Noticias en inglés. Dec 28

Hearing in January

Early next month is the time scheduled to hear the cases involving the 2 police officers, Victor Mancilla and Fernando Rosado Perez Navarrete accused of corruption and abuse of authority; the officers have been downgraded from their previous positions as commanders.

“We have given the information to Kaffour Domani Canan to investigate the allegations.”

In November, Chim Luis Lopez, a businessman in Chelem, publicly denounced Rosado Mancilla for extortion and Perez Navarrete is accused of violating police regulations. 

Options for Fishermen

For the second consecutive year, the City is offering several training workshops for fishermen during the ban on mero fishing from February 15^th to March 15^th, 2012.

The courses offered are: carpentry, repair of diesel engines and outboard motors, electrical repairs, fisheries management, how to work with fibreglass, stonework and meteorology.

Trouble Within PRI

Having received a series of complaints, discontent and pressure over the past 2 weeks, the National Steering Committee for PRI, might be forced to reverse the appointment of Daniel Zacharias Martinez as the party's candidate for mayor of Progreso and instead appoint Luis Ernesto Martinez Ordaz.

Daniel Zacharias will finish his term as local MP and could be rewarded with the position of government secretariat in the event that Rolando Zapata Bello wins the elections next year.

According to party sources, Daniel Zacharias could be knocked down a peg or two after Ernesto Martinez presented signatures of support and a survey shows that over 80% of the population supports Luis Ernesto Martinez Ordaz; this is contrary to what PRI would have their members believe when they chose Zacharias.

There is a rumor that Martinez Ordaz received support from Emilio Gamboa Patron, who is the political godfather of José Luis Blanco Pajón.

Along with all of this, supporters of the Daniel camp say there is a lot of internal friction about the appearance of new supporters looking to benefit if Zacharias is elected mayor. This has caused pressure within the group and could endanger the nomination and benefit Luis Ernesto. 

Another Positioning

In an effort to gain a position in the next administration with Daniel Zacharias, one of the former mayors, Porfirio Trejo Zozaya hosted an end of year breakfast with Zacharias being the headliner.

Trejo Zozaya is the former head of IDEYE and current Coordinator for the Development of the Coastal Zone of Yucatan (CODECY) held the breakfast at Los Compadres and there was representation from various sectors and the Trejo Zozaya family who are looking to have work with the Zacharias administration.

The other candidate, Ernesto Martinez and the current mayor, Maria Esther Alonzo were not invited for unknown reasons.

Networking Hacking

The Public Security Secretariat (SSP) using Cyber Police are responsible for all cyber investigations and monitoring of hacking of accounts to determine criminal activity; this anonymous group has hacked at least 33 agency websites in the recent past.

Other crimes being tracked include pedophiles, hackers, fraudsters and any interference in the network for criminal activities." 

The Twitter account of Governor Ivonne Ortega Pacheco was hacked last month and is under investigation. 

Change In the Wind

Beginning in early 2013, the Merida-Progreso highway could begin its transformation to a toll road to help defray the cost of maintenance of roads, lighting and services offered to its thousands of users. 

Well-informed sources within the State government and executives from the Ministry of Communications and Transportation (SCT) held a private meeting with Mayab Consortium to discuss the possibility of granting permission for this change.

It would operate the same as the Merida-Cancun highway that is managed by Mayab Consortium.

The Merida-Progreso highway is a viable toll highway because of the large volume of traffic while currently the road in some places is dark, dirty and overgrown and recent traffic accidents highlights the problem with the curve that has no lighting.

Everyone agrees the Cancun-Merida toll road is a good road and is well maintained.

A State government spokesman who requested anonymity said the government is being very quiet about this possible change in order to reduce opposition to the project from the users.

To travel from the Merida to Cancun, the toll is $368 for cars and motorcycles while buses cost $688. The figures would be changed according to the mileage between Mérida and Progreso.

Progreso Ends the Year With Protests

Residents of Progreso are letting the city know they are dissatisfied with the governing of Mayor  Maria Esther Alonzo Morales and her council, targeting issues like corruption, abuse of power,  nepotism and treasury irregularities.

There will be a public protest at the doors of City Hall from 6-8PM focusing on the above issues as well as excess parties promoted by the Commune and lack water and streets full of potholes as these problems increase by the day.

The protest, organized by a group of residents throughout the port want to let the mayor know of their dissatisfaction with her general malaise in dealing with these issues.

Young Child Causes Fire

According to municipal police, a fire at calle 27 #334 between 28 and 30 at 18:40 was caused by the owner’s son setting off firecrackers that required intervention of firefighters to control it.

Yucatan Special Forces Travelling north

Earlier this week, 400 soldiers from the Mexican Army-Yucatan Special Forces left for Veracruz to reinforce the troops there, fighting organized crime.

The military convoy departed to participate in Operation Safe Veracruz involving the fight against organized crime and drug trafficking in the State.

Soldiers who belong to the 10^th Military Zone included 21 soldiers from the base in Valladolid are part of the convoy; they are to join up with troops from Quintana Roo and Campeche.

This is the 4^th time from Yucatan have travelled north to combat drug trafficking and to date there have been no casualties.

Police Activity

·      There was another theft at Apollo on calle 27 at 82 at 12:42 Wednesday morning for the 5^th timeand this time the thief took $9,000.  It appears that the thief was familiar with the store because once he gained entrance he cut the power to the surveillance cameras.

The owner, Santiago Sánchez González learned of the theft from relatives about 2:30AM after police found the door of the shop open.

About 6 months ago thieves stole batteries and money and the theft is alarming given the building is only 2 blocks from the city hall.