municipio

El detenido fue Julio César M. Foto ilustrativa. 

Redacción.- Mediante un operativo, elementos de la Policía de Investigación de la Fiscalía del Estado de Jalisco detuvieron a Julio César M., ya que en su contra existía una orden de aprehensión por el delito de abuso sexual infantil agravado.

Con relación a lo ocurrido, dicho sujeto presuntamente cometió el agravio en contra de una femenina menor de edad, en el mes de julio del 2020, en la delegación de Las Trojes, en Jocotepec.

De las pesquisas realizadas por el agente del Ministerio Público se obtuvieron datos de prueba que permitieron obtener una orden de aprehensión en su contra.

Recientemente, elementos de la Policía de Investigación del Distrito V, lo capturaron y pusieron a disposición del Juez Especializado en Control, Enjuiciamiento, Justicia Integral para Adolescentes y Ejecución Penal del Quinto Distrito Judicial con sede en Chapala, quien lo reclamaba para que responda por estos actos.

Maintenance of street lights on Álvaro Obregón street. Photo: Facebook of the Ajijic Delegation.

Sofía Medeles – Without waiting for public lighting personnel from Chapala, the person in charge of Ajijic’s office, Maximiliano «Max» Macías Arceo and local personnel got down to work to put an end to Ajijic’s gloom by maintaining and repairing  the street lights in different parts of the town.

Macías Arceo said that many of the problems of out-of-service street lights were simply minor repairs; only a few were badly damaged. 

«Some were very neglected, but others just had simple things, such as a bad connection. To solve this problem, without having to wait for the Chapala President Alejandro Aguirre Curiel to authorize county staff,  a small crew of two people was formed in Ajijic which will have two days assigned for the maintenance», said Macías Arceo,  who added that he prefers to order the material and safety equipment to speed up the repairs, instead of waiting for personnel from the City Hall to have time to start work. 

He said that the only thing they need to be in good working order all the time is continuous maintenance.

The  repaired lights were on Revolución and Álvaro Obregón streets, the Villa Nova truck stop, Encarnación Rosas by the high school area north of town, Paseo del Prado street in La Floresta, Río Lerma and Del Paseo west of town in the Seis Esquinas neighborhood , and in the area known as La Cruz, between Marcos Castellanos and Nicolás Brazo streets by the beach 

«In the area of La Cruz, everything was dark — it looked like a wolf cave since none of  the light fixtures in that part of town worked. The worker who was in charge of fixing it told us that the cable was only broken, and when we reconnected it, all the lamps on that street came on. The residents of that area were very grateful to us, because they told us that they were afraid to go out at night because of the darkness,» said Macías Arceo.

Macías Arceo said  that for more complicated works, they will look for at least one person from public lighting to accompany the workers of the delegation to supervise them and to continue to follow up on the reports. He claimed that he is aware of the lack of street lights on streets such as Villa Lucerna, P. del Prado, etc., and said  that he is waiting for the opportunity to speak with the person in charge of public works to ask for a budget to place the poles and lights that are needed.

Translated by Patrick O’Heffernan

Camioneta de la Fiscalía. Foto internet: Ilustrativa. 

Redacción. – Por su probable participación en los delitos de violencia familiar y lesiones dolosas, José Luis R fue detenido en Jocotepec, por elementos de la Fiscalía Regional. 

De acuerdo con la información de los hechos, el 14 de febrero del 2020, José Luis R. agredió a su pareja sentimental y la acusó de haberle robado dinero. Al tratar de intervenir, los hijos también fueron agredidos al igual que una hermana de la víctima quien fue amenazada con un machete.

Para hacer efectiva la justicia las víctimas, el agente del Ministerio Público realizó indagatorias con perspectiva de género y acreditó mediante datos de prueba, la probable responsabilidad de dicho sujeto en la comisión de los delitos de violencia familiar y lesiones dolosas, por lo que solicitó una orden de aprehensión en su contra.

El hombre fue detenido por oficiales de la Policía del Estado. Foto ilustrativa.

