View of Lake Chapala from the shore of the beach next to the Ajijic dock. Photo: Archive.
Editorial Staff. Jalisco Governor Enrique Alfaro Ramírez ruled out the construction of a second aqueduct to supply the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area (AMG) during his term of office.
«This was my campaign commitment and I stand by it. We are not going to take one more liter from Chapala. We cannot drain the lake to solve the city’s supply problem. That commitment continues. We are not going to build a new aqueduct, but we are going to continue with the maintenance works of the old system,» said the state president.
He made this statement after academics from the Universidad de Panamericana (UP) urged state authorities to inquire about the need to build a new aqueduct to draw water from Lake Chapala.
The governor of Jalisco dismissed this observation by declaring that no more water can be taken from Mexico’s largest lake. The specialist in water technologies, Daniel Sánchez Tapetillo, replied that the second aqueduct would have the function of substituting for the first one in case it failed.
«The second aqueduct is not to take more water from the lake than the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area already has a concession for. To believe that is a mistake. We have a concession of 236.5 million cubic meters a year, that is, 7.5 cubic meters per second. The two aqueducts could never operate simultaneously.»
The specialist assured that, after 30 years of age, the maintenance of the first aqueduct is urgent, because in the event of a failure, 60 percent of the water needed would no longer be supplied. In his opinion the useful life of the current system has already been exceeded.
Sanchez Tapetillo said he regretted that the governor did not listen to the proposals of academics from the University of Guadalajara (UdeG), the Pan-American University (UP) or the Technological Institute of Superior Studies of the West (ITESO), since they are institutions that for years have reviewed the issue and their contributions are to act in time and prevent more than 60 percent of citizens of Guadalajara from running out of water.
Translated by Nita Rudy
Juan Antonio Vázquez Ayala is the new water administrator in San Nicolás de Ibarra.
Jazmín Stengel (Chapala).- The petitions have been heard. Juan Antonio Vázquez Ayala was appointed as the new administrator of the Municipal Water and Sewage System (SIMAPA) in the delegation of San Nicolás de Ibarra, Chapala, at the insistence of the inhabitants.
During the meeting held on April 25 with the municipal president Alejandro de Jesús Aguirre Curiel and a committee of officials, the inhabitants of the town requested the replacement of Santiago García as administrator of SIMAPA and of the spokesperson Ricardo Razo, due to alleged mismanagement of the water and its wells, as well as the making of decisions without consulting the people.
Although the petition issued during the meeting by the villagers wanted Luis Morales Contreras and Irma Reyes Delgado included as part of SIMAPA’s municipal council, other people received the appointments.
Vázquez Ayala was appointed as the new water administrator in San Nicolás de Ibarra and will oversee the documentation, organization, procedures, complaints and recommendations that the population has before SIMAPA. In other words, he will act as an intermediary between the demands of the delegation and the central offices of the municipality.
The appointment of the new spokesperson, who will represent the population in the SIMAPA Council, has not yet been approved. However, the neighborhood committee will decide the new person in charge through a general meeting with the people, stated Vazquez Ayala, who took the opportunity to thank the mayor for his participation and the people for giving him their trust.
Translated by Sandy Britton
Alevines de tilapia en una bolsa de plástico antes de ser liberados. Foto: Archivo.
Redacción. – Como parte del compromiso de la Centro Acuícola Tizapán, integran la primera entrega de parte de la Secretaría de Agricultura y Desarrollo Rural (SADER) Jalisco de donar 500 mil crías de peces para reactivar la actividad pesquera en el lago de Chapala, se entregó el primer lote con 150 mil unidades de tilapia en el Malecón de Jamay.
Durante el evento, la titular de SADER Jalisco, Ana Lucía Camacho Sevilla, observó que esta entrega proviene del Centro Acuícola Tizapán y surge a raíz de la preocupación de los pescadores de Jamay por la disminución en la captura de tilapia, de la cual depende su actividad productiva: “Es la primera parte del compromiso que hicimos”.
