Youngsters from San Pedro Itzicán and Mezcala are frequently seen roaming Chapala’s main street and waterfront Mañecón asking people for cash handouts. Personnel from the Family Development Agency (DIF) offices in Chapala and Poncitlán are now creating a database in an effort to identify their parents or persons who may exploit the young beggars for profit in violation of their human rights.
The officials have discovered that the children may sometimes collect as much as 800 pesos in a single day. They are obliged to turn over the cash to the adults who control their activities. Staff from the two municipal government agencies are also concerned that these innocent children may be easy targets for predators involved in the human trafficking of minors for prostitution and pornography rings. This despicable activity has been poignantly portrayed in the newly released feature film “Sound of Freedom.”
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