Mexico Invests in the Health
of Its People
Presidencia de la
República
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| A total of 768 public works concerning health have been completed during President Felipe Calderón's administration. |
During his speech at the Commemorative Ceremony of World Health Day, the President said:
“We are going to invest more in hospitals, better medical services and greater health coverage because our aim is to achieve a healthy Mexico, a Mexico where all Mexicans, without exception, not only as regards health but other personal aspects too, will be able to live better."
He stated that despite the problems affecting public finances, such as the reduction in tax collection due to the decrease in economic activity and the oil price situation, his government has maintained health expenditure. He announced that in 2009 total spending will be 350 billion pesos, nearly 50% more than the amount registered two years ago.
He said that in addition to the 768 public works completed during his administration, 48 billion pesos have been allocated annually to the Popular Insurance Scheme, which will enable states to build their own infrastructure.
“The population that has benefitted from these over 700 works is approximately 20 million Mexicans and in order not to reduce the pace, despite the crisis, in 2009, we will assign over 9.3 billion pesos for public works for hospital infrastructure throughout the country.”
In other words, in five years, the budget for hospital infrastructure in Mexico has increased tenfold, partly as a result of the guidelines established by the World Health Organization for this anniversary and for this year. These include the construction of Safe Hospitals, built to resist earthquakes and other catastrophes suffered in our country.
Accompanied by Health Secretary José Ángel Córdova Villalobos and UNAM Dean José Narro Robles, as well as the Board of Directors of the General Health Council, led by Enrique Ruelas Barajas, President Calderón said that, "We are working hard on health issues because we have a goal."
A propos of this, President Calderón added:
“The goal is to celebrate the 200 years of Mexico's independence by achieving Universal Health Coverage by the year 2011, the first year of the new centenary of national life, in other words, doctors, medicine and hospital treatment for any Mexican who needs it, regardless of his or her social or economic condition or place of residence."
After leading the health award ceremony which included the Eduardo Liceaga Award for Dr. Silvestre Frenk, the President instructed the Health Secretary and the directors of organizations in the sector to redouble their efforts not only through these infrastructure works that must be completed but also to keep Mexico in the vanguard in Latin America, not only as regards safe hospitals but also health coverage.
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Trailer for Sale - REDUCED TO SELL Now $5000
Avion trailer that is in Paraiso del Pescador Trailer Park. Would you please put the following ad in the Jaltemba Sol ASAP:
FOR SALE: Avion trailer, 10.6 metres
(approximately 35'), aluminum,
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Space #1. I'm leaving for the U.S. on
April 2. After that the trailer will be
in Space #8. e-mail
barbarakc2005@yahoo.com Mexico
phone: 327-274-0779 or 816-444-4031 U.S.
SE VENDE: Avion remolque, 10.6 metres,
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park, espacio #1. Despues April 1
en espacio #8. Correo de internet
barbarakc2005@yahoo.com Telephone en
Mexico 327-274-0779 or U.S.
816-444-4031.
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Spanish Today 
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Photography by Bill Bell to view Mexico Photography click below
Colonial Cities and Towns Archeological Sites
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A Cause Célèbre Clouds
Mexican Sentiment on
Kidnapping Scourge
Elisabeth Malkin - New
York Times
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Florence Cassez was convicted of kidnapping and other crimes. The strongest evidence against her was the testimony of the three victims, none of whom could see the faces of their captors. (New York Times) |
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Mexico City — Three years
ago, morning news programs
here broadcast the arrest of
a Frenchwoman and her
Mexican boyfriend in a
police raid that rescued
three kidnapping victims
from the ranch the couple
shared.
The woman, Florence Cassez,
was convicted of kidnapping
and other crimes and was
eventually sentenced to 60
years in jail. Case closed,
it would seem.
But through it all, Ms.
Cassez, 34, has maintained
her innocence. Her
boyfriend, Israel Vallarta,
who confessed, said she knew
nothing. And the television
images of police officers
storming the ranch? The raid
turned out to have been
staged the day after the
couple was arrested and the
hostages released.
The case has climbed back
into the headlines here
because President Nicolas
Sarkozy of France wants her
home — and all but said so
in a state visit to Mexico
last month. In France,
television news shows and
jailhouse interviews have
been spinning a tale of a
love-affair-turned-nightmare
in the murky workings of
Mexican justice.
Under an international
treaty, Ms. Cassez could
waive her right to further
appeals and ask to return to
France to serve her
sentence. But there is
almost universal opposition
here to sending her back.
Under the treaty, France
could change her sentence,
and the suspicion is that
once home, she would quickly
be released from jail. And
few people here believe her
protestations of innocence.
