Localidades

Community of El Chante, gathered to demand their rights after the lack of water service. Photo: Héctor Ruiz.

Héctor Ruiz Mejía (Jocotepec).- Starting February 4th, residents of El Chante I unleashed a series of protests due to construction work on the network that supplies water to their subdivision. This pork was being done by the Government of Jocotepec,on Morelos Street to connect a new development called “Ribera Capital Living” to the water well that currently feeds the community. Residents complained that they currently have a shortage of water, with only a few hours of water a day. 

The Municipal Police and the National Guard escorted the representatives of City Hall to talk with the protestors; however, they did not reach any agreement. 

Residents banners were installed at the affected street address. Photo: Héctor Ruiz.

The demonstration resumed the following morning, when municipal police, prepared for riot operations, set up on Chueca Street «cutting cartridges and preparing for battle», according to neighbors. 

«Suddenly the entire police department arrived, with shields and helmets, cutting cartridges, as if sending us a message,» commented one of the residents. A fact that the community described as excessive use of force, «they treated us as if we were criminals», they added.

The demonstration continued until Wednesday, February 9, when in the afternoon about 60 people gathered at the point between Chueca and Morelos streets, where the project is located.

Citizens could be heard chanting «the people united will never be defeated» and with their banners demanded respect for their right to access to water.

Residents dissatisfied with the mayor’s response to the situation. Photo: Héctor Ruiz.

Municipal president José Miguel Gómez López summoned them to engage in dialogue at Campo David, an event hall located near the Jocotepec boardwalk.  This, he explained,was to safeguard their integrity from the insults of the inhabitants. A meeting did not take place and demonstrators advised that City Hall did not consult with them.

They also recalled the controversy that arose in September of last year, when the municipal president promised to fix the now bumpy Cuauhtémoc Street after disagreements over the Lago Luna development, a promise that has not been fulfilled.

Through his social networks, Gómez López said that the community of El Chante will be left without a solution to the problem of lack of water supply they face due to the poor state of the water and sewage networks, since the «misinformation» incited them to demonstrate and slow  the improvement and development works for them. 

Translated by Christalle Dalsted

 The Artistic Marathon will once again be held in the San Juan square.  

Héctor Ruiz Mejía (Jocotepec).- The 15th edition of the San Juan Cosalá Artistic Marathon will be held in the municipality of Jocotepec. Its purpose is to help pay the medical expenses of people from the community with chronic illnesses.

The charity event will take place in the Main Square of San Juan Cosalá  on Saturday, February 20th. This year, the event will benefit eleven people suffering from different types of diseases such as cancer, leukemia and kidney failure. The proceeds will help these people pay for their medical treatments. 

One recipient is Mónica Garcia, one of this year’s beneficiaries, who has been suffering from kidney failure for some time which has kept her bedridden making it increasingly difficult to pay for her treatment.

Enrique Rodríguez Zamora, general coordinator of the event, shared that the line-up of artists that will participate in the 15th event has not yet been confirmed, but the eleven booths where a great variety of food is usually offered for sale are already lined up. 

The organizer expects the attendance to exceed 500 participants, between locals and visitors.The goal is to raise 300,000 pesos, which will be distributed among the eleven people selected this year.

«The truth is that after last year’s event was postponed due to the coronavirus, this year we can feel and see the enthusiasm of the people to participate,” said Rodríguez Zamora.

Rodríguez Zamora invited the community to attend the event, since the sole purpose of this non-profit association is to help those who need it most.

Translated by Colleen Beery

Facade of the Chapala City Hall.

Jazmín Stengel (Chapala).- The savings fund for Chapala City Hall workers was increased from 65 to 100 pesos starting this year, as approved by the council members during the fifth town council session held on January 29.

With this change, all City Hall workers will be required to contribute 100 pesos every two weeks to the savings fund, and the government will grant the same amount per person appearing on the payroll. This is in addition to the benefits for workers such as Christmas bonuses, retirements and staff credit loans.

