Iztapalapa ( modern Nahuatl pronunciation ) is a borough ( demarcación territorial ) in Mexico City , located on the eastern side of the city. The borough is named after and centered on the formerly independent municipality of Iztapalapa (officially Iztapalapa de Cuitláhuac ). The rest is made up of a number of other communities which are governed by the city of Iztapalapa.
162-412: With a population of 1,835,486 as of 2020, Iztapalapa is the most populous borough of Mexico City and as well as the most populous municipality in the country. Over 90% of its territory is urbanized. The formerly rural borough, which was home to some farms and canals as late as the 1970s, to an area with its only greenery in parks; nearly all of its population employed in commerce, services and industry. This
324-488: A Teotihuacan idea of the end of a cylindrical cycle. It also might have come from another previous civilization. For 52 years, or 18,980 days, the earth was on one cycle and then at the end of that cycle it was thought to be in danger of ending if a new cycle did not begin. This ceremony's success determined whether the next cylindrical would continue or if everything would end as we know it. It has been proposed that archaeological evidence of New Fire ceremonies can be found in
486-520: A captive and cut out his heart to place it in to fuel the fire. The fire then was taken all over the city to celebrate because the sun would return. People would cut their ears and put their blood in the fire. Thus the New Fire Ceremony started the new cycle and ensured the sun would return each day for another 18,980 days. The New Fire ceremonies were not limited to the Aztecs. In fact it
648-437: A combination of uneven distribution of wealth and resources sponsored by economic and political agendas to favor the rich and powerful is a major contributor to the millions left behind. In the economic sense, access to insufficient monetary means to afford goods and services becomes the immediate reason to be poor. Because a person's personal income dictates what he or she can afford and what he or she will remain deprived of,
810-548: A cycle of poverty. Getting an education does not immediately translate to landing better paying jobs or overcoming underemployment in Mexico: According to data compiled by the Civic Observatory for Education, fewer than 20% of recent graduates manage to find an appropriate position during their first round of job-hunting. Although the country has made great strides in education and professional training,
972-524: A downward conception of poverty rates in the country, and it was also considered a pioneer in the field to such a degree that different countries in Latin America adopted it as the main social policy against poverty. PRONASOL was very well received by Mexican society because it allowed them to observe results and perceive an economic improvement in the very short term, since it was based on a huge amount of government direct transfers. Also, its success
1134-524: A major issue for local authorities. The borough is home of one of Mexico City's major cultural events, the annual Passion Play in which 450 borough residents participate and about 2 million attend as spectators. Iztapalapa today is a borough of the Mexico City, centered on what used to be an independent settlement with its origins in the pre-Hispanic period. It has a territory of 116.67 km (11,667 ha; 28,830 acres; 45.05 sq mi), and
1296-534: A notorious economical inequality between the touristic urban zones, and its more rural outskirts, where in various cases, the poorest neighborhoods lack one or more basic services. The lack of political transparency in Mexico has led to bureaucratic corruption, market inefficiencies, and income inequalities. The ability to exercise civil rights has been increasingly displaced by the control of official authorities, including access to vital information that can capture
1458-463: A number of frescos on its walls, and its library is still an important cultural and research center. A number of the old monks’ cells now contain exhibits related to the institution. The Cerro de la Estrella National Park was established in 1938 and is considered to be the most important natural area in the eastern part of the Valley of Mexico . The park covers over 1,093 hectares (2,700 acres) and
1620-481: A number of abstract murals, a permanent collection of lithographs and a large auditorium. The monument is a symbol of the eastern part of the city. The Central de Abasto (Groceries Center) is Mexico City's main wholesale market for produce and other foodstuffs. It was constructed to be the meeting point for producers, wholesalers, retailers and consumers for the entire country. The site accommodates more than 250,000 people each day and provides foodstuffs for most of
1782-422: A number of surrounding communities. The modern borough is made up of 15 “barrios” or neighborhoods, considered to be part of city of Iztapalapa, and 18 other “pueblos” or communities outside of it. To distinguish the original city of Iztapalapa from the rest of the borough, it was officially named Iztapalapa de Cuitláhuac in 2006 in honor of the tenth Aztec emperor . However, eight of the barrios are considered to be
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#17327760991591944-514: A part of the combination of the two calendars. Arithmetically, the duration of the Calendar Round is the least common multiple of 260 and 365; 18,980 is 73 × 260 Tzolkʼin days and 52 × 365 Haabʼ days derived from the Maya calendar . During this time the Aztecs believed the sun might not come back. The Aztecs wanted to symbolically and literally purify and "renew" their lives for the beginning of
2106-545: A recurrent topic of discussion among professionals. Some economists have speculated that in four more decades of continuous economic growth, even with emigration and violence , Mexico will be among the five biggest economies in the world, along with China , the United States , Japan , and India . Recently, extensive changes in government economic policy and attempts at reducing government interference through privatization of several sectors, allowed Mexico to remain
2268-408: A roof to live in and access to certain goods and services). To be considered poor, it is enough to have an income below the well-being line (income that is less than food and non-food basic basket), regardless of the amount of social deficiencies that the person has, if any. On the other hand, there is extreme poverty, the most precarious situation in which a person can be, and this is manifested when
2430-494: A school to teach indigenous languages which operated for over 100 years. It was also a center of paper making, taking advantage of springs and canals for water. The original church of the monastery was demolished a long time ago, but parts of the original complex still remain. The original church was replaced in the late 19th century by the San Juan Evangelista parish church, built between 1880 and 1897. The rest of
