seguridad

Con modificaciones, fue aprobado el Convenio de Coordinación y Colaboración Interinstitucional en materia de Seguridad el pasado 25 de marzo por el Ayuntamiento de Jocotepec. Foto: Especial.

Héctor Ruiz Mejía.- El Ayuntamiento de Jocotepec aprobó el Convenio de Coordinación y Colaboración Interinstitucional en materia de Seguridad con la Secretaría de Seguridad del Estado de Jalisco; sin embargo, los ediles rechazaron ceder el mando.

El proyecto fue sometido a votación durante la sexta sesión ordinaria del Cabildo, en el que se estipula que, pese a que se aprobó la iniciativa de seguridad, no se otorgará el mando al estado, este residirá sólo en el municipio y lo único que se podrá hacer, será coordinar fuerzas.

Aunque el presidente municipal, José Miguel Gómez López, se dijo en la facultad de aprobarlo, decidió someterlo a votación debido a que el convenio plantea la autorización para que el Gobierno del Estado tome las riendas del mando de seguridad en el municipio, lo que consideró como “complicado”.

“Si yo lo firmo así (como mando mixto), llega el estado cuando lo decida y toma el mando de la seguridad pública, y eso para mí es complicado; y más porque cuando han estado aquí los estatales han sucedido cosas por quejas de la ciudadanía, por el trato”, apuntó Gómez López.

La propuesta de coordinación fue presentada al municipio por el Gabinete de Seguridad Estatal, encabezado por el Coordinador General Estratégico de Seguridad, Ricardo Sánchez Beruben, el pasado 19 de marzo, tras la ola de violencia que dejó dos policías asesinados y dos bomberos heridos en el ataque del 10 de marzo.

“Sabemos que la situación en el municipio de Jocotepec ha sido algo compleja en los últimos días; sin embargo, el Gobernador del Estado ha tomado las decisiones pertinentes, entre esas el motivo de esta reunión”, dijo Sánchez Beruben al entregar el convenio.

The incident remained just a scare.  

A tragedy was avoided by Civil Protection and Firefighters after the report of two minors who had entered Lake Chapala in the area of Ajijic, during the afternoon of March 22.  The minors were trapped in nets used by fishermen and could not get out of the Lake. Emergency personnel were able to free them, but emergency services were called and arrived with ambulances and firefighters.  

Patrick O’Heffernan

Jocotepec President José Miguel Gómez López and the Jocotepec Council deserve high praise for their handling of the pensions for the families of the two officers brutally ambushed while working an accident scene near San Cristóbal Zapotitlán  on Thursday. And praise for the people of JOcoepe for the march honoring the slain  civil servants Wednesday. Two paramedics who were also attending the accident were also injured in the  senseless attack,  according to the story published by my colleague Hector Ruiz Mejia.

Despite the opinion of the municipal  labor office that the seniority of the officers only entitled their families to 30% of their pensions, President Gómez López wisely proposed and the Council passed a resolution awarding the officers’ families 100% of their pension. This was especially welcome because officer Andrés Inclán Zamora had been on the force  for less than 2 months and officer Edgar Omar Leal Nava had been on the force for only two years– terms that would normally limit their pensions. Their devastated families expected further hardship; instead the Jocotepec Council gave them  a lifeline.

Mexican communities do not adequately honor and reward their police officers.  In fact, until 2018, there was not even a public database of officers killed in the line of duty, according to the NPO, Causa in Common.  Now there is, thanks to a joint effort  by more than 30 activists and journalists  who collect and publish data on police officers killed or wounded in the line of duty every year.

The findings are startling:  452 police officers were killed in 2018, 446 officers were killed in 2019, and so far this year, at least 338 police officers died violently in the line of duty. 

And, because of chronically tight budgets,  every municipality  in Mexico has too few police and it  underpays and under equips the ones it has.  The National Public Security System (SNSP) and the National Minimum Wage Commission (Conasami) found in a 2021 study, A Living Wage for Police in Mexico,  that the average annual salary of a police officer is $350US a month – about what they could make as laborer. The study recommended that starting salaries for police in Mexico be raised to $680 month – a tough sell for municipalities strapped for cash because of  stingy state and federal funding. 

So, it is doubly inspiring  that, in the face of grossly inadequate funding from  state and federal governments, the Jocotepec  Council voted to give 100% pensions to the families of the slain police officers.  Not only was it the right and compassionate thing to do, but it also sent a signal  to the nation – and especially to the national and state governments – municipalities need funds to  honor and adequately pay their police forces.