Although this was a service restricted to unionized workers, Councilwoman Verónica Torres advocated for the rights of all workers, arguing that «the savings bank does not belong to the union, but to the municipality,» and succeeded in opening it to all city employees.

However, the increase went into effect days before the official ruling. Councilwoman Torres responded by asking where and when the quota increase, which the City Hall Workers Union had already registered, had been confirmed, given that such decisions must first be approved by the City Council.

«I still take the same position, that the savings bank should belong to the union only when it is union money,» said the councilwoman. With the new guidelines recorded in the minutes of the session, the increase was approved unanimously by the 13 council members present.

Translated by Sandy Britton

El accidente se registró en la carretera Guadalajara-Morelia, a la altura de San Luis Soyatlán.  

Redacción.- Un jornalero de las berries falleció tras caer de la camioneta en la que lo transportaban.

El accidente sucedió el pasado 10 de febrero alrededor de las 5:30 de la tarde en San Luis Soyatlán, municipio de Tuxcueca, cuando, al incorporarse el vehículo a la carretera Guadalajara-Morelia, el trabajador cayó al asfalto.

El masculino, quien era un migrante originario de Chiapas e iba solo en la parte trasera, falleció tras el golpe. Aunque la emergencia se registró en el municipio vecino, el rancho para el que trabajaba el ahora occiso, pertenece a productores de Jocotepec. 

El cargamento número 55 que recibe el estado, será destinado a refuerzo para mayores de 30 años.

Redacción.- La noche de ayer, 15 de febrero, arribó a Jalisco el cargamento número 55 de vacunas contra COVID-19. Esta entrega consta de 95 mil dosis correspondientes al laboratorio AstraZeneca, que se destinarán para aplicar el refuerzo a personas mayores de 30 años.  

A a la fecha, la entidad ha recibido 10 millones 828 mil 162 dosis de vacunas de diferentes laboratorios y se ha aplicado más del 90 por ciento, indicó el titular de la Secretaría de Salud del Estado de Jalisco (SSJ), Fernando Petersen Aranguren, al encabezar la recepción del biológico y, a través de un mensaje en redes sociales, adelantó: 

“Esperamos una buena respuesta. Invito a todos aquellos adultos que aún faltan de completar su esquema e incluso, si eres de las personas mayores de 18 años que por alguna razón aún no has recibido ninguna vacuna, no pierdas oportunidad y estés atento a nuestras convocatorias”.  

Hoy miércoles se abre la plataforma estatal https://vacunacion.jalisco.gob.mx/ con citas para inmunizar al grupo de adolescentes de 14 a 17 años.

El Secretario de Salud exhortó a la población a informarse en los canales oficiales del Gobierno del Estado y de la SSJ, donde permanentemente se dan a conocer los detalles de las nuevas jornadas.

Petersen Aranguren agregó que, si bien los casos de COVID-19 están bajando, “no debemos confiarnos. Las vacunas son seguras; nos protegen de complicaciones graves y reducen el riesgo de muerte por la infección del coronavirus. Además, es importante seguir las medidas de prevención: usar adecuadamente el cubrebocas, lavarte las manos con frecuencia y evitar lugares aglomerados o sin ventilación”.

Alumnos del CUOP celebraron con alegría y globos el Día del Amor y la Amistad.

Redacción.- Con la idea de fomentar el compañerismo de la comunidad escolar y afianzar los lazos de amistad, el Campus Universitario Octavio Paz (CUOP), celebró el Día del Amor y la Amistad en sus instalaciones.

Entre la decoración y detalles de parte de la Rectora, Ely Gutiérrez, fue que los alumnos tuvieron diversas actividades alusivas a esta fecha como el intercambio de detalles, toma de fotografías, pastel, elaboración de tarjetas con dedicatoria, entre otros.

A continuación te presentamos una serie de imágenes que muestran la celebración de este día:

La Rectora, Ely Gutiérrez repartió cartas de amistad a los alumnos.

Éste fue el día de la foto con las amistades más preciadas.

Chicos y grandes celebraron la amistad de la comunidad del campus universitario.de la celebración.

La colorida decoración también fue parte importante de la celebración.

