More airport woes
Farmers seeking compensation for the decades-old expropriation of their lands to build the Guadalajara International Airport will picket the facility as of Monday, June 12. Talks with federal authorities over fair compensation broke down again this week, with representatives of the Zapote farmers’ community (ejido) promising to reestablish the non-violent protests that have plagued the city airport over the past 18 months.
Prison threat for cellphone users
A Jalisco legislator is proposing amendments to the state penal code to allow judges to sentence anyone involved in fatal/serious accidents while using a cellphone to between three and ten years in prison. Rocío Corona Nakamura also wants to raise fines for using cellphones while driving from the current amount of 375 pesos to 2,660 pesos. Research suggests that the possibility of an accident occurring increases 400 percent when drivers are using their cellphones.
Arrests made in indigenous killings
Three men have been arrested in connection with the murders of two Wixarika (Huichol) activists earlier this month in Bolanos, Jalisco. According to state authorities, all are members of a criminal “cell” operating in the northern region of the state that is home to around 10,000 people in scattered indigenous communities. One of the activists, Migual Angel Vasquez, openly challenged cartels that pressured indigenous farmers to plant marijuana on their lands.
Mistletoe not a lovable plant
Zapopan Parks and Gardens workers have removed mistletoe growing on the branches of around 2,600 trees in the municipality. In total, some 18,000 trees have been affected by this partial parasite (“hemiparasite”) plant that sends out roots penetrating into trees, taking up valuable nutrients. According to Hugo Ricardo Salazar Silva, coordinator of municipal services, this represents just over ten percent of the entire tree population in Zapopan. “It’s a problem that affects trees everywhere, not just in Mexico,” he said.
World Cup clash
Bars in Guadalajara will be packed with fans when Mexico takes on the United States in a World Soccer Cup qualifier Sunday, June 11, 7:30 p.m. in the capital’s Azteca Stadium.