Uh-Oh! A "Blue Moon" Ends the 00s
As twilight descends on New Year's Eve of 2009, a full Moon will rise in the
eastern sky for the second time this month (the first time came on December
2nd). Many people use the expression "once in a blue Moon" to mean something
that occurs rarely, and you might be tempted to call December 31st's big,
bright orb a "Blue Moon" too. While the former meaning can be traced back
centuries, the latter definition is much newer -- and it's wrong! At least
if you're a stickler about these things.
"In modern usage, the second full Moon in a month has come to be called a
'Blue Moon.' But it's not!" says Kelly Beatty, Senior Contributing Editor
for Sky & Telescope magazine. "This colorful term is actually a calendrical
goof that worked its way into the pages of Sky & Telescope back in March
1946, and it spread to the world from there."
Sky & Telescope admitted to its "Blue Moon blooper" in its May 1999 issue.
Canadian folklorist Philip Hiscock and Texas astronomer Donald W. Olson had
helped the magazine's editors figure out how the mistake was made, and how
the two-full-Moons-in-a-month meaning spread into the English language.
Before 1946, a Blue Moon always meant something else. For example, says
Hiscock, sometimes it referred to an obvious absurdity. Quite a few old
songs use it as a symbol of sadness and loneliness. There's even a cocktail
called a Blue Moon; it's a mix of curacao, gin, and perhaps a twist of
lemon. And, exceedingly rarely, the Moon actually does turn blue in our sky
-- when a volcanic eruption, forest fires or dust storms send lots of fine
dust into the atmosphere.
Our 1946 writer, amateur astronomer James Hugh Pruett (18861955), made an
incorrect assumption about how the term had been used in the Maine Farmers'
Almanac -- which consistently used "Blue Moon" to mean to the third full
Moon in a season containing four of them (rather than the usual three).
By this definition, there is no Blue Moon in December 2009; instead, the
last one was in May 2008, and the next happens in November 2010.
But there's no turning back now. The concept of a Blue Moon as the second
full Moon in a month with two, as well as the third full Moon in a season
with four, are now both listed as official definitions in the 4th edition of
the American Heritage Dictionary (Houghton Mifflin, 2000).
By either definition, Blue Moons happen about once every 2.7 years on
average. The last occurrence of two full Moons in a calendar month was in
May 2007 (in North American time zones; the clock had already turned over to
June 1st in Europe and Asia.) The next will be in August 2012.
The last time a second full Moon last fell on New Year's Eve was in 1990.
If you want to tell your readers, listeners, or viewers that this Thursday's
full Moon is a Blue Moon, go right ahead. Pretty much everyone else will
too. The newer, "wrong" definition is simpler and handier for most people to
grasp and use. "That's how the English language shifts. You can't beat back
the tide," quips Sky & Telescope Senior Editor Alan MacRobert. "Not when the Moon is pulling the tide."
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/about/pressreleases/80285282.html
Effective December 9th 2009, there was a updated ruling proposed that could require much more documentation than before to receive a "Zero Capital Gains Tax Exemption in México when you sell your property".
Take a moment and examine your Bank Trust and all your utility bills and make sure the name is consistent with the Trust. Your FM3's or FM2's should be kept current and it is also suggested you have and keep your bank statements from a Mexican Bank to further prove you are a full-time resident in order to claim this tax exemption in the future.
Take the time to verify everything is in order and if you have a bill-paying service paying your utilities make sure the names are the same. As Realtors, this is where we can get surprised when the bill paying service or new owner never changed the utilities into their name and it can have an adverse effect on a transaction.
México gives this tax exemption to only those who have the México property as their primary residence and one of the ways they verify that is by "usage" on your electric bill. If your electricity and water bill have minimum amounts on them monthly, then it is obvious the property is not a primary residence. PRIMARY RESIDENCE is the key factor here.
You may have only one capital gains tax exemption in a year's time. The Notary MAY have a Seller sign a document that you have been a full-time resident for the Notary's file.
# 2: The New York Times came two weeks ago and took photos of one of the homes in Rosamar for a January feature story in their International Real Estate Section. They called today to verify the ownership questions the writer had. It sounds like it will be a very positive story.
# 3: The new 6-lane road along the border going to Playas is almost finished, but the turn to get to Rosarito and Ensenada has changed. It is best to be in the far right lane (by the military) and you will be in the right spot to get to the Toll Road. There is a new stop light there and the TWO LEFT lanes will take you into Playas. GET TO THE RIGHT LANE.