Thank you and congratulations to the Jocotepec government for setting an example. Let’s hope they notice in Jalisco and Mexico City.

Juan was a quiet young man, an engineer and worker on a red fruit ranch. Photo: Courtesy. 

Family and friends of Juan Diaz Rodriguez demanded justice and clarification of what happened to the young engineer, who was known and appreciated by many people in the town of San Juan Tecomatlan, municipality of Poncitlan. Juan had been reported missing on Monday, March 14, but three days later he was found dead in the town of Mezcala. 

Juan did not mess with anyone, according to what his friends said, describing him as a hard worker who working on a ranch growing berries,  and collaborated on  the website «San Juan Tecomatlan Oficial»,.  The wevbsite issued a statement lamenting  his death and demanding the authorities provide  more security and clarifiy  what happened. 

Diaz Rodriguez left San Juan Tecomatlan in a van, which had a satellite locator, so the unit was found, but without the driver. On Thursday, March 17, it was reported that the engineer had been found dead in Mezcala, in a field on the side of the road.

For now the motive of the crime is unknown, the authorities will be in charge of the investigations to solve the murder, while the  angry and dismayed inhabitants of San Juan Tecomatlán demand justice

Translated Patrick O’Heffernan

The mishap happened at the entrance to a gas station 

Editor:  A cyclist was left lying on the pavement of the Chapala-Jocotepec highway, after being hit by a pickup truck. 

The victim was riding on the bicycle path in the La Canacinta area during the afternoon of March 23, when he was surprised by a truck accessing the entrance to the gas station.  Apparently, the driver of a beige Jeep-type truck did not notice the cyclist. 

The victim was attended by Red Cross personnel, prior to being evaluated by Chapala Fire Department personnel, while a traffic police officer investigated the accident. 

Translated by Nita Rudy

The pickup truck hit the vehicle from behind

According to the driver of the red car, he was driving along the highway when he was suddenly hit from behind by the pickup truck, apparently due to an oversight of the other driver who failed to brake. His car suffered damages to the hood and spilled antifreeze, while the pickup truck suffered minor damages.

The mishap caused a traffic jam for motorists who were driving from Jocotepec to Chapala.

Translated by Sandy Britton

El párroco Alejandro C. fue detenido por elementos de la Fiscalía del Estado e imputado por el delito de abuso sexual infantil. Foto temática: Internet. 

Redacción.- Por los delitos de abuso sexual infantil agravado y corrupción de menores, un sacerdote de Ixtlhuacán de los Membrillos fue detenido por la Fiscalía del Estado. 

Se trata de Alejandro C. de 40 años de edad, quien es párroco eclesiástico de una parroquia ubicada sobre circuito Los Olivos y la calle Olivo Portugués, en la colonia Los Olivos II, en el municipio antes señalado.

De acuerdo con las investigaciones el agravio ocurrió el pasado 15 de febrero contra una menor de edad y posteriormente se denunció. Personal ministerial de la Fiscalía Regional del Distrito V, reunió la carpeta de prueba donde se presumía la comisión de los delitos, por lo que se solicitó una orden de aprehensión. 

Mediante redes sociales, el Arzobispado de Guadalajara emitió su postura respecto a la denuncia contra el sacerdote. Foto: Especial.

El sacerdote Alejandro C. fue detenido  hace unos días y puesto a disposición del Órgano Jurisdiccional ante el cual el Ministerio Público procedió a la imputación por los delitos de abuso sexual infantil agravado y corrupción de menores.

Durante el desarrollo de la audiencia inicial se estableció que el sujeto permanecerá en prisión preventiva oficiosa por el plazo de la dilación constitucional, en tanto el próximo lunes 4 de abril se dará la continuación de la misma.

Por su parte, mediante un comunicado, la Arquidiócesis de Guadalajara informó su disposición para colaborar en la investigación a la que será sometida el párroco, además de que aclaró desconocer el caso denunciado debido a que no se tuvo contacto con la familia de la víctima. 

“Queremos señala que, de parte de la Arquidiócesis de Guadalajara, estamos en la mejor disposición de colaborar con las autoridades correspondientes para que se esclarezcan los hechos y se proceda de un modo justo, aportando los elementos que nos soliciten para deslindar responsabilidades”, se lee en el documento difundidos mediante redes sociales.

