The Week in Mexico

August 2, 2009 (San Diego Union-Tribune)

Preview of 2010? The year 2010 has transcendent meaning for Mexico, analyst Ana Maria Salazar told the Institute of the Americas at the University of California San Diego. Next year is the bicentennial of Mexico's cry for independence from Spain and the centennial of the start of the Mexican Revolution. The Popular Revolutionary Army rebels and other groups may try to cause disruptions to take advantage of the spotlight placed on the year, said Salazar, a former Pentagon anti-narcotics official.

Progress against trachoma: Mexico, Ghana and Saudi Arabia became the latest countries to declare that they have eliminated blinding trachoma as a public health problem.

Job losses: The Treasury Ministry said Mexico has lost 596,200 jobs since June 2008, a 4.1 percent decline as of June of this year. Mexico will see its economy contract as much as 7.5 percent this year, the central bank said. The economy will expand 1.5 percent to 2 percent next year, Ignacio Deschamps, CEO of BBVA Bancomer bank, told Radio Formula.

Special drug courts: Mexico announced a pilot program to have special courts handle cases involving addicted offenders who commit crimes while under the influence of drugs. The idea was praised by visiting U.S. drug czar Gil Kerlikowske, who noted "drug courts" can sentence people to rehabilitation programs instead of prison.

ID cards: President Felipe Calderon says Mexico will start issuing nationwide identity cards for its citizens this year, and by 2012 every Mexican will have one. The cards are to carry the bearer's photograph and will have information on fingerprints and biometric data such as facial and iris scans on a magnetic strip.

Ciudad Juarez violence: Assailants gunned down five men and a woman in a pool hall in Ciudad Juarez. Two more shooting victims were hospitalized. On Tuesday night, federal agent José Ibarra was shot dead in the city. He had been investigating the Nov. 13 killing of police reporter Armando Rodríguez, among other crimes.

Radio journalist killed: The body of radio journalist Juan Daniel Martínez was found beaten, gagged and partially buried in Acapulco. Martínez, 48, was a newscaster for W Radio who covered a wide range of local issues, including crime.