Redacción.- Por presuntamente haber cometido el delito de abuso sexual en la modalidad de tocamiento en agravio de una menor de 13 años, un hombre identificado como Abel “N”, de 29 años de edad, fue puesto a disposición del agente del Ministerio Público para que se amplíen las investigaciones.

Los hechos ocurrieron en la colonia San Miguel, en el municipio de Chapala, por donde los oficiales de la Policía del Estado hacían un recorrido de vigilancia cuando una mujer solicitó su ayuda, ya que su hija de 13 años presuntamente había sido víctima de un delito sexual cometido por su cuñado, quien habría tocado a la menor de manera inapropiada.

Abel “N” fue puesto a disposición del MP para que se amplíen las investigaciones.

Tras notificar de la noticia criminal a la autoridad correspondiente se ordenó que el hombre fuera trasladado ante el Agente del Ministerio Público de la Fiscalía del Estado en la delegación de Chapala para que se iniciara la Carpeta de Investigación.

 Patrulla de la Fiscalía del Estado de Jalisco. La fotografía no pertenece a los hechos descritos en la nota, la imagen se utiliza sólo con fines ilustrativos. Juan Gabriel R., pues contaba con un mandato judicial emitido por el Juez de Control y Juicio Oral del Quinto Distrito Judicial con sede en Chapala

Redacción. – Por los delitos de violencia familiar y lesiones calificadas detienen a Juan Gabriel R, informó la Fiscalía Regional. 

El masculino fue capturado cuando se hallaba en la calle Francisco I. Madero y la calle Obregón en el poblado de San Nicolás de Ibarra, en Chapala y se le relaciona con eventos que fueron denunciados ante la Fiscalía en el año 2021.

Cleanup of Emiliano Zapata street, where workers picked up debris, tires and an abandoned vending cart (Photo: Delegación Ajijic 2021-2024).

Sofía Medeles (Ajijic, Jal.)- After  government workers  clean Ajijic’s streets and removed handbills, armchairs, tires and even an abandoned vintage vehicle, the Head of Office of the Ajijic delegation, Maximiliano Max Macías Arceo asked people to stop  discarding their trunks and garbage in the streets. 

Max commented that in the last stretch they cleaned, Zapata Street from its intersection with Revolución, within  two blocks the truck was full of tires, old chairs, and other junk thrown on the side of the street.  The workers also  cleaned the creek in the Ajijic Cemetery for the third time  because people throw so much garbage in it.   He  added that the cleanup work will continue over the next few days.  

Stream next to the cemetery before being cleaned (Photo; Delegación Ajijic 2021-2024).

«In the case of the cemetery, a budget has already been requested for a gate because the creek is always open and used as a dumping ground for debris, garden garbage, and  old furniture. The entrance of people will not be affected, only the creek will be closed, and  signs  posted with the number of the delegation for reports of this practice», commented Max.

He also e said that they have received many reports about the streets, requesting cleanings  so he asked for the support of the residents to  keep the streets clean for a long time.

«In some cases, it is cleaned, and a few days later, the garbage is back. This is because in some places the garbage bags are put outside  before the truck passes, like the night before, and the stray dogs break the bags.  So the next day the people from the truck only take the bags that are closed , forcing us to clean up garbage constantly. I ask for your support to remove the garbage in a timely manner,» he said.

Discarded armchairs in the street (Photo: Delegation Ajijic 2021-2024).

Max, said that if any inhabitant of the delegation needs to throw away tires, instead of taking them to the street, they should call the number of the delegation (33 3490 0382), so that they can be picked up for an amount of 10 pesos per tire,  and they will be sent to Ecology Chapala which pays 12 pesos per tire for them to be discarded.

Likewise, for large items, such as furniture, the delegation offers the service, because it has authorization from the landfill to pick them up and take them to their final destination. He commented that the service is free, and to request it, they also have to call the number of the delegation.

Translated by Patrick O’Heffernan

Some of the houses on Zaragoza Street still preserve the typical architecture of Ajijic and  bright murals on their facades.

Sofía Medeles (Ajijic, Jalisco) – The 2022 Jalisco State Expenditure Budget allocates 15 million pesos for the nine Magical Towns of the state, ‘which would mean 1.666 million pesos for Ajijicif, as  it was last year, the  budget is split equally among Jalisco’s nine Pueblos Mágicos.

