SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT:
There seems to be some confusion out there in land about La Ley Seco (Law for selling alcohol this weekend), here in La Paz for the upcoming Presidential Elections.
City council of La Paz decreed the following…”veinticuatro horas del sabado 30 junio (from mid night Saturday) hasta nueve horas lunes 2 de julio” (until 9 a.m. on Monday)
So that is the way it will be. Failure to comply could mean a loss of license and a large multa. (Fine)
The seventh G20 Los Cabos Summit was attended by heads of state or government representing 19 nations of the group’s 20 members, plus leaders representing European Union, as well as leaders from major international organizations, including the United Nations, IMF, and from a number of countries being invited by Mexico.
The G20 groups Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, the Republic of Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, as well as the European Union. It was created in December 1999 in response to the financial crises affecting the emerging economies in the late 1990s.
Also attending the wrap-up press conference for the G20, Baja California Sur’s Governor Covarrubias thanked all Sudcalifornianos that showed a friendly face to the visitors of G20. He said that the objective of being a host comprised of noble people in a place of incomparable beauty and natural surroundings, all on center stage in front of the world to enjoy, had been accomplished.
He also added that, “The distinguished guests, members of the national and International news media as well as delegation members from each country, talk of the hospitality of our people and the fraternity of the people who live here. We have all the services available for the development of economical activities. What we had set out to be achieved has been achieved and only because of one reason; because we work together on one team, focused on the future for our children.”
It is important to mention that the G20 is the premier forum for international economical coordination that includes both advanced and emerging economies that together represents 80 percent of global output and two thirds of the world’s population.
Everywhere you turn in Mexico, whether it is on the streets, at family gatherings or coffee shops, conversation always seems to get directed towards the upcoming federal elections. Federal elections are scheduled every six years, on the first Sunday of July on an election year. This years elections scheduled for Sunday, July 1, 2012. Mexicans will be going to the polls to elect a president, 128 senators and 500 federal deputies on election day.
Mayors, deputies and senators are elected for a single, 3-year term while the president and governors are elected for a single, 6-year term.
With these elections taking place in less than a week, people of all ages at these various conversation sessions are saying that Enrique Peña Nieto will, without a doubt, win the presidential election.
Peña Nieto (PRI) is a really good-looking lawyer and former governor of the state of Mexico. The newspaper Reforma, in their most recent poll two weeks before the election, shows the PRIista’s lead at 12 points over the second-place Andrés Manuel López Obrador (PRD). For the most part, other voter surveys are also mirroring the trustworthy daily newspapers poll.
López Obrador, the candidate of the left, had been picking up some steam and some survey’s had him as close as four points behind Peña Nieto 3 weeks out. He is however, at the moment, clearly the second place candidate, now ahead of PAN’s Josefina Vásquez Mota, an economist and the first woman presidential candidate for a major political party. A fourth candidate, Gabriel Quadri de la Torre, is trailing far behind the other three.
An interesting aspect that has come out of these elections in not the discourse of candidates or the direction each would take the country in if they were elected president, but rather the student and youth movement I am 132 or Yo Soy 132. Yo Soy 132 seems to have been born out of social media and is not slowing down.
With 95 percent of television concessions in Mexico belonging to just two companies, Televisa and TV Azteca, what is seen and reported on television can be rather controlled. With inaccurate accounts of campaigning activities being reported on the major networks, Yo Soy 132 decided to hit back through the channels of You Tube and Facebook with the true version of events. Several of their videos have now gone viral.
Yo Soy 132 feels that the prefabricated Peña Nieto, the alleged choice of the two networks, was getting a free ride through the media to the presidency. Although Yo Soy 132 says that they are a “movement free from any political party and made up of citizens, and that’s why they do not support or reject any political candidate,” most of there energy has been hitting back at Peña Nieto.
The movement Yo Soy 132 has mobilized across the country, changing the discussion of these elections and have demanded change and real discussion of each of the presidential candidates, particularly that of Peña Nieto.
If anything, the student movement has proven that social media can influence and possibly change the course of an election.
However the outcome may be next Sunday, many voters have been singing the same tune. As one voter mentioned, “It will be a somewhat difficult decision for me, because I don’t really care for any of the presidential candidates, and I don’t have a lot of confidence in any of the political parties. However, I will vote, because it is my right and I want to participate in these elections.”
In La Paz, voting stations in local schools will be opened on Sunday, July 1st from 9:00 in morning and until 5:00 pm. Vote counting should began at each station by 6:00 pm and preliminary results could be announced as early as 8:00 pm that evening.
The June 26th edition of the Baja Citizen is on the street! Grab your copy at your favourite location in La Paz. The edition will be on-line June 30th.
