I was all set to pen an upbeat commentary on the holiday season. But life in Ajijic is always subject to unexpected occurrences that throw the mind off track.

So as of last week village people have been in a tailspin about what the local government is doing to supposedly improve the town’s main interior street, Calle Ocampo. Details of what transpired appear in the corresponding news story. Some context on the situation can explain why folks are so riled up and how it all fits in with the Mexican proverb pueblo chico, infierno grande – small town, big hell.

The current conflict traces back to 2015 when municipal authorities launched the renovation of streets surrounding the central plaza. It entailed redoing parts of Colón, Parroquia and Marcos Castellanos with cobblestones set in cement. The project caused a major brouhaha, spawning the birth of the No-al-Cemento movement among people who fervently advocate conservation of the town’s traditional cobblestone streets.

Please login or subscribe to view the complete article.