# 4: With Health Care issues going on in the USA, Mexico is working to attract some Medical Tourism with some great care and much lesser fees. Here is an interesting link for a Puerto Vallarta group of expatriates with a hip replacement for $13,000.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/health/july-dec09/mexico_12-28.html
If you'd had questions about non Mexican Nationals legally owning property (land, homes) in México, the answer is a resounding YES!
Please see this important document that explains it all.
Velia Amparo Rivas
Attachment(s): ForeignOwnershipMethods12-01-2009.pdf
En route to security summit, Rosarito mayor is crime victim
By Diane Bell, UNION-TRIBUNE COLUMNIST
Tuesday, December 8, 2009 at midnight
Rosarito Beach Mayor Hugo Torres, 73, says he became a crime victim for the first time last Thursday.
And the crime wasn’t in Mexico. Torres parked his 2008 GMC sport utility vehicle at San Diego’s Fashion Valley mall to do some shopping. He was on his way to the second Binational Mayors of the Californias Summit in Santa Ana.
His SUV, parked in a covered lot near Macy’s, was locked and the alarm was activated, but a thief still was able to get in and steal the mayor’s traveling bag, briefcase and two cell phones. Also missing was Torres’ portfolio and papers for the meeting he was about to attend.
One of the topics on the summit agenda was binational security — though security at U.S. shopping malls during the holiday season was not among the items scheduled for discussion.
Torres, who owns the Rosarito Beach Hotel, said he mentioned the theft to a mall security guard but, because of his tight schedule, didn’t have time to file a formal police report or view parking lot videotapes.
“I have insurance, so my items were covered,” he said yesterday. “But I just wanted them to know. Maybe they could prevent it from happening to someone else.”
He said his SUV, which is equipped with bulletproof glass, was undamaged, and he thinks the thief may have used an electronic entry device.
“I have never before been burglarized or robbed, or had anything stolen from me,” said Torres, Rosarito’s first mayor when the city incorporated in 1995. He served one three-year term then and was re-elected in December 2007.
Fashion Valley spokeswoman Francine Miley, while not commenting on the Torres break-in, said auto-related incidents have decreased significantly since the mall installed security cameras in all parking areas in 2008. Guards patrol by vehicle, by Segway and on foot.
DECEMBER 7, 2009
Cuba Gooding Sr. Named Goodwill
Ambassador, Receives Rosarito Key
ROSARITO BEACH, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO---Noted singer Cuba Gooding Sr., was presented a key to Rosarito and named a goodwill ambassador for the city by Mayor Hugo Torres at a weekend concert here.
"I am humbled by this, it means a lot to me," said Gooding, who is best known for his 1972 super hit "Everybody Plays The Fool" as lead singer of the Main Ingredient. He also is the father of well-known actor Cuba Gooding Jr.
Mr. Gooding, who has a vacation home in Rosarito, said he is troubled because some in the U.S. have gotten the impression that Rosarito is unsafe because of the government's crackdown on drug cartels and wanted to help correct that impression.
He told the mayor that he and his family would work to spread the word in the United States that Rosarito is a safe, wonderful, warm and welcoming place. "We're going to get Mexicans and Americans loving each other," he said.
Mayor Torres said the presentation was being made to Mr. Gooding "because of the great work you are doing and because we love you."
The effort to have Mr. Gooding named goodwill ambassador was organized by Baja Times editor Laura Wong and other Rosarito residents, including members of the city's large expatriate community.
As well as helping promote Rosarito in the U.S. and the world, Mr. Gooding said he also would bring other well-known '70s groups including the Temptations for concerts in the city. Mr. Gooding still tours several months a year.
Mayor Torres made the presentation to Mr. Gooding during a Saturday night dinner concert at Reuben's Palm Grill, in the Cantamar area of the city.
A full house of about 100 people enthusiastically watched the concert by Mr. Gooding, who was accompanied by the two backup singers of the Main Ingredient, a four-piece band and an emcee.
Cuba Gooding Sr. with Rosarito Mayor Hugo Torres at a meeting the week prior to the concert. Photo by Laura Wong.)
The proclamation presented to Cuba Gooding Saturday night by Mayor Torres follows:
Rosarito Goodwill Ambassador Cuba Gooding Sr.