Jocotepenses waiting for their turn to have their pets sterilized outside the Marcos Castellanos auditorium, in the center of the city.

Héctor Ruiz Mejía(Jocotepec).-  Jocotepenses responded favorably to the sterilization campaign of dogs and cats carried out in the municipal capital. In coordination with the Secretary of Health of Jalisco (SSJ) and the Office of Protection and Dignified Treatment of Animals of Jocotepec, between 15 and 17 pets were attended per day, in the mobile module that was installed outside the Marcos Castellanos auditorium. 

María Aparicio Cid, member of Salud y Derecho Ambiental, A.C., said that the campaign began on March 8 and, due to its success, will be extended until March 25. 

Aparicio Cid said she was satisfied to see that not only the people of the municipality have done their part to combat the serious problem faced by all of Lakeside in the abandonment of animals, but also the staff of the SSJ.

The campaign has been implemented with the help of a single veterinarian who comes  daily from the headquarters of the Sanitary Region IV Ciénega-La Barca, to perform surgery on all the animals.

This, explained Aparicio Cid,  has demonstrated a high awareness of the need for sterialization, as he recalled how in the 20 years he has had experience in the subject,  the people’s awareness was much lower, and has evolved.

«I feel very happy, because 20 years ago I had to beg people, I went from house to house knocking on doors and nobody wanted to, they assumed their pets’ sexuality as their own, it was chaos», she said.

Owner with her pet, which was sterilized, wrapped in a blanket.

Finally, the civil worker urged the community not to loosen the sterilization measures, because the problem transcends the abandonment of animals; this also generates high rates of dog bites to children, even car accidents.

«The whole Lakeside region suffers from a serious problem of animal abandonment, this generates all kinds of consequences, including  many people who  have  crashed while driving and a dog crosses their path», he added.

Finally, Aparicio Cid took the opportunity to invite citizens to take their dogs and/or cats to be sterilized, they will continue to be treated in the area in front of the Marcos Castellanos auditorium, Monday through Friday from 9:30 in the morning to 3:00 in the afternoon, with the exception of Monday 21st, as it is a holiday.

The procedure is by appointments, available in person  at the Jocotepec Animal Protection and Dignified Treatment Office, or call 3317940347. 

The victim was left on the ground after he was shot. Photo: Courtesy.

Two thieves on  a motorcycle, intercepted a resident of Chapala who was driving a company pickup truck, with the purpose of robbing him. When the victim resisted, one of the subjects shot him. The events occurred during midday on Wednesday, March 16 in Riberas del Pilar.  

The victim was on Hidalgo Avenue at the intersection with San Mateo Street, Riberas del Pilar, when two people on a green motorcycle intercepted him as he got out of the truck. The victim was carrying a large amount of cash. 

The 36 year-old man, a resident of Chapala, tried to defend himself from the robbers, but one of them fired a gun, hitting him in the left knee and taking his belongings. 

Paramedics from the Chapala Red Cross arrived at the scene to attend to the victim, who had to be taken to Guadalajara for medical attention. The only thing known about the perpetrators is that they fled towards the downtown area of the town of Chapala. 

Translated by Sandy Britton

Public security elements arrived at the El Molino delegation after a report of armed persons. Photo: Courtesy.

Gunshots were fired around 10 am Monday, March 14 near J. Vicente Negrete school in El Molino, and armed individuals were seen in the area. Authorities took steps to safeguard students and teachers.

School officials said a normal school day was in progress when students and teachers heard gunshots near the school, and the children became frightened. Some students looked out the window and saw people with weapons hiding near the school. That caused panic among the more than 300 students and educational staff. Everyone took shelter in a classroom designated as a hiding place and remained there for about one hour.

“The children were the ones who saw them hiding,” said one school official. “It was horrible because everyone got scared and we quickly had to take shelter inside a special classroom. We thought the shooting would break out here outside.”

Phone calls came in quickly from concerned parents, but some officials who were interviewed said the police took around 40 minutes to answer the emergency call.

Some parents were upset about the incident and said they were worried about taking their children to school again. By press time for this edition, a large percentage of the students considered attending classes online instead of in person.

“We left the Covid pandemic to return to the pandemic of insecurity,” said one of the parents. “In truth, that claims more lives than the virus.”

Despite the reports and the testimonies of those affected, the Social Communication Department of the Jocotepec City Hall said nothing happened.  

Translated by Mike Rogers