 pesos was agreed upon after the delegates said that they would consider paying more if the municipality would provide proper maintenance of the fields.

Translated by Rebecca Zittle

The representation of the Stations of the Cross last took place in San Juan Cosalá in 2019. Photo: Miguel Cerna.

Alma Serrano(San Juan Cosalá).-  The pandemic continues to erode the traditions of San Juan Cosalá. For the third consecutive year, the delegation will not carry out the Passion of Christ. 

Covid-19 has interrupted the Passion since 2020. With the suspension, the support of the citizens was also diminished,”  Gabriel Chávez Rameño, one of the organizers, told Laguna.

«When the pandemic began, there was a lack of economic and human resources, it has been hard to get people to support it. Since the pandemic began we have not been able to organize the Stations of the Cross, but hopefully, next year it will be done.» 

The Passion of Christ had been carried out in San Juan Cosalá for 25 years, involving people of all ages and included locations such as the atrium of the parish, the streets Porfirio Díaz and Vicente Guerrero, as well as the  hillsides where the crucifixion was  re-enacted,  which are now in the process of urbanization. 

«They started to farm in areas where the Stations of the Cross were taking place, there is almost no economic support in town and we did not know in advance if due to Covid it was going to be viable. So a few months ago we decided that it was best to let it pass until next year, and see if there are people who want to get involved and commit themselves as organizers,» concluded Gabriel Chavez. 

A week away from commemorating the Holy Days, Gabriel Chavez acknowledged that there are no favorable conditions to carry out the living representation, therefore it will be suspended for the third time. 

Translated by Kerry Watson

Authorities of the Community Hospital of Jocotepec reported a downward trend in Covid-19 infections. Photo: Archive. 

Héctor Ruiz Mejía (Jocotepec).- Although an influx of about 18 thousand people is expected during Holy Week and Easter in Jocotepec, medical authorities did not predict an increase in Covid-19 infections. 

«The truth is that we do not see much danger for this holiday period, since the virus is not currently circulating. We anticipate a scenario similar to January, when the virus was active and yet parties were held,» informed a doctor from the Community Hospital of Jocotepec, who preferred to withhold his name. 

As an example, during the month of March, the Hospital did not register a single positive case or hospitalization due to coronavirus. 

However, the doctor indicated that in spite of the favorable downturn in the number of contagions in the municipality, the bigger picture of the effectiveness of the vaccination campaign in the last few weeks has been worrisome.

Participation recently has been almost «nil» within the community. Earlier in the campaign, approximately three- to four thousand doses were administered over a three-day period, whereas now only 500 doses were administered over two weeks.

For this reason, the doctor urged residents not to lower their guard and to complete the recommended schedule of vaccines. As of to date, the last day vaccinations will be available is Friday, April 8, and the Ministry of Health of Jalisco (SSJ) has not indicated when the campaign might continue.

As a result of the decrease in positive cases at the state level, the Jalisco Board of Health updated the public sanitary measures for Covid-19 on March 17, 2022:  public establishments can return to one hundred percent capacity, and no prohibitions were issued for the holiday period. 

Translated by Rebecca Zittle