WHEREAS Cuba Gooding Sr. is internationally known for his music, including the 1972 hit "Everybody Plays the Fool",
WHEREAS Mr. Gooding loves Rosarito, has a vacation home here and is dedicated to helping promote the region,
WHEREAS Mr. Gooding has graced the Rosarito area with several performances and plans more here in the future,
WHEREAS Mr. Gooding is a distinguished and valuable member of Rosarito's large expatriate community,
We on this day and for the future proclaim Cuba Gooding Sr. a Goodwill Ambassador for Rosarito.
December 5, 2010 Mayor Hugo Torres, Playas De Rosarito
Ron Raposa
Cell: (619)948-3740
ronraposa@hotmail.com
Dia De La Virgen Guadalupe Guest Author - Rebecca M. Cuevas De Caissie
On December 12th, El Dia De La Virgen de Guadalupe is celebrated throughout México and all of Latin America. The celebration and devotion of Hispanics to La Virgen de Guadalupe, especially amongst the Mexican community, has spread to where the veneration and devotion to the Virgin Mary is a staple amongst all Catholics around the world, most notably in the Americas. This is the story of how the Virgen de Guadalupe became the icon she is today and how El Dia De La Virgen was conceived in México.
Let’s begin with the name Guadalupe and the origins of it. Guadalupe is a small village in Spain famous for its fortress-like monastery, founded in 1340, occupied by Hieronymites from 1359 to its dissolution in 1832. Later Guadalupe was reoccupied by Franciscans in 1928. Guadalupe stands on a spot where it is said that a Sheppard in the early 14th century found an effigy, believed to have been rendered by St. Luke, of a black virgin. The veneration of the Virgin of Guadalupe reached its pinnacle in the 15th and 16th centuries when she was made the patroness of the whole of Hispanidad, the territories conquered by Spain in the Americas, by Spanish Navigators before setting out on their voyages.
The most widely accepted, though not the first, account of the appearance of the Virgin Mary in South America is the Nican Mopohua written in Náhuatl, the indigenous language of Meso-American nations such as the Aztecan Empire. The Nican Mopohua was told by many people living in the region of Tepeyac and recorded by historians; it describes the meeting between La Virgen and San Juan Diego in 1531 which was only ten years since the México region had been conquered by Spanish conquistadores.
Juan Diego was a widowed convert to the Roman Catholic religion and was on his way to the monastery or “to attend to divine things” passing the hill of Tepeyac when the sky turned bright and he began to hear “singing on top of the hill, like the songs of various precious birds”. He stopped wondering if it he was in “Xochitlalpan”, a Meso-American Náhuatl expression for heaven. At the end of the song he claims to have heard the call of a woman from the top of the hill where he saw a lady whose “clothes were like the sun”. He prostrated himself before her and was asked where he was going to which he replied that he was going to her home of Tlatelolco to hear the sermons of the friars. The woman went on to identify herself as “the eternally consummate virgin Saint Mary, mother of the true deity, God, the giver of life, the creator of people, the ever present, the lord of heaven and earth”. She then asked Juan Diego to relate to the Bishop her wish to have a temple built on the hill of Tepeyac where she would attend to the “weeping and sorrows” of “you and all the people of this land, and of the various peoples who love me”, “in order to remedy and heal all their various afflictions, miseries and torments.”
According to the legend, Juan Diego carried her message to the Bishop Juan de Zumárraga and upon cross-examination which, I would imagine in that day, have been more of an interrogation, Juan was asked to produce evidence as to his claim. When he was unable to produce the required evidence his story was rejected. From this point on, he, being afraid of displeasing the deity, avoided the area and traversed the other side of the hill where he was reportedly again to meet with La Virgen. She instructed him to gather a bunch of Castillian Roses from atop Tepeyac hill in his tilma (cloak) and return to the Bishop. He was instructed not to put the roses down until he was in audience with the Bishop and this would provide proof of her miraculous presence. Accordingly during that time Castillian roses were uncommon in that region as well as this having taken place in the middle of winter made the abundance of roses told of in this story truly a miracle. Juan Diego did as he was told and when he delivered the roses to the Bishop the stories state that both he and the Bishop we amazed to find the image of La Virgen emblazoned on the fabric of his tilma. The virgin who appeared was given the name of La Virgen de Gudalupe and shortly thereafter a Basílica bearing her name was built on that site in 1531.
Our Lady of Guadalupe still underpins the faith of Catholics in Mexico and the rest of Latin America, and she has been recognized as patron saint of México City since 1737, with her patronage extended piece by piece until it included all of America by 1946. Much of the recent increase in Marianism in the Catholic Church, including the call to recognize Mary as co-redemptrix, stems from the cult of Guadalupe.
