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“By signing these documents, we have made a commitment to open a branch of the university for research and training as well as university extension and cultural dissemination,” said Narro. |
The agreement was signed in Parque Landeta and witnessed by Governor Juan Manuel Oliva, Sergio Alcocer Martínez de Castro, UNAM general secretary, and Roberto Escalante Semerena, head of the UNAM College of Economics.
A commitment to the community
| UNAM considered San Miguel a strategic site for multidisciplinary research in economics, politics, administration, philosophy, psychology, medicine and ecology. | |
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Narro said that “although the curriculum will cover several areas, we have a commitment to ecology and to focus on climatic changes and their repercussions on economics and health. We want to build a center that is involved in environmental education and to collect information so that other public and private organizations can benefit. It is our job to continue the work done by nongovernmental organizations and local and state government departments. Environmental protection and promotion of sustainable development will be part of what we intend to promote.”
UNAM intends the CIM to directly benefit the municipality and its population. In addition to serving students and researchers, areas for public recreation and education will also be created. UNAM also plans to open a health center that will offer quality medical service to the public.
Parque Landeta
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Until the signing of this agreement, the 35 hectares of land known as Parque Landeta had been maintained by El Charco del Ingenio A.C. through an agreement with the local government. |
Its ecosystems of desert flora and wetlands, currently under restoration, make Parque Landeta an important ecological area.
Through this new agreement, 28 of the 35 five hectares will be administered by UNAM. The five hectares on which the CIM will be built will be donated to UNAM. Two more will continue to function as the municipal landscaping nursery. All of the land will be designated as an ecological preserve.
The CIM
| The CIM multidisciplinary research center will house researchers, professors, technicians, administrative staff and scholarship students working on bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral theses. | |
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The facilities will include administrative offices, laboratories, five classrooms, two workshops, offices for researchers, audiovisual rooms, a library, an environmental education center and dormitories.
Besides it focus on global warming and environmental issues, other goals of the CIM include creating jobs, increasing the competitiveness of experts in economics and social sciences in the Bajío and central part of the country, offering continuing education for professionals and generating income through academic activities. Some of the projects will be financially supported by UNAM; others will receive corporate funding.
According to Narro, construction on the CIM will begin during the second semester of 2009. “We want to establish a clear agreement with state and local governments in Guanajuato and to coordinate with the University of Guanajuato. If this is to be successful, we must have coordination,” said Narro.
| The CIM and its facilities Auditorium: 581square meters Environmental Education Center: 5,428 square meters |
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Five classrooms for 50 people each: 768 square meters
Offices for 13 researchers and computer center: 771 square meters
Library: 1,710 square meters
Administrative building: 520 square meters
Lodging for researchers: 1,061 square meters
Total area: 50,020 square meters
Construction area: 6,317 square meters
Squares and parking: 11,833 square meters
Green areas: 14,379 square meters
Natural area: 17,500 square meters
President of UNAM
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José Ramón Narro Robles, the current president of UNAM, studied medicine at UNAM and graduated with honors in 1973. He then did postgraduate work at Birmingham University in England. He has been a professor in UNAM’s College of Medicine since 1974. In 2003, he became dean of the College of Medicine. |
He has held positions in public administration, including a tenure as the general director of the Public Health Department in Mexico City. He has written 56 articles for scientific journals and 23 book chapters.
He was appointed president of UNAM on November 17, 2007, and will remain in the position until November 16, 2011.
World Heritage plaque at Plaza Cívica
By Jesús Ibarra
| The commemorative plaque of UNESCO’s appointment of San Miguel and the Shrine of Atotonilco as World Heritage sites was unveiled within the celebrations of Ignacio Allende’s 240th birthday. | |
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After a huge military parade through San Miguel’s main streets, Governor Juan Manuel Oliva; Mayor Jesús Correa; Sergio Enrique Rodríguez Hernández, head of Tourist Development State Department; Cristóbal Finkelstein Franyuti, coordinator of the World Heritage Project; Fernando Manríquez, parish priest of Atotonilco; and José Cornelio López Espinosa, the city historian, met at the Plaza Cívica to place the plaque at the foot of the Ignacio Allende statue.
