U.S.-Mexico security cooperation, led by the Merida Initiative, is vital and must continue.

Police, Firefighters and Road Agents Working Together for the Safety of Pilgrims
he Department of Public Safety, Traffic, Civil Protection and Fire, continuously working to provide security for hundreds pilgrims flooded the streets of downtown, so what the police department has stepped up surveillance on the streets and colonies the municipality, for the purpose of caring for the integrity of citizens and visitors.

During the last days of the pilgrimage, police operations, road agents, firefighters, lifeguards, including municipal authorities, will increase the ground foot patrols and patrolling in the downtown area of ??Puerto Vallarta, as well as delegations and municipal agencies.

The head of the police unit, Silvestre Chavez Garcia, has emphasized to continue working to provide a quality service to people who live and visit this beach destination, so that they continue to monitor expressed intensely in order to maintain the city as Safe House Vallartenses all.

He said not tolerate criminal acts or offenses to Police Regulations and Corporate Governance, as malvivencia, drinking or drugged and aggressive riding on the streets, so apply heavy hand of those who affect the daily lives of others and more during the last season of religious pilgrimages

Public Security operatives be strengthened 24 hours a day, because many people leave their homes to pilgrimages and leave home alone, so it will be very aware of these details and in the streets of the center will Scammers beware pickpockets that abound these days.

Similarly, the recommendation is to visitors and residents, to seal their vehicles and not leave anything of value in sight, not counting money in front of others to prevent theft, the same way, to fit well the doors of their homes and make sure to instruct his neighbors that if they see movement of strangers, immediately report to cell 066 and / or for 29-00-502 are met and thus provide an immediate response and prevent criminal

[readon1 url="http://www.prensaglobal.com/notas/32832.html"]Source:www.prensaglobal.com - Translation by Suyapa Ajuria [/readon1]

Amendments to the Revenue Act of Puerto Vallarta for the financial year 2013 polarized Members of different political parties represented in the local Congress.

Lawmakers left the Legislature last approved in committees and presented at first reading revenue laws of all municipalities, but the current deputies found it necessary to make adjustments in the proposal that they inherited the former deputies.

In the proposal to the municipality's income from Puerto Vallarta established an increase of 14% and to 38% in property taxes, lawmakers unanimously endorsed that generally stay with increases of 14%.

Deputies PRI, the PAN, and Jaime Alberto Iñiguez Esquer and Citizens Movement bloc quitting endorsed changes in increments of 14%, the rest of the PAN legislators and three PRI; Rafael Gonzalez Pimienta, Gustavo Gonzalez and Martin Lopez Cedillo were on the original proposal.
He endorsed changes in collection of overtime to turns with liquor. With 32 votes in favor, was that the additional charge for extra hour would be 500 thousand pesos in grocery stores, the convenience store will be charged two thousand 500 pesos per extra hour just like the restaurants, the clubs must pay four thousand 144 pesos per hour extra.

At the stroke of 19:00 was voted by the full state legislature to amend Article 96 of the Revenue Act charges they called "moral crimes for", are of the highest fines in the Revenue Act.

Charges will range from one million to two million 500 thousand pesos for display of child pornography in the municipality.

The vote was similar to the farm; PRI deputies, two of the PAN and the Citizens Movement bloc endorsed changes, the rest of the PAN legislators and three PRI; Rafael Gonzalez Pimienta, Gustavo Gonzalez and Martin Lopez Cedillo; against .

It was also voted the rest of the revenue laws, which according to the president of the Committee of Finance, minor modifications were implemented that have more to do with the form and not the substance of the original proposals.

[readon1 url="http://www.vallartatoday.com"]Source:vallartatoday.com - Translation by Suyapa Ajuria[/readon1]

The mayor of Puerto Vallarta, Ramón Guerrero Martínez, met with members of Citizens Movement Party (MC) in the state Congress in Guadalajara with whom he discussed among other topics, the necessary resources for the construction of a tertiary hospital in Puerto Vallarta, with investment from the three levels of government, on the order of 100 million pesos.

At the time, a couple of weeks ago, this initiative by the councilor Candelaria Villanueva, was referred to the Committees on Finance, Public Works and Sanitation and Hygiene for analysis, opinion and subsequent study and it sets up the possibility that City Hall done for this project the city-owned property located opposite the prison complex, identified by the number 370, Las Palmas and the road adjacent to the Federal Electricity Commission.