Ms. Cassez’s case has become
ensnared in Mexicans’ trauma
over kidnapping, a crime
that has become emblematic
of the country’s wave of
insecurity. The incompetence
of the police and
prosecutors, corruption and
negligence mean that very
few crimes are solved. The
paradox is that when they
are said to be solved,
public opinion quickly
hardens against the suspects
— no matter how imperfect
the case.
“In a general climate of
impunity, society becomes
very conservative,” said
Guillermo Zepeda, a security
expert at the Center of
Research for Development, a
Mexico City policy group.
“They want the few cases
that are resolved to be
exemplary.”
In fewer than 2 percent of
crimes does a suspect ever
appear before a judge, Mr.
Zepeda said. In large part
that is because Mexicans
have so little faith in any
aspect of the criminal
justice system that only 12
percent of crimes are ever
reported.
Believing that somebody is
guilty in Mexico, Mr. Zepeda
said, “is an act of faith.”
The strongest evidence
against Ms. Cassez was the
testimony of the three
victims, none of whom could
see the faces of their
captors.
The most vivid account came
from Cristina Ríos
Valladares, who was rescued
along with her son, then 11
years old, and a young man
named Ezequiel Elizalde, the
day of Ms. Cassez’s arrest,
after 52 days in captivity.
In a letter that Ms. Ríos
released to newspapers, she
described Ms. Cassez’s
threatening her in a
French-accented voice “that
still drills into my ears
today.”
Agustín Acosta, Ms. Cassez’s
lawyer, said that Ms. Ríos
did not identify Ms. Cassez
as one of her captors in her
first police statements
immediately after her
rescue. But Mr. Elizalde
did, based on her auburn
hair, and said that she
threatened to cut off his
ear or his finger.
The victims’ testimony and
the fact that Ms. Cassez
lived at the ranch is
evidence enough for most
Mexicans. That includes one
of the country’s most
influential voices on the
issue of crime and
punishment, Alejandro Martí,
a businessman whose
14-year-old son was
kidnapped and killed last
summer.
Miramar is located just
off of the road between Las Varas and
San Blas...there you will find many
friendly fishermen and restaurants to
serve you the best and cheapest oysters
in the area...photographs by Bill Bell
Obama Pledges Help to Slow US Arms Flow
en Feller - Associated Press
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President Barack Obama, left, waves as he walks with Mexican President Felipe Calderon in Mexico City, Thursday, April 16, 2009. President Obama is in Mexico for a brief official visit on his way to attend the Summit of the Americas in the Caribbean. (AP/Gregory Bull) |
Mexico City — Confronting a Mexican drug war that is "sowing chaos in our communities," President Barack Obama signaled Thursday he will not seek renewal of a U.S. assault weapons ban but instead will step up enforcement of laws banning the transfer of such guns across the border.
Obama had pledged during his campaign to seek renewal of the ban but has bowed to the reality that such a move would be unpopular in politically key U.S. states and among Republicans as well as some conservative Democrats.
Obama met with Mexican President Felipe Calderon, who has been conducting an aggressive fight against drug cartels and had hoped to persuade Obama to push for reinstatement of the gun ban. Obama arrived here on the first stop of a trip that will take him to a weekend Summit of the Americas in Trinidad, bringing together the leaders of 34 Western Hemisphere democracies.
Allies in the fight against drugs, Obama and Calderon took different stands on U.S. sanctions against Cuba. Calderon said the 47-year-old U.S. trade embargo has not been successful in forcing Cuba to adopt democratic reforms.
"I share fully the idea we do not believe that the embargo or the isolation of Cuba is a good measure for things to change in Cuba," Calderon said. "On the contrary; the reality that we see there is that the reality has not changed."
Obama pointed to the announcement this week that the U.S. was softening sanctions, allowing Americans to make unlimited transfers of money and visits to relatives in Cuba. But he said Cuba needs to reciprocate with actions that are "grounded in respect for human rights."
Cuban President Raul Castro, attending meetings in Venezuela, said his government is willing to discuss "everything" with Washington – including human rights, political prisoners and freedom of the press – as long as the discussion is "on equal terms." He did not specifically mention Obama's comments.
Obama acknowledged that the United States shares responsibility for bloodshed and kidnappings in Mexico that have spilled across the border into the United States. "I will not pretend this is Mexico's responsibility alone," Obama said.
"We have a responsibility as well, we have to do our part," Obama said. He said the U.S. must crack down on domestic drug use and the flow of weapons into Mexico.
Obama also said the United States and Mexico must work together to stem the problem of illegal immigration. He said he favors a more orderly process for immigrants who want to come to the United States and a pathway to legalization for those already in the U.S. illegally.
"My country has been greatly enriched by immigrants from Mexico," he said.
The two leaders also pledged to cooperate on combatting global warming and the global recession.