Today many devotees make the pilgrimage to the Basílica de Guadalupe, some crawling on their knees for miles, to pray to the Virgin of Guadalupe, make promises and seek guidance. It is said that she can cure almost any sickness and many problem drinkers go there to promise her that they will never drink again. The majority of these pilgrims claim to find the strength to fulfill their promises and find the answers that they seek.
This is the story of how La Virgen de Guadalupe became celebrated throughout México and Latin America, where the true miracle is that she has united the Hispanic population as well as Catholics throughout America in a common love and devotion. This was accomplished by that same steadfast love and devotion Hispanics approach every aspect of life and our traditions. It is said that 90% of Hispanics are Catholic but 100% are Guadalupanos and now maybe the same can be said of all Catholics throughout the Americas. It is the love we give to our Virgencita and that she gives to us that, as foretold in the legend, protected and kept us whole. This why we celebrate El Dia De La Virgen de Guadalupe is Amor (love).
For all your wants, desires and needs regarding relocating to México, please contact me; I want to earn your business and can guide you in all the aspects that the article below describes. I care.
Velia Amparo Rivas
Article by Suzan Haskins
Latin America Editor, International Living
Which foreign country will be the first in which Americans can use Medicare and Medicaid benefits?
México, of course.
It just makes sense. México is right next door to the largest market of health care consumers in the world. Some health services in México can cost 12 times less than what is charged in the U.S., experts say.
It's no wonder that Americans (and yes, Canadians, too) cross the Mexican border in frequently increasing numbers to avail of the high-quality but low-cost health care Mexico provides, including reduced cost prescriptions.
Already, the four largest commercial U.S. health insurers-with enrollments totaling nearly 100 million people-have either launched pilot programs exploring or offering overseas travel to countries like México for health services. Some smaller health insurers and brokers also have introduced travel options for hundreds of employers around the country.
It also makes sense that Americans should be able to use insurance benefits from Medicare and Medicaid in Mexico. And that ability may become reality very soon, says Bruno Ferrari, the chief executive officer of Promexico, México's foreign investment agency.
And he believes that within one year, the governments of México and the U.S. may have an agreement to let Americans use their Medicare and Medicaid insurance at Mexican health care facilities.
Already, 10 U.S. and Canadian companies have expressed an interest in building facilities to cater to Americans seeking to take advantage of low medical expenses, he says.
This is all good news for those of us who live in México and for anyone thinking about relocating or retiring there.
Anticipating the approval of both U.S. private insurance and Medicare/Medicaid programs in Mexico, real estate developers are getting in on the act, too. Many of them are creating special communities that cater to the health needs of foreign retirees, including assisted living centers.
Since México has been hard hit by the global economic meltdown, and the peso has recently lost 30% of its value against the dollar, there are deals to be had on real estate in México right now. (And on travel and just about everything else).
Health care, health insurance, and real estate opportunities in México were some of the subjects of discussion at the Live & Invest in México Seminar in Puerto Vallarta November 12-14.
There are many reasons why today's México makes sense for the retiree or investor. There truly will never be a better time in your lifetime to start a new life in México.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NOVEMBER 27, 2009
ROSARITO BEACH, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO---Mayor Hugo Torres in his second State of The City Address highlighted gains made in public safety and stated such improvements would continue to be the main goal of the administration.
Among accomplishments, Torres cited a 22 percent decline in crime from January to October of 2009 from the same period of the previous year, bring Rosarito to its lowest crime level in five years, the biggest gain in Baja.
Torres spoke Tuesday evening in City Hall plaza to an audience of hundreds that included Baja California Gov. Jose Guadalupe Osuna Millan plus numerous state and federal officials as well as city residents.
The mayor cited reforming the police department, establishing tougher standards, more incentives for officers, strict guidelines for public officials, military and state law enforcement support as key to the gains.
Torres is in the second year of a three-year term that began in December of 2007.
The mayor also cited actions made to make the city more welcoming to visitors, including establishing a Tourist Police Force, bilingual parking ticket, ombudsman's office and special city department for visitor assistance.
Rosarito also has made strong efforts for its youth through new programs in the schools including expanded drug prevention, extensive sports programs and breaking ground for a Boys & Girls Club, the first phase of which is scheduled to open next year.
In city infrastructure, about $20 million is dedicated to paving of 189 city roads and new Olympic-sized pool constructed.
