Localidades

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

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

 Abraham M., was recently arrested by the Investigative Police; he has already been sentenced to trial. Photo: Prosecutor’s Office. 

Staff.- Abraham M., was indicted on charges of sexually abusing the  minor daughter of his partner in the Sabinos subdivision in the municipality of Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos. 

The subject allegedly threatened his victim so that she would not tell what happened, telling her that he would murder her mother. For this reason, the Public Prosecutor’s Office requested the official pre-trial detention against the individual, as a precautionary measure and for the victim’s protection. He was held for a year awaiting trial. The investigation began after a criminal complaint was filed on October 17, 2019. 

The victim was assaulted at approximately10: 30PM   when she  was sleeping in the living room of her home in the municipality of Ixtlahuacán.

After assaulting the victim, Abraham M, who was the partner of the victim’s mother, warned  her ot to tell what had happened, otherwise he would murder her mother. Out of fear, the minor kept silent for a while; however, she told her mother and  they filed a criminal complaint.

The Regional Prosecutor’s Office of District V carried out the investigation as a gender crime and found enough evidence of criminal child sexual abuse that an arrest warrant was requested against Abraham M.

The subject was recently captured by members of the Investigation Police, who served the warrant and presented him before the Control Judge who, considering the evidence provided by the Public Prosecutor’s Office to be ample, sent him to trial.

Translated by Patrick O’Heffernan

María Hilda Robledo Vázquez, opened «Memo» Cenaduría when she was only 20 years old. Photo: Sofía Medeles.

Sofía Medeles(Ajijic).- «Memo’s» is one of the most long-lived and emblematic local businesses in Ajijic. At 72 years old, its founder, Mrs. María Hilda Robledo Vázquez, shared the trajectory of her 52-year business.

María Robledo, better known as Mari, opened the diner when she was only 20 years old. She says that she wanted to start a business, so she started with tacos, then added menudo, until she got to what she currently sells, which is a variety of typical Mexican food dishes.

The establishment is located at 25 Hidalgo Street. At the door, Mrs. Mari’s grandson, Alejandro. Photo: Sofía Medeles.

«Before being located where the business is today, we moved from two other places. Before, we were known as «Los Deportes» because we were in a place that was a sports store. Later, my stepfather made a contract with a brewery to put up the billboard, and since his name was Memo, they put it in his name. They said they were going to change it, but in the end they didn’t, and that’s how it stayed’ that’s how we became known,» the Mari related. 

Mari Robledo also said that she began to be recognized by the people of Guadalajara when she was visited by some godparents of one of her brothers about six years after starting her business. They told her that they would recommend her to people from Guadalajara, and people from Guadalajara have been coming to visit her ever since. 

«Sometimes customers come and tell me, I remember when my parents used to bring me here, and you are still running the business after all this time,» added the founder of the restaurant.

«Memo» has approximately 30 years on Hidalgo Street #25, in the center of the town, where there have been hundreds of tourists both local and national, and even international. 

Mari shared that she has learned that her clientele comes through word of mouth, and they always let her know that they were satisfied with her dishes, especially with the pozole, one of her best-selling preparations.

Doña Mari with her workers in the kitchen of the «Memo» diner. Photo: Sofía Medeles.

Since its founding, the business has remained very family-run. At the beginning, Mari worked with her sisters. Later on she worked with her children, Fernando, Laura, Virginia and Alejandrina, who supported her at some point. The last one helps her still. 

In addition, her son-in-law Francisco Romero and her grandchildren Izbia, Alejandro, Romina and Fernanda have joined the team; besides, María Elena Martínez, Corazón de Jesús Cerna and Guadalupe Pulido, are her employees who help her in the kitchen.

Although she finds the cooking business exhausting, María Robledo Vázquez hopes that the restaurant will continue for many years to come. 

«The business has always been a support to help my children get ahead and give them an education. My daughter Alejandrina already knows how to do things here, and she told me that she would like to continue. I hope she does.»

Finally, Mari thanked all her customers because they have always been unconditional and come back to the restaurant with pleasure. 

Translated by Sydney Metrick

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

Chain-link fence located near the pumping plant being removed for the second time. Photo: Sofía Medeles.

Sofía Medeles (Ajijic).- Pueblos Unidos de la Ribera activists removed a chain-link fence  for the second time they claim had been placed in federal territory of Lake Chapala. 

The  action  took place last Friday, April 8, in the area that had been allegedly illegally fenced near the re-pumping plant of the Municipal Potable Water and Sewage System (SIMAPA), to the east of the town. 

On this occasion, not only was the fence removed, but it was cut up, and  the activists used hammers to destroy the bases where the posts are placed, so that the fence could not be put up again, as happened last time. Although the land owners tried to intimidate them by taking video, the activists were not deterred.