In 2021 Ajijic  received 1.333 million  pesos for its Pueblo Mágico budget, some of which was returned unused to the State.  Part of the budget was  slated for  a festival that never took place due to the pandemic, some for a  mural contest, some for an as yet unopened information booth on the boardwalk, and  some for signage that has not been completed. 

The 2022 Expenditure Budget of the Government of Jalisco has prioritized  health, security, education and infrastructure but it has allocated 152 million pesos to tourism, of which 15 million are for the nine Magical Towns: Tapalpa, Mazamitla, Lagos de Moreno, Mascota, San Sebastián del Oeste, Talpa de Allende, Tequila, San Pedro Tlaquepaque and Ajijic. 

To learn more details about the Pueblos Mágicos in our state, visit the website: https://secturjal.jalisco.gob.mx/nuestro-estado/pueblos-magicos. 

Translated  by Patrick O’Heffernan

City Hall bets on community outreach to improve tax collection. Photo: Courtesy.

Héctor Ruiz Mejía.- The municipality of Jocotepec approved a general increase of five percent in taxes for the fiscal year 2022, said Marcela Jiménez Góngora, director of the Treasury.

The new revenue law proposed by the Plenary of the Jocotepec City Council was approved by the Governor of Jalisco, Enrique Alfaro Ramírez, through the secretary of the H. Congress of the State, under decree number 28644/LXIII/21.

The Public Treasury of Jocotepec projects the estimated collection of 205,661,384 pesos during the fiscal year from January 1 to December 31, 2022.

Water service, like other services, will increase by five percent, except for «some users in very specific cases, who will have a higher percentage because there was some update in their accounts,» commented the interviewee.

In this case, the director suggested approaching the potable water directorate to specify the charges, since the intention is to encourage the community to bring current accounts.

However, in order to reach the collection goal, the Jocotepec City Hall has implemented new measures to generate an approach to the community and encourage people to pay their taxes on time.

A new online payment platform is available where a bot will display a menu with the property or water bill and will generate a reference to make the payment in OXXO, payment at cash registers, even via WhatsApp.

Also, the City Hall announced the new expanded hours to pay taxes that will include Saturdays from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.

This after José Miguel Gómez López declared that the municipality was under a terrible administration of the collection issue, «there was chaos in the collection issue, such as water, many irregularities,» said the mayor.

While the new measures are expected to improve tax collection, the Treasury Director assured that they will wait until January 15 to have a comparison of how much the new measures helped the population to regularize and pay their taxes on time.

Translated by Kerry Watson

Callejón Azucena, used as a private garage by the Lomelí family, according to neighbors in the area.

Jazmín Stengel (Chapala). A little more than 100 days into the 2021-2024 administration and despite the fact that it was a campaign promise of the new president of Chapala, Alejandro de Jesús Aguirre Curiel, the accesses to the Lake are still closed to the general public. No information has been given as to when they will be opened.

Laguna investigated the current situation of the accesses to the Lake from Hidalgo Avenue in the municipal capital. They were closed to the public in 2020 during the administration of Moisés Alejandro Anaya Aguilar (2018-2021) and have remained closed.

At the time, Moisés Anaya (who is now a councilman) declared, «if we remove the gates we could be involved in a criminal offense, therefore, we are investigating thoroughly so as not to incur criminal charges.”  The investigation remained open.

Callejón Las Palomas, according to former president Moisés Anaya this place was sold to private individuals.

Before the end of his administration, Moisés Anaya argued that the failure to remove the gates that prevented the fishermen of Barrio de Lourdes from entering was for the safety of the neighbors who had previously suffered robberies. 

The National Water Commission (CONAGUA) clarified in its visit on October 28, 2020 that the opening of the alleys with access to the Lake on Hidalgo Avenue is an action that is the responsibility of the Municipality of Chapala. The previous Director of Ecology and Sustainable Development, José Guadalupe Jaime Ibáñez was also informed that these alleys are not in a federal zone and the review work should be headed by the Municipal Government. To date, no action has been taken.