It also proposes the necessary arrangements are made ??with the Secretary of Health Jalisco for being generated and resources allocated to the creation of the hospital in the city and so guarantee citizens Vallartenses worthy and necessary medical care, contributing to the development of the above a better quality of life for the community, always with a Healthy House.

The above initiative, said the councilor, shows the urgent need for Vallartenses can have this service to restore your health and rehabilitation of users referred by other levels, which have high complexity diagnostic conditions and treatments through one or several medical specialties, surgical or medical operations.

In other efforts of Mayor further analyzed the incentive program for corporate security by up to 50 percent of their salary on a model that considers the decline in crime rates in this county.

They also seek the resources necessary to develop the project to build a military base in the suburbs of Las Palmas, a project by the order of 250 million pesos to have more control of that district and municipal roads to mountain .

Also managed the resources needed for a project to build a trail in the delegation of Las Palmas, a project by the order of 40 million pesos.

All municipalities in Jalisco, but three of the north, have their respective Atlas Risk, issued by the State Civil Protection Unit for several years, says the head of this corporation, Mayor Trinidad Lopez Rivas, who explains that this instrument serves for both authorities and residents know the soil conditions and the risks or vulnerabilities that this record at certain times of the year by natural phenomena or other circumstances, considering that the environments are changed voluntarily and involuntarily. Regarding Puerto Vallarta, mentions that is among the largest in the state is updated, which is a guarantee:

"... For our part we do the work of renovation but it is definitely a commitment to each municipality to be updating this field corresponding to each municipality, I think it is out of date, however, now that between this administration, we are realizing that some municipalities were left without that Atlas Risk as they were lost, we will replace ... "

At another point, and to talk about the operation for the winter season on the coast of the state, particularly in Banderas Bay, Puerto Vallarta sits where he says that this will start on December 18 at door, which will be seen from its roads access to monitor the number of walkers and these general conditions. There will, he adds, people patrolling by land, at sea, fast moving boats, jet skis in support to tourists who need it, and the deployment of paramedics and ambulance to meet any health problems. [readon1 url="http://www.vallartatoday.com"]Source:vallartatoday.com - Translation by Suyapa Ajuria[/readon1]

In a December article published by Foreign Policy, Ruchir Sharma, head of emerging-market equities and global macroeconomics at Morgan Stanley Investment Management, names seven countries as “breakout nations.” He argues that these states have experienced more major economic growth in recent years than the BRIC nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China) and therefore should receive particular attention from the international community. For Sharma, the nations to watch are the Philippines, Turkey, Indonesia, Thailand, Poland, Sri Lanka and Nigeria. Experts on Latin America will quickly notice that there is not one Latin America nation on Sharma’s list.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and there is no requirement that a list of breakout economies must include a nation from each region of the world. Sharma also doesn’t mention any country from the Caribbean, Oceania, or the Middle East. Nevertheless, several Latin American nations, such as Peru, Mexico, Chile, and Colombia, have enjoyed major economic growth within the past decade, comparable to some of Sharma’s nations, and they deserve to be mentioned for the sake of a comprehensive picture of emerging economic powers.
Growing and growing

Over the past decade, Latin American nations have experienced significant economic growth, with the four aforementioned states serving as the region’s own “breakout nations” (although they are each, to some extent, eclipsed by booming Brazil). For example, Colombia’s economy grew by 4.9 percent in 2012’s second trimester in comparison to the same period in 2011.

The sectors that enjoyed the most growth were construction, mining and finance. In addition, the U.S. Congress ratified a free trade agreement with Colombia in October 2011 which will further promote a favorable economic relationship between the two nations.

Meanwhile, Peru’s economy grew by 6.5 percent in 2012’s third trimester, in large part thanks to manufacturing and agricultural production. Stability within this Andean nation has also translated into an increase in international tourism, a critical source of revenue for small businesses in tourist regions like Cuzco. Chile continues to have South America’s strongest economy, with an average annual growth rate of 5.2 percent. Finally, Mexico has enjoyed a developing economy as well; according to CEPAL it will grow 4.0 percent in 2013 thanks to improvements in the U.S., its vital trade partner. Some optimistic analysts predict that Mexico could surpass the Brazilian economy by 2022. Just like Ruchir Sharma highlights how countries like Indonesia and Turkey will become trillion-dollar economies, the economic growth of states like Mexico—home to the world’s richest man, Carlos Slim—is a positive development, demonstrating that there are economic powerhouses in the region other than Brazil.