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After a brief address about the history of San Miguel given by Espinosa, Mayor Correa emphasized that, since July 7, when the UNESCO appointment was announced, the duty of all sanmiguelenses is to “grow without destroying, and to preserve and maintain our cultural heritage for the next generations.” |
Governor Oliva announced that 79 million pesos will be invested in tourist projects in San Miguel, of which 16 will be for the Shrine in Atotonilco; 10 for the museum project for the former presidencia building; 14 for the third stage of the underground cable works; 2 for restoration works and lighting the San Juan de Dios cemetery; 2.5 for lighting at San Felipe square, Jardín Zaragoza, at Insurgentes bustop; and San Antonio church, in Colonia San Antonio; 3 for the Chapel Route, along the Laja River; 8 for Cañada de la Virgen;
| 1 for widening sidewalks; 1.5 for Oratorio square and tower restoration; 3 for urban infrastructure; 6 for a multimedia lighting program for the Parroquia, the former Presidencia and Allende’s house; and 12 for the construction of the Bicentennial Park in Calzada de la Estación. | |
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How to … report a crime
By Krishna Villena
It is too often the case that as the population of a city increases so does the crime rate, and San Miguel is not immune to this social problem. The emotional, economic and physical impacts of a crime can be devastating to its victims and their families, and these effects can feel even more profound if the victim is unsure how to take action to report the crime.
In San Miguel, home invasion and robbery is one of the most common crimes. According to Daniel Trujillo García, head of the Police Department, “a relatively larger number of foreigners are victims of this crime, and unfortunately often the perpetrators have been employees or employees’ relatives or friends who have studied the person and the house. However, this situation is not exclusive to foreigners, and everyone should exercise caution to help prevent such crimes.”
Trujillo emphasizes the importance of reporting crimes or suspicious activity. “If we don’t have a record, we are unable to help people. The information is also important to prevent other crimes, so we must be responsible and report it. Incidents can be reported at the police substations in Centro and the neighborhoods of Linda Vista and Olimpo or at the Municipal Administration Building.”
The following paragraphs describe the steps involved in reporting a crime and initiating an investigation.
When a crime has been perpetrated, call one of the emergency numbers. After the police arrive and take your statement, you will be asked to go to the district attorney’s office (Ministerio Público). This step is necessary to launch an investigation by a prosecutor and the police.
To speed up the process, bring a valid photo ID (FM3, passport, driver’s license, etc.). Although there are bilingual staff at the district attorney’s office, you may wish to bring a translator if you do not speak Spanish.
Investigations are routed to one of four prosecutors, depending on the nature of the crime. Your first stop at the district attorney’s office is the “information unit” (modulo de información) where your case will be assigned to the appropriate prosecutor and his staff, including a ministerial police officer (judicial).
Once your prosecutor has been assigned, you enter a private area to make a statement. Josué Ezequiel Hernández Tovar, in charge of the information unit, said that in the case of theft, the agents will ask you to provide them with receipts for your stolen belongings to prove their existence. Hernández Tovar said that if you don’t have any or all of them, two witnesses, such as friends, neighbors or other acquaintances, can confirm the belongings were in your house before the robbery. After the lawyer and agents complete their investigation of the scene, a file called averiguación previa (previous enquiry) is created, that includes information such as the name of the lawyer conducting your case, the victim’s name and the number of the agency,” said Hernández Tovar.