The first alley ‘Azucena’ is being used as a garage for a private house.  The cyclone mesh gate is next to an entrance, observed Laguna. According to neighbors, the alley is restricted by the Lomelí family, «they decide who has access and who doesn’t,» even though it is a public space. 

Callejón del Arroyo was closed by Villa Hamburgo.

The next privatized space ‘Callejón Las Palomas’ has an entrance marked with the number 41, a doorbell and a security video camera. According to the former president Moisés Anaya during his administration, the place was sold as private property.

A small alleyway identified by neighbors as ‘El arroyo’ was also closed off with cyclone mesh and barbed wire, about ten meters from the sidewalk, just behind the bushes that cover their easy view. «This alley was taken over by Villa Hamburgo which is located next to it,» neighbors assured.

The owners of Villa Marijo, marked 266 Hidalgo Avenue, took possession of the unnamed alley next to their property, installing a blue metal fence that prevents passage to the lake. Initially the fence was exposed to view, now it is covered by a handful of «decorative» trees in pots.

Villa Marijo’s invasion of the alley next to the property.

Finally, the University of Guadalajara, with the Villa Montecarlo hotel, which for many years has had an alley on its property, joins this list of landowners blocking the way to the lake.

«It is very bad that they are blocked, because these alleys have been there for years and years. They give people access to the lake, the fishermen, tourists and others. The authorities do agree that the inhabitants of these houses block these streets», said a neighbor.

There are other neighbors who do not look favorably on this type of action; however, they understand that access to these spaces have facilitated illicit activities in the past, including drug use, urination in the streets, and house burglary. 

Translated Nita Rudy

 Santiago Baeza, former Culture Director in Ajijic and San Antonio Tlayacapan. Photo: El Informador.

Jazmín Stengel. – After the unexpected departure of Santiago Baeza, who served as Culture Director in Ajijic and San Antonio Tlayacapan during the first hundred days of the current administration (2021-2024), the Culture Director for Chapala, Sergio Arturo Unzueta Flores, remains in his position and denied rumors of his resignation.

The departed Baeza declared exclusively for Laguna, “I could not be part of a situation in which the direction of culture was being pulverized.” He said he was grateful for the opportunities and support that Mayor Alejandro de Jesús Aguirre Curiel offered him during his short administration in the towns of Ajijic and San Antonio Tlayacapan.

Baeza surprisingly made public his resignation through a tweet on his personal account on January 8, saying: “I made the decision to resign from the municipality of Chapala. Three months of work there gave me reason, dividing the direction of culture in two was not viable. I step aside, so that @AlejandroA_C, the mayor, has the freedom to decide on that area, for the benefit of Chapala.”

Baeza said he believes such a sensitive direction cannot be split into pieces and noted, “I cannot bear the responsibility that this fraction generates.”

Despite his resignation, the ex-official Baeza invited the mayor to reconsider the structure of the dependency and return it to what it should be, “A solid direction of Culture, with resources, with strategy and with projects.”

Sergio Unzueta, Culture Director in the municipal capital and the rest of the towns.

“The commitment was for 100 days, and those who know me know that I did it under protest,” said Baeza, who said he was surprised to realize that the Directorate of Culture was going to be divided in two during the current administration (2021-2024).

Because of this, Santiago analyzed from the beginning the viability of the situation. For him, beyond collecting a salary, the institution is more important than the people, so he opted to resign from his post.

“What was worked on during these three months has to be maintained,” Baeza said. “I am going to do it. I don’t need to be appointed to be able to give of myself to promote culture.”

He said the three months were very interesting from his personal perspective, and he asked that the cultural communication groups he formed in the municipality be maintained for the coordination of creatively gifted residents.

The former cultural official plans to summon the artists of the towns to make a project proposal to the Municipal Government with a totally civic aspect.

“Cultural promotion is of the community and we are all part of it, as a kind of network,” Baeza said, continuing to work with the Municipal Government as a citizen because, “We need them, but the government also needs us.”

Sergio Unzueta, in charge of the Directorate of Culture in th Chapala and the delegations, said, “We are still here and we are working,” during a talk with Laguna,in the  Centro Cultural Antigua Presidencia (CCAP), in the municipal capital.

Translated by Mike Rogers