SHERYL HAMILTON
Two months ago, a letter went out from the Mexican Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC) to all US and Canadian airlines, reminding them of a 2007 Directive which, among other things, prohibits transporting pets in the cabin on all flights to, from and within Mexico (Article 2.1.2). One by one, the airlines began to implement the policies set out by the DGAC. It started with United /Continental but soon expanded to include Alaska Air / Horizon, Delta, American Airlines, Air Canada , Frontier and US Airways. WestJet, it appears, was the last hold-out, although reportedly ‘on the verge’ of complying with the Mexican directive. Not surprisingly the internet immediately exploded with all kinds of speculation, stories, rumors and petitions. Snowbirds who normally travel with their small pets were left stranded at airports, many were compelled to drive home rather than fly, some have even been forced to leave their beloved pets in the care of housekeepers or friends for months at a time. The blogosphere was inundated with angry letters from Canadians and Americans threatening to sell their homes in Mexico or to start vacationing elsewhere. A concerted effort soon began all over North America to get the ruling reversed, in large part by illustrating how devastating this ruling could be on the Mexican economy, specifically the tourism sector. Allyson Williams, a writer for the Jaltemba Bay Life Blog was on top of the story right from the beginning, and her blog has since become “information central” for many individuals, animal rescue organizations and other groups working to have the ruling reversed. Williams has been very diligent in keeping the column updated with new developments as the story continues to unfold. Her site also provides contact information for Tourism and Transport officials, as well as links to related articles and even a chart showing all of the various “pets in baggage/cargo” options and restrictions for those affected by this policy. She has also done an admiral job of trying to squelch the many rumors that unfortunately still abound on the subject, most notably: – the FALSE belief that the policy only applies to domestic flights within Mexico – the FALSE belief that this is just a rumor, i.e. that no such Mexican law exists The law most definitely does exist and does applies to all airlines, foreign and domestic. In fact, the law has been on the books for many years, but wasn’t enforced until recently. Through the relentless efforts of many people and organizations throughout North America, the Mexican Tourism office in Monterrey has been flooded with calls over the past few weeks. As a result, a note was sent to Ms. Williams on June 21 stating that they have taken the matter up with the appropriate Transport officials, who subsequently promised that the law will be changed in September. Another memo was issued today, stating that pets and service animals will be allowed in cabin effective immediately. The new Circular CO AV-07.8/07 R2 is an interim, temporary measure that will remain in effect until the new regulations are in place this fall. This is all very good news; however, there may be a whole new slate of government officials to deal with after the Mexican Federal election on July 1, so it is critically important for all interested parties to continue their efforts until the law is formally reversed. To register your concerns, please contact the Mexican Tourism Board and explain that you are calling in regard to Article 2.1.2 (no pets in cabin) of the DGAC’s circular dated May 10, 2012:
Mexico Tourism Board From outside Mexico : 1 800 446 3942 From inside Mexico : 001 880 446 3942 Email: contact@visitmexico.com You can also visit the Pets in Cabin Facebook page (“Like It”, “Share It” and post your comments and pet photos): www.facebook.com/PetsInCabin And finally, please share this important information with your friends, family and any media contacts you may have in other parts of Mexico , the US and Canada . Updates will be posted as they become available on the Jaltemba Bay Life Blog at http://jaltembabaylife.com/blog/2012/06/new-no-pets-in-cabin-policy-for-mexico/
The International Community Foundation has invited expert Paul Zykofsky to perform walkability audits throughout La Paz on June 26th, 2012. He will be doing a walkability audit in English on Monday morning from 7:30-8:30am. Meet at the CREA, on Forjadores, across from Aramburo.
Following the walkability audit, Paul will give a presentation at Galeria Olachea beside the Teatro de la Ciudad at 8:30am for about an hour. The presentation will cover how walkability audits can improve municipal decision-making and help make each community a better place to walk and live!
Muchas gracias Chef Maria. El almuerzo era memorable.
Next luncheon is on July 26th, at Tamarindos on Ocampo between Revolution and Serdan. This is another jewel I discovered two weeks ago when owner Cecy invited me for lunch. Beautiful patio garden and authentic Mexican dishes! We will have a choice of chicken or yellow tail grilled on natural mesquite. Are we ever in for a treat! See you all there on Thursday, July 26th. E-mail me at luizalanoy@yahoo.com to reserve your spot.
THE SECOND ANNUAL EXPO TATTOO LA PAZ, 2012 IS ON NOW, SATURDAY JUNE 16TH, AND SUNDAY JUNE 17TH, AT “THE SHOPPES AT LA PAZ”, FROM 10 AM TO 10 PM AND WILL ENJOY THE PARTICIPATION OF MEXICAN TATTOO ARTISTS, AS WELL AS THREE FOREIGN PARTICIPANTS FROM THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, U.S.A.
ACTIVITIES DURING THE TWO DAYS OF THE EXPO WILL INCLUDE EXHIBITS OF PHOTOGRAPHY, PAINTING, PERFORMANCE ARTS, LIVE MUSIC, BODY PAINTING, BODY SUSPENSIONS, CHILDRENS`S ACTIVITIES, AND MANY OTHER SURPRISES.
TICKET ARE $ 50.00 PESOS PER DAY AND $ 80.00 PESOS FOR BOTH DAYS.
WE INVITE YOU TO A FUN-FILLED WEEKEND AT THE EXPO TATTOO, AND WE GUARANTEE A GREAT TIME FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY.
LORETO FINALLY DECLARED A “PUEBLO MAGICO”
TBC
With the Secretary of Tourism in Mexico, Gloria Guevara Manzo, Governor of BCS, Marcos Covarrubias Villaseñor and Mayor of Loreto Jorge Alberto Aviles Perez on hand, Loreto was finally declared yesterday a “Magical Town” in Mexico, increasing the total to 55 in the country.
BCS`s only other “Pueblo Magico” is the town of Todos Santos.
Being honoured as a “Magical Town” is a recognition awarded by the federal Secretary of Tourism, under one of their flagship programs that started in 2001, to those towns that have preserved their great cultural and historical wealth on which they base their identity.