Lago de Chapala. Foto: Héctor Ruíz. 

Por: Daniel Jiménez Carranza

Ser servidor público, sin duda que es una de las tareas más especiales dentro de las ocupaciones existentes, pues ello requiere no solo de encontrar un trabajo, sino de una abnegada entrega, con el propósito de ofrecer sus conocimientos y experiencia al servicio de la sociedad. 

Trátese del trabajador más modesto, hasta los niveles directivos, en donde es preciso desenvolverse con ética y honradez, en todas las actividades que demandan su participación;  los niveles directivos, deberán emplearse a resolver y atender problemas rutinarios de la operación cotidiana, además de enfocarse a proyectar e instrumentar los medios e instrumentos para evitar su repetición, mediante el establecimiento de conjunto de medidas que tiendan a sanear y erradicar faltas y vicios de los que actualmente adolece la operación gubernamental, particularmente en el nivel operacional representado por los municipios.

En estos días, hemos experimentado uno de los desafíos de una nueva administración municipal, en donde se ha dejado de abastecer de suministro de agua, a una considerable zona de la delegación en Ajijic, por prácticamente una semana;  el problema se ha ido resolviendo, echando mano de pipas de agua que se han empleado a fondo, para aplacar esta grave deficiencia, en donde han salido a relucir la falta de previsión, al no contar con bombas o piezas de repuesto para su sustitución o reparación inmediata, falta de materiales y herramientas, falta de mantenimiento a los pozos y a las redes de suministro, todo ello, producto de la improvisación, y desorden generado por el cambio de administración municipal, en donde ni la saliente ni la entrante, han dejado clara constancia y conocimiento del estado de las instalaciones, maquinaria, herramientas con que se operan los pozos y las redes de suministro.

Todo ello, resultado del cambio de partido político en la administración, en donde el saliente, procura dejar piedras suficientes sobre el camino, para que el entrante tropiece y cometa errores, fruto de las revanchas políticas, de la falta de control sobre los inventarios e instalaciones, en donde se propicia la rapiña, situación que obligadamente tendría que estar resuelta a través de un traspaso coordinado, supervisado y comprobado por ambas entidades en cada una de las áreas que se transfieren.

Un elemento fundamental en la sucesión de responsabilidades, es que en las áreas técnicas, donde se requiere personal especializado y capacitado, se dé prioridad al conocimiento y experiencia, y no a la improvisación o amiguismo para ocupar dichos puestos, pues no son puestos políticos, sino de servicio a la población fundamentalmente, asimismo, es importante que estas unidades técnicas cuenten con el equipo e instalaciones suficientes, manteniendo un férreo control de sus inventarios, para de esta forma, existan los elementos necesarios para resolver cualquier eventualidad.  

Es de capital importancia mantener un estricto control del inventario de equipo, herramienta y materiales existentes en el almacén, así como establecer revisiones y pruebas periódicas del equipo, pozos, red de suministro, y todas aquéllas inherentes, propias del aprovechamiento del agua, que permitan un adecuado control y racionalización de los enclaves acuíferos, que por otro lado, el Estado, por medio del órgano municipal, gestiona y regula su explotación a través de SIMAPA, y no dejarlos en manos de particulares, pues son recursos de la Nación.

Ajijic Cultural Center, located in the delegation’s Main Plaza.

Sofía Medeles (Ajijic).- A lack of maintenance for several years has caused a visible deterioration in the Ajijic Cultural Center (CCA), according to artists Jesús López Vega and Juan Navarro, who have murals in the building.

López Vega, the artist who did «The Birth of Teo-Michin-Cihualli» on the ceiling of the stairs of the Cultural Center, said that, in the 17 years of the mural, it has not been cleaned  or retouched, despite being considered a state heritage.

«It was thanks to the Support Program for Municipal and Community Cultures (PACMYC) that the mural could be made. The state program gives it greater recognition, but since its completion in 2006, there has been no initiative to touch it up. The dampness of the ceiling is already beginning to be a problem for the paint. There is an urgent need to put sealant on the ceiling,» he said.

