General News

The municipality of Ocotlán has signed a historic agreement with the National Water Commission (Conagua), granting the local government authority over the custody, conservation and maintenance of Lake Chapala’s federal zones within its territory. Announced by Mayor Deysi Ángel Hernández on July 3, the agreement enables the municipality to oversee bodies of water under federal jurisdiction directly.

Chapala Mayor Alejandro Aguirre Curiel offered a heartfelt holiday salute to the lakeside expatriate community in an op-ed column published in the July 5 edition of Mural, a Guadalajara daily newspaper.

The University of Guadalajara’s Chapala branch (CU-Chapala) has launched an initiative that aims to protect and promote the lakeside region’s “tangible and intangible cultural heritage,” following UNESCO guidelines.

Local motorists are advised to avoid downtown Chapala on Sunday, July 13, if at all possible, due to multiple street closures for the annual Virgen de Zapopan pilgrimage.

To mark the July 10 International Tree Day, the Chapala government, led by Mayor Alejandro Aguirre Aguirre, launched a reforestation campaign that runs through August 9. The “Roots of the Future” initiative aims to plant 5,000 native trees across the community, alongside educational workshops, tree adoptions, and recreational events to raise awareness and sow the seeds of a greener future.

The Chapala Indie Film Festival (CIFF) has created a poetic tribute to Lake Chapala, released on July 1 and available for free viewing on the organization’s Facebook page.

Anti-expat sentiments flared at Lakeside on Monday, July 14, after a local media outlet shared a video showing a dispute between a local bus driver and an English-speaking man who refused to move his motorcycle from the middle of a narrow Ajijic street to allow the bus to pass.

The Ajijic branch of BBVA bank ended operations on Friday, June 27.