In addition to removing the fence, the bases where the pipes are placed were also cut and covered to prevent it from being put up again. Photo: Sofía Medeles.

At the end of the meeting, there was talk of returning to the beach in the area known as «Tío Domingo», where in August and September last year, at least seven fences were removed. Of all these, five have been rebuilt, and two of the lands allegedly illegally occupied have been planted with crops to justify their takeover by the adjacent landowners. Two of the alleged illegal fences have been rebuilt twice.

Also, two more disputed fences were recently removed to the east of Ajijic, at the end of Donato Guerra Street; in one of these, the owners chose to remove the entire fence and, in the other, they raised it again, however, it was removed again. 

The meetings of the group to act against this type of invasion will be announced through social networks. Members of the «anti-rejas» movement say that the participation of the Ajijitecos and other  interested parties is important, since it is an issue of interest for all the residents of the area around the lake.

Translated by Patrick O’Heffernan

Only 27,168 cast their vote in the lake area.

Héctor Ruiz Mejía.- Only 9.97 percent of the electorate in District 17 participated in Sunday’s vote on  the Revocation of Mandate on Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO). 

Of the 272,259 people who were expected to go to the polls on April 10 in the 15 municipalities that make up the district, only 27,168 cast their vote. Of these, 25,270 voted in favor of AMLO’s continuation as president, 1,548 voted to revoke his mandate and 350  left  their ballot blank. 

Between Chapala and Jocotepec, seven thousand two votes were cast, of which six thousand 351 were in favor of AMLO, 558 against him, and 100 were null votes. 

Nationally, voter participation was also low, according to INE only between 17 and 18.2 percent of those registered on the nominal list cast their vote; Jalisco registered 9.06 percent, one of the states with the lowest participation. The election had no impact because, it required at 40% of the current electoral roll.

Translated by Patrick O’Heffernan

Trucks in the Bajío area, west of Ajijic. File 2021.

Editor. White-collar criminals have set their sights on Chapala to seize land in federal zones, using false deeds and corrupt notaries who use their positions  to issue forged documents with which they try to take over public spaces.  

The Government of Chapala, the Association of Notaries Public of the State of Jalisco and the State Government have called on the population to oppose bad practices of public notaries, after investigating that, in complicity with private individuals, they have falsified documents to take possession of land in federal zones.

The municipal authorities, in coordination with the state authorities, have undertaken a strategy to stop illegal acts by notaries and individuals who try to take possession of land in Chapala. The Dirección General de Delitos Patrimoniales y Financieros de la Fiscalía de Jalisco, has opened investigations into irregularities committed in the municipality. 

Part of a deed, which Jaime Natera López, President of the College of Notaries of Jalisco, qualified as false as it was signed by a notary who was suspended and out of his jurisdiction.

The Notary Association of Jalisco asked for regulations to insure that  those who want to acquire a property, do so based on the law, and  condemning people they labeled as «loafers», who want to take possession of land illegally. The Association vowed it would  not protect any person who tries to do illegal acts. 

«We are not going to overrule  anyone, but we must consider the Registrar who  participates in the appraisals and the public registry of property. I am totally convinced that some of these (fake) deeds can  give legal certainty,» said Jaime Natera Lopez, President of the College of Notaries of Jalisco in a media interview.     

For the last ten years the problem of invasions in the hills and beach areas of Lake Chapala has been growing at an accelerated rate, without any authority trying to put a stop to the invasions.  in many cases illegal the takeovers of property have been facilitated by corruption by private individuals and notaries public.    

Among  the public notaries that are endorsed as legitimate in Lakeside  are: Jorge Chávez, Sergio Macías, Juan Carlos López, Sergio Macías (father), Luis Enrique Ramos, Juan José Rodríguez, Adriana Villaseñor, as well as notaries public from La Barca, Ocotlán, Ayotlán, Tototlán and Atotonilco, on the condition that they are present. The  misuse of  notarial procedure is punishable with two to six years of imprisonment. 

Translated by Patrick O’Heffernan

Leonardo Saucedo better known as «El Chiri,» is a dancer by inheritance. From the age of seven his grandfather assigned him to the Lord of Huaje in Jocotepec to whom he offers his dances during the festivities. Photo: María Reynozo.

By: María del Refugio Reynozo Medina

Since he was a child, Leonardo Saucedo learned dance from his father Leobardo Saucedo Valentín, a dancer who performed the representation of the conquest in the town of Nextipac, municipality of Jocotepec.

Leonardo watched the rehearsals with rapt attention. He clearly remembers the characters; La Malinche, Hernán Cortés and Cuauhtémoc.