Luego de recordar que la Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas declaró 2022 como el Año de la Pesca y la Acuicultura Artesanales, reconoció el trabajo de quienes se dedican a este oficio. “Por eso vamos a seguir reforzando su labor con crías de peces y con equipamiento para que realicen sus actividades de manera más oportuna”.
El presidente municipal de Jamay, César Celestino Molina Sahagún, comentó que esta entrega es la respuesta de un compromiso de la secretaria, Ana Lucía Camacho Sevilla: “Ella escuchó las necesidades de los pescadores y poco después la tenemos aquí. Esto se agradece y se le reconoce”, no sin recalcar la importancia de fortalecer al sector con el repoblamiento de peces y equipamiento.
María Refugio Hernández, en representación de las cooperativas pesqueras y fileteadoras, agradeció a las autoridades por el apoyo. “Será un impacto fuerte para nosotros. Hasta ahora, con esta administración del Gobierno Estatal, vemos resultados. Estos proyectos serán un bien para todos y mejorará el ingreso para nuestras familias”.
Para saber:
Jamay y Poncitlán son los municipios que cuentan con más organizaciones pesqueras, con 15 cada uno. Chapala y Ocotlán tienen ocho cooperativas, Tizapán seis, Tuxcueca cinco y Jocotepec tiene cuatro agrupaciones de pescadores.
Fuente: https://www.jalisco.gob.mx/es/prensa/noticias/143406
The traditional Las Mañanitas are sung by the mariachi in the festival of the Lord of Huaje.
By: María del Refugio Reynozo Medina
NOTE. Just as Mexican Catholics recognize many representations of “la Virgen,” they also recognize many representations of Jesus Christ. Usually these are depicted with a sculpted figure, sometimes of great antiquity and value, often dating back to the 1500s or 1600s when Spain was establishing the church here. These representations have their own names and their own celebration days, and are often credited with performing miracles on behalf of the faithful. This article refers to the celebration for “el Señor del Huaje,” a large figure of the crucified Christ made of the wood of the “huaje” or tamarind tree, which is celebrated with a festival and procession on the first Sunday in May each year.
The streets of Jocotepec are still in darkness. It is about 5:30 in the morning and the orange flowers and green foliage of the flame-red tabachine trees at the entrance of the temple look grayish.
About a hundred people are already gathered inside and outside the temple, under the leafy trees. Dances are being prepared and the brass band is playing. Steaming pots rest in their stands. Chocolate, cinnamon and tamarind atole (a hot cornflour drink) awaits the faithful who gather at the temple of the Señor del Huaje, for his feast.
The band is playing a popular dancing song, El Mono de Alambre (The Wire Monkey). The men of the band sing. The bells ring the second call for the six o’clock mass and Father Mario Fernando Sandoval Varela comes out of the temple to welcome the cargueros (the men who will be carrying the figure of the Señor del Huaje in the procession).
“How about the music,» he says. And El Mono de Alambre is interrupted by the chants of a procession.
“Long live my Christ, long live my King,” some women sing, and the band stops.
Soon the San Cristobal Band arrives and intones the traditional Las Mañanitas, followed by waltzes and pasodobles dances, which permeate the Eucharistic celebration.
At the end of the mass, a man reads a list of the various expenses of the festival: the music, the dawn ceremony, decorated candles, dances, dinner for the musicians and the castillo or fireworks tower. He names the families who will assume the expenses. Many of them are from the Nextipac neighborhood
At the exit of mass, they begin to distribute the drinks and the dancers execute their movements to the sound of the drum and the caracol, a prehispanic musical instrument like a trumpet made of shell or ceramic.
Today is expected the visit of Father Eduardo Garcia Orta who spent three years in the community of Jocotepec and still retains the affection for these lands and the veneration for the Lord of the Huaje.
Father «Lalo» as the community calls him, is on his way with a very valuable cendal, a beautifully decorated loincloth that will be wrapped around the image of Christ to be premiered by the Señor del Huaje in his feast. Some representatives of the honor guard gather and wait eagerly for its arrival. «They say that this loincloth has golden threads» a discreet and festive voice is heard. There is much excitement to see it and to welcome the priest.
Upon his arrival, Father Lalo is received with signs of affection. They congregate at the altar and everyone approaches to see the loincloth, which is bright red with gold embroidery.