Latin America’s growth has also translated into strengthening trade relations with extra-hemispheric nations, which see the potential for successful investment in the region. For example, Colombian minister Diaz-Granados recently explained that trade between Colombia and Spain surpassed $2 billion, a significant growth compared to 2011. In addition, both Colombia and Peru are also close to signing a free trade agreement with the European Union. Finally, commerce with Asian states is expected to grow as Peru and Chile, along with the U.S., are part of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), a project currently in the negotiation stage that aims to strengthen trade relations between the major Pacific economies. Extra-hemispheric nations that are also TPP members include economic powerhouses like Singapore, New Zealand and Australia. Regarding Latin America, more investments and external trade is generally regarded as a sign that the region in general has become an attractive commercial partner.
Ruchir Sharma and security issues

One topic that is not deeply discussed in Sharma’s commentary is security, although he does acknowledge, when talking about Sri Lanka, that violence affects an economy’s performance. Sadly, several of Sharma’s nations as well as Latin American states continue to face security issues that may hinder their growth in the coming years. For example, the Mexican government and security forces have battled powerful drug-funded organizations such as the Zetas and the Sinaloa Cartels for years. Apart from the thousands of lives that have been lost in this drug war, many in gruesome manners, there is concern than the Mexican economy has become somewhat dependent on the millions made from the illegal drug economy. Meanwhile, the Colombian government is currently in negotiations with the FARC guerrilla movement to end a conflict that has lasted for decades. Similarly, the Peruvian government continues to battle drug trafficking (the U.S. government claims Peru is now the world’s major cocaine producer, not Colombia) as well as the last remnants of the Shining Path terrorist organization.

Chile is the only country that has not had to face violent domestic movements, though the government has faced major protests by dissatisfied sections of the population, such as secondary and university students, in recent years.

However, the security issues faced by these Latin American states are similar to most of those on Sharma’s list. For example, Turkey has waged a war against the PKK, a violent Kurdish nationalist organization, for years. The Turkish economy may suffer if Ankara becomes more embroiled in the Syrian civil war. Meanwhile, Nigeria continues to suffer from corrupt leaders—as Sharma highlights—and violence, particularly from a group known as Boko Haram, which has waged war against the government since 2009. On December 2, 10 Christians were killed in Northeast Nigeria at the hands of Boko Haram in the latest security incident. Put simply: Sharma’s rising stars and several Latin American states face similar internal security threats. Even Thailand, usually regarded as a stable nation, has seen a rise in insurgency in recent years (as Sharma points out as well). The one stable country in Sharma’s list is Poland, which does not face insurgent internal violence.
The Latino breakout nations

Ruchir Sharma’s list of breakout nations in Foreign Policy, while generally comprehensive, is incomplete. In spite of internal security issues and other problems like corruption scandals and environmental problems, countries like Mexico, Peru, Colombia and Chile have flourished, particularly during the past decade. The fact that Lima, Mexico City and Bogota in particular, have managed to thrive in spite of guerrilla movements and drug-related violence is nothing short of remarkable. Hence, these nations are worthy of any list that has the title “breakout nations.”

By 115 votes in favor and none against, the Mexican Senate ratified the appointments of three deputy secretaries of the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP) and the head of the Tax Administration Service (SAT), proposed by President Enrique Peña Nieto.

At its meeting on Thursday, the city endorsed the appointment of Fernando Rodriguez Aportela as Undersecretary of Finance, Miguel Messmacher Linartas as Undersecretary of Revenue and Fernando Galindo Favela as Undersecretary of Expenditures. The owner of the SAT will Sánchez Núñez Aristotle.

The appointments were endorsed in committee this week and occur before the SHCP, by Luis Videgaray, delivered to Congress on economic package for 2013, which includes the Expenditure Budget, Revenue Law and Economic Policy Guidelines .

The package must reach the Legislature no later than December 15 and approved no later than the 31st of this month.