Council members Norma Gutierrez, Rosa Maria Cornejo, Manuel Cipres, Santiago Lepro and Rafael Crosthwaite also spoke of city accomplishments during the past two years.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Ron Raposa
(619)948-3740 ronraposa@hotmail.com
U.S. Mailing Address:
2751 Lincoln Court
National City, CA 91950
This is the Executive Summary of the Binational Task Force on the United States-México Border.
It is a very important report prepared under the auspices of the Pacific Council on International Policy representing the US, and COMEXI, the Consejo Mexicano de Asuntos Internacionales, A.C. representing México. The Task Force 2 Co-Chairs, 2 Co-Directors, and 27 Members are a list of "Who's Who" in International Relations.
It's a little long, 19 pages, but it's worth the read. Hope you enjoy it.
This is the link: http://www.pacificcouncil.org/pdfs/COMEXEXECSUMM.pdf
Greetings and Happy Thanksgiving!
Monday, November 23, 2009
Development Bank Funds over US$1b in Border Projects
By Kent Paterson
In a milestone of sorts, the North American Development Bank (NADB) recently exceeded the billion dollar mark in financing projects for the US-Mexico border region. Chartered as a result of the environmental side agreement to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the NADB provides loans and grants to both US and Mexican communities.
The latest projects funded by the bank include road paving in Tijuana, wastewater treatment and systems in Nuevo Laredo, and storm water systems in El Paso, Texas. In El Paso, the bank has agreed to purchase $53 million in 20-year municipal revenue bonds at a 5.38 percent interest rate.
Juan Antonio Flores, NADB spokesperson, told Frontera NorteSur the deal was a good one for the Texas border city, since 35 percent of the interest payments on the loan will be reimbursed to El Paso by federal stimulus funds. "They get interest brought down," Flores said.
The NADB official said construction of the system, which should help El Paso withstand flooding disasters like the one that struck the city in 2006 as well recharge the stressed Bolson Hueco Aquifer, is expected to commence in January 2010.
Besides the Tijuana road paving contracted out to the Cemex company, the NADB has agreed to finance a $22 million water and wastewater project for both the Baja California border city and Playas de Rosarito to the south.
The NADB has been especially active on the Mexican side of the border. In Nuevo Laredo, for instance, a $57.7 million wastewater treatment plant and system was recently inaugurated in a ceremony attended by Tamaulipas Governor Eugenio Hernandez Flores, Nuevo Laredo Mayor Ramon Garza Barrios, and NADB Deputy Managing Director Hector Camacho.
The San Antonio-based bank channeled $25.4 million for the project, including $20 million in grant funds from the Border Environment Infrastructure Fund, which is supported by funding from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The new wastewater treatment system is expected to reduce contamination of the Rio Grande shared by both Mexico and the US. Additionally, NADB is providing $84 million to Nuevo Laredo for storm water collection and street paving purposes.
"In addition to the obvious environmental benefits for Nuevo Laredo, these projects will also help from an economic development standpoint and strengthen competitiveness," the NADB's Hector Camacho said in a statement.
According to Flores, several factors are behind the surge in NADB funding in northern Mexico, including a greater willingness on the part of Mexican governments to take on debt, the availability of matching funds from the EPA, and the Calderon administration's drive to increase wastewater treatment capacity in the country.
"We're more active in Mexico," Flores said. "There's always been a greater need in Mexico and the terms of loans are affordable in Mexico."
NADB loans, which charge Mexican clients between 8.6 and 10.5 percent in interest, are less expensive than those offered by commercial banks south of the border, Flores said. Although the NADB rates would be considered high for US communities, which get lower interest rates from the bank because they are pegged to the US Treasury indexes, current bank interest rates for Mexico are "still good" for the country, he maintained.
Back in the Paso del Norte borderland, NADB funding of nearly $23 million in grants from the EPA-sponsored Border Environment Infrastructure Fund is in the pipeline for four water quality and wastewater treatment projects in Dona Ana County, New Mexico. A project planned for the town of Anthony south of Las Cruces, New Mexico, includes arsenic removal.
In the entire border region, the NADB is helping fund 132 environmental infrastructure projects valued at $1.07 billion, according to a bank tally issued this month. In terms of the geographic breakdown of the projects, about 70 percent are situated in Mexico and 30 percent in the United States, according to Flores.
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Frontera NorteSur (FNS)
Center for Latin American and Border Studies
New Mexico State University
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Kent Paterson is the editor of Frontera NorteSur, a free, on-line, U.S.-Mexico border news source.
The economy is rebounding! That will drive prices up in our part of the world so check out all the beautiful homes I have for sale before they go up in price!