The U.S. ban on military-style assault weapons became law during the Clinton administration in 1994 and contributed to the Democrats' loss of Congress that year. It expired under the Bush administration in 2004. It had outlawed 19 types of weapons, banned certain features on firearms such as bayonet mounts, and limited ammunition magazines to 10 rounds.
When Attorney General Eric Holder raised the idea of reinstituting the ban this year, opposition from Democrats and Republicans emerged quickly.
Calderon made more direction mention of the U.S. politics of the matter than Obama did.
"We know that it is a politically delicate topic because Americans truly appreciate their constitutional rights, and particularly those that are part of the Second Amendment," Calderon said.
Obama said he still believed that the ban "made sense" but pointedly added: "None of us are under any illusion that reinstating that ban would be easy." He said he would focus instead on using existing laws to stop the flow of weapons to Mexico from the thousands of U.S. gun stores along the border.
"Now, are we going to eliminate all drug flows, are we going to eliminate all guns coming over the border?" Obama said. "That's not a realistic objective. What is a realistic objective is to reduce it so significantly, so drastically, that it becomes once again a localized criminal problem as opposed to a major structural problem that threatens stability in communities along those borders."
Obama also sought to put a focus on the more upbeat parts of the U.S.-Mexico relationship – such as shared commerce and culture – and not just the drug violence and immigration spats.
It was a theme he returned to on Thursday night at a dinner in his honor, held in an open-air courtyard of a Mexican museum.
"What makes us good neighbors is a simple truth, that our people share so much more than common challenges and common interests," Obama said. "We also share values and ideals."
Earlier, Calderon welcomed Obama to the presidential residence, Los Pinos, with an acknowledgment of the challenges: "My country is immersed in a historic transformation process. We live a robust democracy, which is also plural. We're also facing firmly the costs of the struggles in order to turn Mexico into a safer country."
Obama announced he would ask the Senate to ratify an inter-American weapons treaty meant to take on the bloody drug trade by restricting arms trafficking.
Just hours before Obama arrived in the country, a shootout between Mexican troops and a convoy of gunmen left 15 assailants and one soldier dead, Mexico's Defense Department said.
The Justice Department says Mexican drug trafficking organizations represent the greatest organized crime threat to the United States.
The Organization of American States adopted the weapons treaty in 1997 as a way to curtail dealing in illicit firearms throughout Latin America. Since then, 34 countries have signed the treaty, and 29 have ratified it. Former President Bill Clinton signed the treaty on Nov. 14, 1997, one day after it was endorsed by the OAS, but it was never acted on.
Calderon's aggressive stand against drug cartels has won him the aid of the United States and the prominent political backing of Obama.
Mexico is the main hub for cocaine and other drugs entering the U.S., and the United States is the primary source of guns used in Mexico's drug-related killings.
More than 10,000 people have been killed in Mexico in drug-related violence since Calderon's stepped-up effort against the cartels began in 2006. The State Department says contract killings and kidnappings on U.S. soil, carried out by Mexican drug cartels, are on the rise as well.
Obama has dispatched hundreds of federal agents, along with high-tech surveillance gear and drug-sniffing dogs, to the Southwest to help Mexico fight drug cartels, among many other steps aimed at addressing the escalating drug war.
Associated Press writer Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.
San Pancho AA
Alanon Monday at 5:00pm, CoDA Wednesday at 5:00pm, and AA Friday at 6:30pm in San Pancho in the museum on main street, between Galeria Corazon and San Pancho Cafe. Info at devasaya@gmail.com email or 311-258-4243.
Speak Spanish - That Should be Your Goal!
Learn Spanish Today Make 2009 the year that you learn Spanish
Can you Speak Spanish? How long have you been studying Spanish? Between high school classes, college classes and you own efforts you could easily have a couple years already under your belt. During this time you have likely built up a good Spanish vocabulary, along with a basic understanding of Spanish verb conjugation. But can you speak Spanish?
Why is speaking Spanish so hard? Would you feel comfortable approaching a native Spanish speaker and starting a conversation? Why not? Why is it so hard to speak Spanish even after years of study?
Beginning high school and college Spanish classes, as well as most self study Spanish courses start off by teaching vocabulary and verb conjugation. You practice speaking, but the focus is on the individual word or phrase. Lists of words are memorized and tests are given on verb conjugation. So when it comes time to speak, the words and phrases are separate in your mind. It becomes a matter of trying to pull all the pieces together and form them all into a sensible sentence, not just speaking.
The key to becoming more comfortable in speaking situations is to practice and learn the sentences as a whole, not in separate pieces. This way when you are trying to remember what to say, the whole sentence pops in your mind, not just one word. You will speak Spanish more correctly, more fluently and more confidently than ever before.
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