Protests against the increase in public transportation fares in Jalisco, from 9.50 to 14 pesos, and the requirement to use a VISA card from a private financial institution to pay the 11-peso fare, continued this Saturday, as has been the case throughout January, with marches in the city center.
“Out with (Pablo) Lemus, out with Lemus (Governor of Jalisco)” and “No to the fare hike, no to the fare hike,” were the most frequent slogans during the march, which went from Revolución Park to Plaza de Armas, a route that has also become the most used for expressing discontent.
Before reaching their destination in front of the government palace, the group made an impromptu stop in Plaza Universidad to hold a brief rally, taking advantage of the many passersby who were watching the demonstration.
Using a megaphone, they urged citizens not to apply for the orange card backed by the Broxel financial institution, which would allow them to pay the public transportation fare at 11 pesos instead of 14. They reminded them that to obtain the card, they must first hand over their biometric, geolocation, and personal data not only to the government but also to the company.
“How is it possible that each card costs us 5.45 pesos per month (the amount the state government will pay for each activated card), and they take our biometric data? Don’t apply for it, or are you in a hurry to be charged more for public transportation?” asked Juan Vázquez, one of the march organizers, to the people watching from the sidewalk.
Chanting “Revocation, revocation,” the march continued toward the main square, where they finally arrived and held a rally that reiterated their criticism of “the corrupt orange government that doesn’t govern but steals.”
The proposal to nationalize public transportation arose in response to the government’s argument that the service is unprofitable for transportation operators, a claim used to justify subsidies and fare increases.
It was noted that the service used to be operated by two state-owned companies that were deliberately dismantled by the National Action Party (PAN) governments that ruled the state for 18 years. Specifically, the six-year term of current Senator Francisco Ramírez Acuña was singled out, as he is held responsible for having “destroyed” the state-owned company Sistecozome.
A new mobilization will take place next Saturday, while on Friday a citizens’ group formally presented to the Electoral and Citizen Participation Institute of Jalisco a total of 14,873 digital signatures and 554 sheets with physical signatures, totaling just over 20,500 signatures, with the aim of initiating the process to put to a referendum the fare increase agreement signed by Governor Lemus.
Source: jornada