“-Get up, great monarch, Hernán Cortés is coming….” La Marina began in one of its dialogues in the colloquium that recreated the episode of The Conquest. It lasted more than three hours and up to 60 actors participated among dancers and musicians with guitar, stringed instruments, and drums.

At the age of seven Leonardo suffered a very strange illness. Small wounds appeared on a large part of his body that oozed. His grandfather entrusted him to the Lord of the Huaje, the Christ carved on a huge gourd tree found in the vicinity of San Pedro Tesistan and located in the chapel formerly known as the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception in the municipal capital of Jocotepec.

She promised him that if he healed him, she would give him her little grandson so that he could praise him through dance. So, they undertook the pilgrimage from Nextipac to the temple of the Lord of the gourd tree, walking, praying, dancing and the seven-year-old boy carrying despite his illness, a heavy wooden drum.

Don Leonardo «El Chiri» is now 86 years old, he remembers that moment and tears come to his eyes.

“I was even hot when I arrived,» he says.

After fifteen days, the boy was completely healed.

His father used to take to the Lord of gourd tree for the festivities of «the dawn» (rockets, cinnamon, bread and ringing of bells).

In addition to his love for dancing, he remembers that he used to help his father in the fields every day. During harvesting the fruits or burying the seeds in the middle of the furrows he would go over the dialogues. Though the official rehearsals were in the afternoon when the days in the fields were over.

As a dancer «El Chiri» went to Zacoalco de Torres, San Luis Soyatlán, Tizapán el Alto, Santa Rosa, Atequiza and Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos.

Now he says he is sad to see himself getting old, however, as long as he exists he will also live his fervor for the crucifix made from the gourd tree. Every time he goes to Jocotepec, the first thing he does is to visit the image and take a candle to it. Every year he is also present at the feast. “Although I may be crawling, I have to go.”

«El Chiri» they call him in town because one day in a soccer game, ten minutes from the end, he scored an Olympic goal that led his team to victory. “It was a fluke,» he was told.

«El Chiri» learned very well his side as an actor not only as a dancer. He recreated characters with different voices. ‘The Indians did some voices, he says, and the conquistadors did others.”

One day when they were walking up the hill on their way to Cajititlán for a presentation, the woman who was going to play La Malinche fell into a stream. By the time they reached their destination she no longer had a voice. «El Chiri» had no problem representing the female voice and completing the picture. He had a very good memory, although «we had no school,» he says.

In those days they had for school a leafy mango tree, a piece of smoked board and his teacher.

However, he came to learn not only his own dialogues but those of everyone else.

Now his memories are vague, and among them he’s lost some incomplete stanzas of what was the splendor of the colloquies of La Conquista.

“Silence and little morulla, if you want to see this dance.

Listen to me, so many women, which one is the most murmuring, 

is she braided or is she hairy.

Adorned with little rags shut those little lips.

Don’t disturb Juan Guarín epa maistro of the violin

Touch me the dwarfs to dance them here …”

Translated by Sydney Metrick

Transformer that caught fire last Saturday, April 2, located on Ocampo Street, almost at the intersection with Francisco Villa. Photo: Sofía Medeles.

Sofía Medeles (Ajijic).- An electrical transformer of the Comisión Federal de la Electricidad (CFE) caught fire last Saturday, April 2 and as of the closing of this edition, was still unattended. 

The damaged transformer is located on Ocampo Street, almost at the intersection with Francisco Villa, one block from the neighborhood of Las Seis Esquinas.  Citizens reported that it had been leaking a liquid for several days. 

In a story that circulated through social networks, a complaint was made after the fire and it would be attended on Monday, April 4. This publication stated that the liquid was very harmful and put neighbors or passers-by at risk.

The damage to the device did not affect the electricity or water service of the residents near the area.  The neighbors fear for their safety because an explosion could occur due to overheating and the lack of liquid.

Liquid spilling from the transformer. Photo: Sofía Medeles.

«On Saturday there was a firefighting unit that apparently contacted CFE. A while later, CFE sent a person with a forklift truck, but he only looked at the transformer and left. He did not even take five minutes to attend to the problem,» the interviewee said.

«Now that the smoke produced by the fire is polluting, just like the oil that is spilling. It should be reported to ecology so that they can put pressure on the CFE with an official letter,” the complainant added. 

Ajijic acting delegate Maximiano Macias Arceo commented that the problem was reported to him on Saturday.  He said that neither he nor the personnel of the delegation or the municipality could regulate the device, since it is federal property of the CFE and only they could fix it.

«We made the report to the commission (CFE), we cannot intervene, neither we nor the  public lighting department, since it is a federal matter. We have made the report again, because the oil in the transformer is toxic and we will follow the situation until it is repaired,» concluded Macías Arceo.

Translated by Nita Rudy