The official broadcast showed smiling legislators from the Party of the Institutional Revolution (PRI), uniformed in red shawls and red ties, welcoming the triumphant arrival of the president-elect amid cries of “Enrique, Enrique!” It was an almost flawlessly choreographed production, despite occasional cries of protest from the opposition. The presidential mantle was passed from one party to the next, the handsome new president delivered a well-polished speech designed to please all, there was the obligatory visit to address the armed forces. The official version of the inauguration of Mexico’s 57th president seemed to go off with only minor glitches.

That’s pretty much all you could see from your television screen. Some stations showed a few jarring scenes of rioters in the streets being beaten back with tear gas amid the crack of rubber bullets. But they only lasted a few seconds before returning to the comforting pomp and circumstance of the change of powers. Television networks were not allowed to film the inauguration and acceptance speech. Flipping from channel to channel produced the simultaneous repetition of the official signal, with its official selection of shots and official narration.

Enrique Pena Nieto’s inauguration, a city under siege

Social media and the streets themselves told a different story. From the pre-dawn hours, battalions of police barricaded the area blocks away from both the Congress where the official swearing-in took place and the National Palace where the new president would present his first speech. Protestors left for the legislative center at San Lazaro in the pre-dawn hours. Arriving, small groups attacked police lines to gain entrance into the security perimeter surrounding Congress.

The situation heated up quickly. Police responded hurling tear gas canisters and firing rubber bullets, enraging the protestors. Images show young people, mostly men with hoods and masks, attacking police lines with rocks and sticks. Some Molotov’s were reported and bottle rockets. Soon it became an all-out battle, with youth hurling back the gas grenades. Students reported “bombs, pepper gas, tear gas and rubber bullets,” all confirmed by the press.

This is not a common method of reacting to demonstrations in Mexico City. It reflects a decision to crack down hard, regardless of the consequences, particularly within the ranks of the Federal Police. After clashes, some people destroyed lamp posts, vandalized buildings and parts of the expensively remodeled Alameda park and vandalized buildings along Mexico City’s main streets. News stories have reported the presence of paid provocateurs among the vandals.

MEXICO'S president is making one last attempt to get the "United States" out of Mexico — at least as far as the country's name is concerned.

The name "United Mexican States," or "Estados Unidos Mexicanos," was adopted in 1824 after independence from Spain in imitation of Mexico's democratic northern neighbor, but it is rarely used except on official documents, money and other government material.

Still, President Felipe Calderon called a news conference Thursday to announce that he wants to make the name simply "Mexico." His country doesn't need to copy anyone, he said.

Calderon first proposed the name change as a congressman in 2003 but the bill did not make it to a vote. The new constitutional reform he proposed would have to be approved by both houses of Congress and a majority of Mexico's 31 state legislatures.

However, Calderon leaves office on Dec. 1, raising the question of whether his proposal is a largely symbolic gesture. His proposal was widely mocked on Twitter as a ridiculous parting shot from a lame-duck president.

Calderon said that while the name change "doesn't have the urgency of other reforms," it should be seen as a relevant issue. "Mexico doesn't need a name that emulates another country and that no one uses on a daily basis," he said.

The United States looms larger than perhaps any other country in the Mexican cultural imagination: Mexicans follow U.S. sports teams, watch U.S. television shows and buy U.S.-made products.

For many, however, there is also resentment of a larger and more powerful northern neighbor that's often seen as ignoring or looking down its nose at Mexico.

Calderon has tried to keep Mexico's international image, and its vital tourism industry, from being tarred by the waves of violence set off by his six-year, militarized offensive against drug cartels.

At least 47,500 people have died in cartel-related violence during his term in office, although the number is believed to be far higher, since his administration stopped releasing an official count last year.

A poll released this week by the Vianovo consulting firm said that half of all Americans view Mexico unfavorably and more than 70 percent believe it's unsafe to travel south of the border. The poll of 1,000 adults had a margin of error of four percentage points.

"It's time for Mexicans to return to the beauty and simplicity of the name of our country, Mexico," Calderon said. "A name that we chant, that we sing, that makes us happy, that we identify with, that fills us with pride."

The United States and Mexico are rewriting rules on how to share water from the Colorado River,

If you think the debate over immigration from Mexico into the United States is complicated, just take a trip south of the border and look at it from that side. Complicated isn’t the half of it. The immigration debate is also dishonest and hypocritical and filled with people who would rather pursue their own interests than solve the problem. And it all revolves around a broken system that stays broken because important and powerful interests want it that way.