To carry out the change of the loincloth, putting the new one in place of the current one, the men remain in the enclosure and the women wait outside. A woman who accompanies me in the wait says, “These are men’s duties; women have no business being there.”
Carlos Mendo is the main person in charge. For ten years, he has overseen the honor guard. It is made up of about a hundred people, mostly men and a few recently integrated women. He was questioned by some parishioners for having allowed access to women.
“God doesn’t say you don’t or you do,» he responded confidently.
Mr. Roberto Mendo, Carlos’s father, was the last person in charge and left the position to his son.
It is a great responsibility, says Carlos, because it means taking care not only of the image of a beloved Christ, but also of a piece of historical artistic value. The last restoration cost 140,000 pesos (about US$7,000), which were raised with donations from the community.
It is a difficult responsibility, but it is also a blessing. «Now I only ask for work and health,” he said.
Víctor, a member of the honor guard, shares a testimony. His wife was sick for a couple of months, having inexplicably lost the mobility of her body, during which time she remained in bed in a lot of pain. They went to several doctors and his wife’s health did not improve. One morning, she told him, “I dreamed of the Lord of the Huaje.”
In the dream, the Lord of the Huaje told her to «drink from that water,» pointing to a small puddle next to him. The woman asked to be taken to the temple with the figure of the crucified Christ. When she was in front of the altar there was some water on the floor, so she brought her lips close and implored for her health.
That day she walked out of the temple, healthy. From then on, both asked to be part of the honor guard.
On the first Sunday of May, the day denoted for this celebration, the procession is almost the last ceremony of the day. Before that, mariachi musicians coincide with the band with their blue shirts and at least five groups of dancers. Colorful plumage abounds to the beat of the drum.
There are lines of people kneeling to approach the crucified figure to fulfill a request or ask for a favor.
The route of a couple of hours is a mosaic of dancers with multicolored feathers and costumes, musicians with their polished costumes and the honor guard with their bright red shirts.
The sound of the drums announces the approach of the procession. As it passes, the figure of the crucified Christ, almost three meters high, draws sighs and tears.
In a loudspeaker, the voice of a woman prays and sings, “There are eyes that, if they look at me, make my soul tremble with love, they are such beautiful eyes…”
The Lord of the Huaje is carried on a special platform driven by a man. He advances, standing out among the crowd with his gaze towards the sky, towards the mountains, towards the faithful who sometimes look into his eyes. “Because He lives,” says a woman next to me, ecstatic with fervor.
Translated by Sandy Britton
The mayor of Chapala, Alejandro de Jesús Aguirre Curiel, during the inspection of the rehabilitation of the Riberas del Pilar park entrance.
Editor.– The municipal government of Chapala is continuing with the rehabilitation of public spaces in the city and the municipality’s surrounding towns. According to the municipal president, Alejandro de Jesús Aguirre Curiel, one of the locations receiving attention is Riberas del Pilar Park. The park is one of the most emblematic places of Riberas, with the two stone pillars supporting the neighborhood name.
«The Recovery of Public Spaces program continues throughout the municipality. Soon the public will be able once more to enjoy the Riberas del Pilar Park,» City Hall announced on social media.
«The recovery of public spaces is being carried out with the objective that families will be able to enjoy public spaces worthy of our municipality and its people,» the director of Social Communication informed Seminario Laguna.
In addition to the iconic pillars, the sign for the park also received a freshening up.
Translated by Rebecca Zittle
Héctor Ruiz Mejía (Jocotepec).– Despite some of the Jocotepec boardwalk merchants reporting low sales during the Holy Week and Easter holiday season compared to last year, Víctor Loza Ornelas, Director of Tourism and Artisan Promotion, confirmed that the holiday period brought approximately $1.8M (about US$90,000) to the local community, saying » it’s a very good number.»
Translated by Amy Esperanto
El Lago de Chapala. Foto: Héctor Ruiz.