The article (link below) tells what's happening in San Diego County and when prices go up in the US side of the border, they go up here too.
Don't miss this last opportunity to buy at a great price!
Link to the San Diego article: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2009/nov/17/sd-county-home-prices-inch-higher/
Monday, November 16, 2009
Mexican Revolution Day & Upcoming 'Super-Duper Fiestas'
By Allan Wall
Patriotic holidays and how they are celebrated are elements of a nation’s shared culture. Of course, when we start studying the nitty-gritty of such festivities even more questions are raised.
In the United States, for example, you’d think more would be done to recognize Constitution (or Citizenship) Day, on September 17th, but almost nothing is done on that day.
México has a number of fiestas patrias, and the one coming up next is the November 20th celebration of the Anniversary of the Mexican Revolution
Well, it’s called November 20th — although it’s now officially celebrated on the third Monday of November, which in 2009 is November 16th. So happy Mexican Revolution Day!
The Mexican Revolution should not be confused with the Mexican War of Independence, nor with Cinco de Mayo, which though quite famous in the United States is not a big deal in México.
The Mexican Revolution is emphasized in the educational system and is a key part of Mexican identity. In the United States, the most famous figure of the historical era is Pancho Villa.
The Mexican Revolution began November 20th, 1910, as an uprising against longtime dictator Porfirio Díaz, who resigned and left the country in 1911.
But the abdication of Porfirio Díaz did not usher in an era of peace and prosperity. Far from it.
Francisco I. Madero, who started the Revolution and became president, was overthrown by Victoriano Huerta, who in turn was overthrown by a coalition which then broke up into warring factions.
The two most colorful revolutionary leaders were Pancho Villa, the "Centaur of the North," and Emiliano Zapata, leader of the "Liberation Army of the South." They’ve also made the deepest impression on the collective psyche of Mexican identity.
Pancho Villa was defeated in 1915 at Celaya, the biggest battle of the Revolution, by Alvaro Obregón. (Even though Villa lost and Obregón won, Villa is much more famous today. That shows that popular history is not always written by the winners.)
After the Carranza/Obregón faction triumphed over the Villa/Zapata alliance, a new constitution was drafted under Venustiano Carranza’s leadership in 1917. It’s still in use, though with many amendments.
An interesting bit of trivia is that the Mexican Revolution was the first war anywhere in which an airplane dropped a bomb on a ship, in the battle of Topolobampo in 1913.
Foreign powers also intervened in the war. Germany supported Huerta, and later tried to make a deal with Carranza.
The United States supported Pancho Villa, but then switched to backing Carranza. In retribution, the "Centaur of the North" launched a 1916 raid on Columbus, New Mexico. That raid provoked John J. Pershing’s Punitive Expedition into northern Mexico, the first U.S. military operation to include the use of aircraft in a combat capacity. On Mexico’s east coast, the U.S. military briefly occupied the port of Veracruz.
Although the Mexican Revolution is still held in high regard in México, in recent decades it has been criticized by some. This criticism coincided with the decline of the PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party), which formerly dominated México as a one-party state government.
The Mexican revolutionaries represented different interests and ideologies. Zapata’s major cause was restoration of confiscated property in his region. As for Pancho Villa, what his ideology was is not all clear.
The long-vilified image of Porfirio Díaz has slightly improved. His accomplishments included economic development, a low crime rate and a peso on par with the pound sterling.
Some Mexicans have criticized the Revolution for not being all it was cracked up to be. It’s been belittled from the left for not having gone far enough.
It’s been criticized by free-market pundit Sergio Sarmiento as a “monumental failure” which “destroyed a regime of poverty, inequality and authoritarianism” but also “constructed another regime of poverty, inequality and authoritarianism.”
In 2007, Macario Schettino published a book entitled Cien Años de Confusión (A Hundred Years of Confusion). Schettino asserts that despite its much-celebrated Revolution, 20th century México has not developed more successfully than other Latin American nations, whether you look at development in terms of the economy, education, health or social security. As for the progress made in México since the Revolution, Schettino says such progress has been made in other countries that had no social revolution.
The intellectual dispute over the Mexican Revolution continues, but its place in the patriotic calendar is safe for now.
Besides, next year, 2010, marks both the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the Mexican Revolution, and the 200th anniversary of the beginning of what became the Mexican Independence Movement. So a big celebration is being planned for México.
After all, a debate over history is one thing, but a super-duper fiesta is another thing entirely.
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Allan Wall, an educator, resided in México for many years. His website is located at www.allanwall.net.
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