In this monthly series, we republish a few of the headlines from our May editions 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 years ago.
1969
Mass marriage feature on Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day, May 10, is linked closely with marriage in Mexico, and in Guadalajara it is a golden opportunity for many couples who have been living in free union to make a legal contract.
This is encouraged by the state and city governments, which make all the arrangements for a fitting mass ceremony and also gather a long list of raffle prizes for the newly legal couples. The Jalisco governor and his first lady act as sponsors for the pairs and the governor traditionally gives a winning couple a home. Dozens of other prizes are donated and raffled.
This year some 400 couples will will be united at the plaza dedicated to Las Madres at Calle Caucaso and Calzada Indpendencia. The public is invited.
1979
Mexico develops as film center
Recently, entertainment magazines north of the border have been devoting more space to articles concerning Mexico’s television and film industries. It is one more sign that North Americans, few of whom until now knew anything more about Mexican films than the comic Cantinflas, are at least beginning to see the growing potential of their southern neighbor.
They are starting to realize the economic benefits of making movies in Mexico, the increasing size of the market Mexico provides for North American movies, and the impact that Mexican films and television industries are having on the U.S. market, especially among U.S. Hispanics.
After he became Mexico’s president, Jose Lopez Portillo developed RTC, Radio Television and Cinematography of Mexico, a state organization inspired by the British Broadcasting Company. RTC is an effort to coordinate, and perhaps direct, the three great systems of communications, with all the power – and potential wealth – that modern media can generate.
RTC is the first such government-coordinated communications network in Latin America. It has the formal objectives of “fostering education, recreation and culture.” RTC involves a host of subsidiary organizations, associations and unions which cover every phase of the radio, television and movie industries.
1989
Los Altos seeksnew kind of visitor
An hour beyond Guadalajara’s unofficial border, the periferico (beltway) surrounding the metropolitan area, adventuresome tourists can find themselves in one of Mexico’s most unique rural zones, “Los Altos (the heights) of Jalisco.” Most such regions have a number of traditional religious and secular festivities during the year; in Los Altos’ case, the celebrations fill the calendar.
Making Los Altos worth at least a visit during fiesta-time is its one-of-a-kind cultural heritage. In many parts of Mexico, the early Catholic padres compromised with indigenous traditions to speed the conversion process. In Los Altos, the dominant religion is that brought by French, Spanish-Basque and German settlers – those culturally defined as Indians have long been a minority, and that is reflected throughout the area’s culture.
Los Altos is also a bastion of “machismo,” particularly reflected in the respect given to a lady’s man, the fighter and the charro (cowboy). At many of the year’s festivals, a charreada (rodeo) is a major event. Unlike most modern North American rodeos, where the emphasis is on numbers (how long he stays on, how fast she rides), the charreada is a performance, showing the charros’ form and style in taking on broncs and bulls.
1999
Rules tightenedfor bringing carsinto Mexico
In the United States, multiple car families are the norm, but when foreigners come into Mexico, they are expected to get along with a single car.
Until recently this was a simple restriction to bypass because of indifference at the border. But a U.S. expatriate got a rude shock returning to Mexico with his van this month. all ready to receive a new permit, the customs agent punched data into a computer and discovered that the person already had brought one car into Mexico and could not bring another.
According to sources in Mexican Customs (Aduana), President Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Leon last year decreed that [the government institution] Banjercito would handle temporary importation permits.
“Before, the job was handled by customs,” said an employee at Aduana in Tijuana. “We never used to check up on permits issued. Since 1998, it has been in Banjercito’s hands and they’re checking.”
The Guadalajara Reporter was told that Banjercito is handling the procedure at all border crossings. Thus it will make no difference if someone tries another border entrance after being turned back.
Under Mexican law, only one car in the name of a foreign resident is allowed in the country. Of course, a spouse can have another car if it is in his or her name.
2009
Guadalajara marksanti-homophobia dayfor first time
Around 100 people, many dressed in all-black, marched in Guadalajara’s city center behind a rainbow-colored banner for the International Day Against Homophobia. The Sunday, May 17, march signaled the first time the day has been marked in Guadalajara.
Internationally, the day attempts to raise awareness of issues that affect homosexuals. The organizer of the event, Eduardo Rodriguez Perez, highlighted figures that show Jalisco is in second place nationally for homophobia-provoked crimes.
The group demanded punishment for murders of homosexuals in Mexico, which are estimated to have reached 1,000 in recent years. The deaths inspired the slogan on one banner that read, “Homophobia kills.”