«The birth of Teo-Michin-Cihualli», is the most deteriorated mural due to lack of maintenance.

The artist commented that not only is the mural damaged, but the building also has many deficiencies. Among them, an adjustment in the acoustics, to allow the third floor to be used for workshops and to fix the outdoor area on the third floor.

«As a founder, one realizes that several directors have passed without realizing that art needs maintenance, especially in public institutions. It has always been boasted that Ajijic is the cradle of artists, but money is needed to maintain monuments, even more so now that it is a Magic Town, and that the CCA is a site of tourist interest,» he said.

Juan Navarro commented that his two murals, «Evolution,» located in the entrance dome, and «We came from Aztlán,» located in the entrance ramp, do not need major interventions, only a light cleaning and a touch up with varnish.

As a teacher of workshops at the Cultural Center, Navarro affirmed that there are needs, for example, a sink, a roof for the outside of the third floor, a small oven; nevertheless, he said that he understands that these needs are already being considered in the work plan of the people in charge of the facility.

The administrator of the CCA, Héctor Hinojosa, commented that when he received the building the deficiencies in the infrastructure and the long-standing lack of maintenance, was obvious at first sight.

«It was received in poor condition, apparently nothing was done in past administrations. There is no waterproofing, and gutters were not cleaned, which caused water to leak into the Jesús López Vega mural.»

«Evolution», by Juan Navarro, needs cleaning and varnish retouching.

He added that the municipal president of Chapala, Alejandro de Jesús Aguirre Curiel, is already aware of the needs, and that he is confident that he will support improving the cultural spaces, as they are one of Ajijic’s tourist attractions.

«There is already a work plan that will be done little by little. Although the activities have been stopped due to the pandemic situation, we have been able to gather resources from workshops, exhibitions, among other events, with which we will begin to work,» said Hinojosa.

The Director of Social Communication, Elizabeth Oropeza Silva, added that there is no budget exclusively for the maintenance of the CCA, however, there is one for cultural events of the municipality, which will be used for various projects in different cultural areas.

Translated by Kerry Watson

Los familiares trasladaron a la persona lesionada hasta las instalaciones de Cruz Roja Chapala. Foto: D. Arturo Ortega.

Arturo Ortega.- Una persona resultó herida con un arma de fuego, en la delegación de San Nicolás de Ibarra, municipio de Chapala, durante la mañana del miércoles nueve de febrero.

La lesión habría sido causada por propia mano, según un reporte preliminar de la Policía de Chapala, quienes solicitaron apoyo al personal de Protección Civil y Bomberos del municipio.  

Sin embargo, al llegar al lugar de los hechos, los bomberos encontraron que los familiares ya habían trasladado por sus propios medios a la persona herida para que fuera atendido en las instalaciones de Cruz Roja Chapala. 

Hasta el momento, se desconoce el estado de salud de la persona herida o las circunstancias por las cuales resultaron las lesiones.

The classic fireworks ‘Torito’ lit in front of the atrium of the parish of San Andrés Apóstol. Photo: Lake Chapala Real Estate. 

Jazmín Stenge (Chapala).- In order to comply with the Jalisco State Ecology Law, on January 29 the Chapala town council approved the regulation of pyrotechnics in the municipality.

Under the regulation, the use of fireworks, or «cuetes,» in the municipality is restricted to a schedule from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., with the exception of those with permits approved by the Regulations Department which may allow use of fireworks outside of those hours. 

The Regulations Department, with the support of the Fire Department and Civil Protection, will carry out prevention raids and enforce safety measures for the use, storage and transportation of flammable substances for pyrotechnics, in order to prevent accidents, according to the Council.

The regulation will enable the department to investigate who transports flammable materials for fireworks and to enforce safety measures in their storage and handling, as well as to verify the permits issued by the Secretary of National Defense (SEDENA) to carriers of flammable materials, said the municipal trustee, Gamaliel de Jesús Soto Pérez.

The regulation and fines for violations will be published in the transparency section of the Municipal Government’s official website, and on social networks. 

Translated by Patrick O’Heffernan