Slapping a 16-percent sales tax (IVA) on pet food could lead to as many as half a million dogs and cats being abandoned to fend for themselves on the streets, some animal welfare groups say.

Around 160 artists from Mexico and around the world have transformed a mundane Guadalajara avenue into a stunning, creative, colorful landmark.

Thousands of jewelers and fashionistas, both national and international, gathered at Expo Guadalajara this week for a massive trade show that business leaders said showed the economic power of Jalisco.

The august halls of the Palacio de Justicia are graced this month by an exhibit of 11 medium-large format, surrealistic paintings entitled “Erótica Animal” by Tapatío artist Aram Cortes. The stately cream and stone palace, where Jalisco’s wheels of justice turn, was built in 1588 and is located next to the entrance to the Degollado Theater in the historic center of Guadalajara.

Their weary faces, disheveled clothing and unfamiliar accents make them conspicuous as they seek handouts from motorists waiting for lights to change at traffic intersections.  They are the thousands of impoverished migrants from Central and South America who pass through Guadalajara each year in pursuit of reaching the United States and the promise of a better life.

Over four decades, the annual Cervantino Festival in the beautiful colonial city of Guanajuato has metamorphosed into one of the world’s most important cultural gatherings, showcasing Mexican and international talent while creating a carnival atmosphere in the streets and plazas like nowhere else.