Por: Daniel Jiménez Carranza
Sin duda, actualmente estamos afrontando las consecuencias de una crisis generada en principio por la pandemia, y enlazada con el conflicto bélico en Europa, que ha provocado incertidumbre y desestabilización en las economías a nivel global, marcadas por el incremento del desempleo, incremento en el precio de los combustibles, escasez de alimentos, y que puede complicarse si es que este fenómeno no llega a una solución pacífica ausente de aquéllas respaldadas por la proliferación armamentista de sus actores.
Un conflicto bélico de mayor magnitud, definitivamente provocará una conflagración a nivel mundial, pues mayor número de países se involucrarán, los armamentos empleados serán de mayor calibre, a tal grado que desembocarán en una confrontación nuclear, en donde no habrá vencedores ni vencidos, pero sí muerte, desolación y destrucción del hábitat, cuya regeneración llevará años.
La aportación de capital y armas para Ucrania, no ayudarán a resolver el conflicto, sino todo lo contrario, es preciso encontrar una alternativa válida a través de una comisión de paz integrada por países representativos y la ONU, para resolver este enfrentamiento .
La política no intervencionista de nuestro país, se ha mantenido firme y sólida ante tales circunstancias, apoyada en el respeto de los países al mantenimiento de su integridad territorial, lo cual es notablemente condenable, en el caso de la agresión armada como la que se ha fraguado en Ucrania.
Los efectos económicos y sociales de esta confrontación militar y la pandemia, han puesto de manifiesto la necesidad de fortalecer los lazos regionales de integración entre países que por su condición geográfica, se alineen en un bloque común que internamente se fortalezca y sea autosuficiente, y que sin duda, la propuesta del presidente López Obrador, de integrar no sólo a los países Latinoamericanos, sino a todo el continente, incluyendo EE.UU. y Canadá, sería un logro trascendental que beneficiaría y complementaría a todas las economías de países que en la actualidad se encuentran a la zaga de cualquier posibilidad de remontar su condición social y económica como consecuencia de su incapacidad de explotar y comercializar adecuadamente sus recursos. Esta integración regional, deberá ser acompañada de la creación de un fondo de infraestructura con aportación de todos los países integrantes, que permita disponer de recursos a países carentes de los mismos, para construir carreteras, puertos, y todas aquellas instalaciones y equipos que requieran.
Symbolic closure of the reported dredging in Alceseca beach area last May 2021. The photo shows the traces of the work recently done by the machinery. Photo: Archive.
Sofía Medeles (Ajijic).- The Attorney General’s Office (FGR) dismissed the complaint filed by activists from Ajijic, for the dredging of the federal territory of Lake Chapala on Alceseca beach.
The complaint was filed in June of last year, pointing out the dredging and extraction of sand for the construction of a floating dock.
At least four lawyers from Ajijic worked on the case for approximately ten months. The FGR and the National Water Commission (CONAGUA) dismissed the case since they found no evidence at the scene 6 months later despite evidence presented by the Ajijitecos.
«The complaint was filed at the regional FGR headquarters in Ocotlán. When the Investigative Police arrived to investigate in August, they told us that we had to go to CONAGUA to file a complaint,” said one of the citizens. CONAGUA is the governmental authority of Lake Chapala.
When a letter sent to CONAGUA was never answered, an injunction (amparo) was initiated. In December it was determined that the CONAGUA was obliged to carry out its investigations and to continue with the case,» said one of the lawyers.
The citizen interviewed by Laguna said that when CONAGUA conducted a tour of the area months after the incident, it claimed that nothing of what was accused was found. The Prosecutor’s Office decided that there was no crime to prosecute, ignoring the record of facts that a notary made the day the dredging was stopped and the multiple photographs, videos, and witnesses that documented the incident.
«This legal process was tiring in time and form. When CONAGUA representatives met with the protesters they encouraged the citizens to make the denunciation through legal channels. This encouragement was a contradiction of CONAGUA’s actions in this process,” said the citizen.
“The demand that activists utilize other legal channels indicates that the authorities do not care about environmental issues, and if federal institutions are not interested, municipal or state institutions are even less interested. The result is that the authorities refuse to intervene,» said one of the lawyers at the scene.
The dredging was documented on May 20, 2021, through social networks with videos that captured how several dump trucks were removing truckloads of sand.
