Jalisco Governor Enrique Alfaro reacted swiftly to the widespread criticism that greeted the state government’s proposed sale of the abandoned Villas Panamericanas (2011 Pan American Games athletes’ village) to a private consortium.
Previous state administrations saw El Bajio as ripe for development, as this ten-year-old old advertisement offering a plot of land for sale in the zone shows. The under construction Panamerican Games village can be seen on the right and the completed Akron Stadium at the top. This week, Governor Enrique Alfaro designated El Bajio as a protected area.
“This is a strategic zone,” Alfaro said via social media. “No longer will we allow private interests to damage Guadalajara’s environmental capital due to an irresponsible or corrupt governor.”
Governor Emilio Gonzalez (2007-2013) green-lighted the construction of the Villas in 2009 as Guadalajara’s Pan American Games deadline closed in. A lawsuit claiming he acted dishonestly during this process is currently stalled in the courts. Other suits filed by neighbors and civil associations pertaining to the “illegal” construction of the Villas are also pending.
In total, the new protected area covers 980 hectares, of which 350 are already urbanized. In addition to the abandoned Villas Panamericanas (16 hectares), the zone houses the Akron Stadium (home to the Guadalajara Chivas), a university and some housing.
Various NGOs, environmental activist groups and neighborhood associations have denounced the proposed sale of the Villas to a private consortium that intends to redevelop the site into 1,500 residential apartments. They argue the complex should be demolished, as it presents a real threat to the ecological integrity of the nearby Primavera Forest, often referred to as “Guadalajara’s lung.”
Alfaro said he has no authority to invalidate permits authorized more than ten years ago for the Villas to be used for residential housing. He previously said he is reluctantly pushing ahead with the sale, since the primary investor in the complex is the State Workers Pension Fund, and to take any other course could affect the financial futures of thousands of people.
While the announcement to protect El Bajio from future development may be seen as positive step by many citizens, it is unlikely to end the growing chorus of opposition to the redevelopment of the Villas. Meanwhile, Universidad de Guadalajara researcher Arturo Glesson said the new designation means nothing without a proper scientific and technical proposal to guarantee the zone’s integrity.