Police Department
Mon—Fri, 9am–4pm/24-hour emergencies
Municipal Administration Offices, Boulevard de la Conspiración 130
Call 066 or direct line 152-2890
District Attorney’s Office
Mon–Friday 9am–5pm
An agent is always on guard duty to provide emergency 24-hour service
Boulevard de la Conspiración 120 (about 100 meters from the Public Security Department)
Call 152-3606, 152-7337 or 152-6304
Basic steps in reporting and investigating a crime
1. Call emergency number 066 or the police department at 152-2890
2. Wait for the police to arrive to take a statement
3. Go to the district attorney’s office; take a photo ID
4. Go to the information unit for prosecutor assignment
5. Give your statement to the prosecuting lawyer and two ministerial secretaries
6. The agency determines the type of crime and investigates the scene
7. A file is created for your case (averiguación previa)
At the district attorney’s office you can also report the loss or theft of documents such as a passport, visa, property deed, vehicle registration and plates, driver’s license, FM3 and credit cards. Take along an original ID and two copies. Depending on the type of procedure, other documents may be requested.
Glossary
Seguridad Pública is the Public Security Department located in the Municipal Administration Building at Boulevard de la Conspiración 130.
Ministerio Público is the district attorney’s office, located at Boulevard de la Conspiración 120.
Agencia refers to the private area where the lawyer and two secretaries take notes, register your declaration of the facts and determine the type of crime.
Averiguación previa is the legal document that contains your statement information and case number.
Judicial is the ministerial police officer in charge of the investigation to gather evidence to prove the crime, arresting people and executing search warrants, among other duties.
Home Security Tips
In San Miguel, two of the most common crimes are breaking and entering and robbery. Daniel Trujillo García, head of the police department, recommends:
· Lock all doors and windows when you leave, even if only for a short time
· Change all the locks when you move into a new house.
· Use timers to switch lights and radios on and off when you’re not at home.
· If you have a faulty alarm that frequently goes off, have it fixed immediately and tell your neighbors that it has been repaired.
· Install a deadbolt (cerrojo) lock on your door.
· If you lose your keys, change the locks immediately.
· Before turning your key over to a housecleaner, gardener or any maintenance workers for several hours, make sure the person is honest and reputable.
· Don’t leave notes for service people or family members on the door.
· Call the police and talk to your neighbors about any suspicious people or strange cars you notice in the vicinity.
· Check that trees located near windows can’t be used by burglars to get into your house.
· Ask for credentials from any salespeople who request entry to your home. Ask them to slide their ID under the door. Many professional burglars use this ruse to check out homes.
· If someone comes to your door asking to use the phone to call a mechanic or the police, keep the door locked and make the call yourself.
· Dogs are good deterrents for burglars. Even a small, noisy dog can be effective.
· If you are going to be out of town for a long time, ask a friend or neighbor to check your house weekly on different days and at different times.
It’s time to pay property taxes
By Krishna Villena
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Property taxes constitute the single most important income for San Miguel’s local government, as is true for most municipalities in the country. In Mexico, taxes are regulated by articles 8 through 20 of the legislative decree number 776 of the Municipal Tribute Law. Taxes are levied based on the value of urban or rural properties, including the land itself and any dwellings or other buildings thereon. |
The predial is a property tax that owners of land, house or other building pay to the Mexican government. The amount one pays depends on the size of the lot, the constructed area, the type of construction, the location of the property and the use of the site, either commercial or residential. Each municipality is autonomous regarding the collection of property taxes.
You can pay the predial in any of four ways:
Go to the former Presidencia offices, Plaza Principal 8 across from the Jardin, Mon–Sun, 9am–4pm (credit and debit cards are accepted)
Go to the Municipal Administration Building at Boulevard de la Conspiracion 130, Mon–Fri, 8:30am–4pm (credit and debit cards are accepted)
Pay your taxes at Banorte, Banamex or Banco del Bajío (without commission)
Pay online at: www.sanmiguelallende.gob.mx
Commission for credit cards: 1.55% plus IVA (taxes)
Commission for debit cards: 1.05% plus IVA (taxes)
Discounts and deadlines
Before January 31, 15% discount
Before February 28, 10% discount
Deadline for paying the predial is February 28
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