This is true in both countries. Mexico is just as reluctant as the United States to confront the larger issue of migration — both of its own people north to the United States and along its own southern border, where Central and South Americans want to get into a country that many natives are desperate to flee. Nor does the Mexican elite want to swallow its pride and admit that the real engine behind the Mexican economy isn’t people like them but Mexicans who don’t even live in Mexico anymore — immigrant workers in the United States.
Fence Mexicos own immigration debate: Also complicated

In Mexico City, politicians, journalists and intellectuals are eager to avoid the issue altogether. They point out that migration to the United States from Mexico has slowed to a trickle. With a U.S. economy that is sluggish and a Mexican one that is bouncing back, many would-be migrants find that going north isn’t worth the trouble.

The part about the trickle is true enough. Take it from Princeton professor Douglas S. Massey, an expert on Mexico, whose research shows that net migration between the two countries has fallen to its lowest level since the 1950s. Or take it from the Pew Hispanic Center, which found that the illegal immigrant population in the United States is shrinking and that fewer illegal immigrants are arriving than in previous years.

But things change, and migration is unpredictable. When the U.S. economy improves, and if the Mexican one falters, the flow of illegal immigrants is likely to increase. Besides, for many young men in Mexico, going north is a rite of passage. Grandpa did it. Dad did it. And they want to do it.

Mexico is a permanent fixture of the immigration debate in the United States, whether Americans like it or not. It is no secret that this country is responsible for most of the migration into the United States — both legal and illegal. By some estimates, Mexicans account for as many as six out of 10 illegal immigrants in the United States.

Better make that, partly responsible. It’s also well-known that Mexico has a co-conspirator: U.S. employers. These folks often prefer to hire Mexican laborers over American counterparts. And not because the foreigners work for lower wages but because they tend to have more of a work ethic and less sense of entitlement.

The way that many Americans see it, Mexico gave up the right to comment on how the United States treats immigrants when it failed to provide opportunities for its own people so they had to look elsewhere.

Not that the Mexican people, or their leaders, are likely to keep quiet. When the immigration debate starts up again in Congress, as is likely to happen in the next few months, we can expect Mexicans to put in their two cents.

With a full 5 percent of its population living north of the Rio Grande, and countless Mexican families feeling the strain that comes from having parents separated from their children, Mexico can’t afford not to defend the expatriates. The catch? If it comes off as too aggressive, its advocacy could backfire — and hurt the very people it wants to help by hardening the views of Americans.

For much of the 20th century, when it came to migration, Mexico had a good thing. It got rid of millions of people that its economy didn’t have room for, and then those people went on to send home remittances that today total more than $20 billion.

Now it’s time for Mexico to develop a 21st-century approach. This includes acknowledging the enormous contribution that Mexicans living abroad make to the motherland, and working diligently to provide them better services through Mexican consulates across the United States.

But it also involves not lecturing a neighbor about how to treat people that you’ve expelled.

Puerto Vallarta originally served as a refuge for Spanish sailors hiding from pirates, thus cementing the town's role as a place to escape from the world. And, ever since Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor infamously rendezvoused here during the filming of Night of the Iguana, visitors have kept the destination's reputation for romance alive. But that's not a difficult task, considering Puerto Vallarta's charming streets, vibrant culture, and remarkable sunsets. Cliché as it might sound, romance really is in the air here.

But love affairs would be boring without diverse sights, beaches, and activities to fuel the sparks. Besides, what's romance without a little excitement? Check out Puerto Vallarta's top picks for the best of both worlds. For a romantic night on the high seas, try a sunset cruise and candlelight dinner show, sailing on Banderas Bay, or visit Los Arcos beach. To learn more about the history and culture of this beautiful area, embark on a day trip to Las Caletas, a Puerto Vallarta city tour, or a Tequila tour.

Last but certainly not least, adventurous types can choose from a number of attractions and activities: a day or evening about the Marigalante Pirate Ship on a Pirates of the Bay tour, an exciting outdoor adventure tour, the chance to swim with the dolphins or explore the rainforest on a canopy adventure, or see the mountains on a Sierra Madres Jeep adventure, just to name a few.