The formal complaint to the FGR was filed in June 2021. In January of this year, it was announced that the amparo had been resolved, asking CONAGUA to collaborate to clarify the unlawful accusation. Recently, the case was dismissed because «there was nothing on the beach» where the dredging took place.
Translated by Nita Rudy
Photograph of the original truck that had been identified by the Rotary Club Guadalajara International, equipped with the ladder and hoses. .
Héctor Ruiz Mejía.- The Civil Protection and Fire Department of Jocotepec received the donation of a fire truck.
The vehicle was acquired through a district grant organized by the Rotary Club Guadalajara International A.C., in conjunction with the other Rotary Clubs of Jocotepec, Ajijic and Chapala.
This is intended to improve the equipment of the fire department, which handles about two thousand reports per year, including firefighting, assistance in accidents and gas leaks.
However, Eduardo Góngora Olmedo, one of the organizers of the grant, commented that, despite «feeling happy» for the contribution to the firefighters, the purchase was not exactly as they had expected.
After the Rotary Club of Guadalajara identified the vehicle in the United States, they made arrangements for its purchase and subsequent transfer to Jocotepec, but when they received it, they realized that it was a different model. Consequently, the purchase price was higher than stipulated, since originally the truck would have cost $20,000 US dollars, which, with the exchange rate in pesos at that time, totalled about 407 thousand pesos. An additional 50,000 pesos to transport it to Mexico brought the total to approximately 457,000 pesos.
Although the actual amount paid was not specified, Góngora Olmedo assured that it was much higher than previously agreed.
He also explained that the model that was thought to have been purchased would have been «much better» equipped, as it had a ladder, hoses and other additional equipment. However, he said that he was satisfied with the truck that the Fire Department now has at its disposal.
In order to raise the funds for the purchase, many people joined the project. Two bazaars were opened where clothes were sold. In addition, the Jocotepec City Hall allocated 150,000 pesos.
Translated by Sandy Britton
From left to right: Diego Zamora «Dj Azteca», Jorge Ramón Rochin «Dj George» and Cristian Axel Rochin «Dj Kid». Photo: Sofía Medeles.
Sofía Medeles (Ajijic).- Ajijic has a reputation for being a center of artists, not only in painting, but also in music. Currently, the rap music genre has influenced it’s new generations, demonstrated by Diego Zamora, 11 years old, Cristian Axel Rochin, 12, and Jorge Ramón Rochin, 9, three children who decided to start their career as rappers. Their artistic names are: Dj Kid, Dj Azteca and Dj George and they acquired a taste for rap and an intention to perform it from an early age.
It was not until recently that they put it into practice, attending the Cochera Cultural art center in Ajijic where different workshops are taught for children in the San Sebastian neighborhood, north of the town of Ajijic. «We are the only ones who rap in the garage. (Cochera Cultural). Our favorites are Santa Fe Klan and Gera MX – they inspire us», they told Laguna.
Their first performance in front of an audience was last Friday, April 22, as part of the Earth Day commemoration program, in the main square of Ajijic. The three children had a space to share their rhymes, which were applauded by the audience.
«We were nervous, but once we finished we felt calm. Our teacher told us to put all our energy into the presentation. We don’t know when we will perform again with an audience like this, but this last time made us feel more encouraged,» shared Dj Kid.
The three kids, who say they are in the process of recording an album at the Cochera Cultural, said they would also like to publish their songs on video platforms such as YouTube. They also advised their contemporaries to continue with their goals, and to get support from teachers to increase their skills.
The artist from Ajijic and teacher of some of the workshops for children at the Cochera Cultural, Artistic Director Antonio López Vega, commented that the project is aimed at children from the San Sebastián neighborhood and its surroundings, with workshops on children’s painting, papier-mâché, ceramics, among others, as well as the music workshop taught by Eleazar Soto and the dance workshop with teacher Emilia Gálvez.
These workshops are held on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and are free of charge. Antonio Lopez said that the program is happy to accept donations in kind for the children, for example, paper for painting, brushes of different sizes, etcetera.
Translated by Patrick O’Heffernan
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