2592-401: A serious backwardness in needed legislation in a number of areas. The current economic framework needs adjustment on virtually all levels including business development opportunities, fair competition, tax collection and tax law; commerce, trade and finance regulations. The Mexican economy does not support unprivileged businesses, considering its current standards regarding monopolies, both in
2754-628: A slightly deformed hexagon measuring 2.25 metres (7 ft 5 in) across. It was built to take over from the La Merced Market , which was no longer large enough to meet the city's needs for the wholesale distribution of produce and other foodstuffs. The borough is also home to Mexico City and Mexico's largest fish market, called La Nueva Viga , in Colonia San José Aculco on Prologación Eje 6 Sur. With 202 wholesalers and 165 retail outlets, it distributes about 60% of
2916-493: A small cave back in Iztapalapa. However, its importance stems from a miracle attributed to it. In 1833, the area was hit by the 1826–1837 cholera pandemic . People appealed to this image and when the plague dissipated, this image was given credit. Yearly rites of gratitude to this image eventually developed into the borough's annual Passion Play . Since 1853, this church has been the center of most indigenous dance held. This
3078-628: A sufficient number of formal jobs- at least one million every year to keep up with the growing population- have not been created in over ten years. With the abundance of natural resources in the country- as well as its petroleum wealth, these benefits don't seem to reach many of the people of Mexico who lack job opportunities and the means to raise their standards of living out of poverty and marginalization. In order to improve present day employment opportunities in Mexico, existing laws and regulations must be replaced for efficient instruments with greater legal certainty; encourage private investment; increase
3240-504: A very large percentage of youth. Just over 42% of the population is considered to be socioeconomically marginalized, meaning there are fully or partially excluded from social and/or municipal services of one type or another. While this is not the highest level of all the boroughs, since Iztapalapa has the highest population by a significant margin, most of the city's marginalized are here with just under 9% of Mexico City's total. The population between 0 and 19 years of age represents about 40% of
3402-468: A “new fire” ignited at night to provoke the return of the sun in the morning as well as the mark the beginning of a new 52-year cycle on the Aztec calendar. This “new fire” would then be distributed among the populace. The last ancient ceremony was held in 1507. While named for the ancient New Fire ceremony, the modern version is a cultural festival dedicated to the area's culture past and present. The festival
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#17327760991593564-401: Is a serious problem because the misallocation and generation of resources inhibits economic competition in societies, leaving important groups of the population without the possibility of really competing in the economic sphere, which is one of the main obstacles to defeat and eradicate poverty of any kind. The first time that a social program of collective and voluntary cooperation was launched
3726-423: Is also an area for major event which can hold 1,500 people. The community museum of San Miguel Teotongo on the highway to Puebla contains finds related to the ancient inhabitants of the area. Most relate to the pre-Hispanic period and include utensils, ceremonial objects, ceramics, obsidian blades and arrowheads and jewelry. The Museo de Hidrobiologia ( Hydrobiology Museum) mostly contains preserved example of
3888-434: Is also the most populous locality ( localidad ) in Mexico , larger than Ecatepec de Morelos or Guadalajara . Until the mid-20th century, the area was rural, but migration into the borough began in the 1970s as this is the only area with significant land that could be developed. From 1970 to 1980, it accounted for 54.3% of the city's population increase. From 1980 to 1990, Iztapalapa gained 341,988, more than 1.6 times that of
4050-594: Is because in that year the archbishop of Mexico forbade “pagan” dances and to avoid confrontation, the dances began to be held here in the main atrium . In 1875, the church was painted by Anacleto Escutia . The most important monastery founded in the area in the colonial period was in Culhuacán by the Augustinians . This monastery was begun in 1552 and dedicated to John the Baptist . The Augustinians founded
4212-727: Is connected with small scale drug trafficking, which is becoming more frequent on the borough's streets. Between 2008 and 2010, there were 470 murders in the borough, two out of ten for all of Mexico City, with one occurring every two days. It also has one of the highest rates of muggings and robberies of taxi drivers and public buses. Most of the crime problems are concentrated into a group of neighborhoods, such as Santa Martha Acatitla Norte, Desarrollo Urbano Quetzalcoatl, Tenorios, La Polvorilla, Santa Cruz Meyehualco, San Miguel Teotongo, Xalpa, Lomas Estrella, Lonas de Zaragoza and Achualtepec. This area has over 100 known points where drugs are sold. Its proximity to municipalities such as Nezahualcoyotl in
4374-455: Is defined by the Mexican government as deficiencies in both social rights and incomes lower than the "well being income line". Additional figures from SEDESOL (Mexico's social development agency) estimate that 6% of the population (7.4 million people) lives in extreme poverty and suffers from food insecurity. The high numbers of poverty in the country, despite Mexico's positive potential is
4536-598: Is divided into four “axis” called “Traditions of the Ancient Mexicans,” “The Footsteps of Zapata,” “Sounds of the Underworld” and New Fire and Mexican Contemporary Cinema.” Various neighborhoods hold celebrations for Carnival , which mostly consists of costumed groups, dance, live music and parades. These communities come together to hold a finale at the end of Carnival. To celebrate the Christmas season,
4698-444: Is for juvenile males which was inaugurated in 2003. It has a maximum population of 672 housed in four buildings with basketball court, dining hall, workshops, classrooms and computer room. A new building is under construction to bring the capacity up to 900 inmates. For most of the borough's history, most transportation of people and freight was done on the waters of the lake and through canals. However, these began to dry up starting in
4860-466: Is important to note that before 2000, there wasn't an official measurement of poverty in Mexico, so it is not possible to speak of concrete figures on poverty prior to this year (all were approximations). It is known that given the distribution of money and direct government transfers to the people benefited by these programs, the situation of many improved, but we do not know for sure aggregate figures. After this year, during 2001 and 2002, SEDESOL produced
5022-460: Is located on the east side of the Mexico City bordering the boroughs of Iztacalco , Xochimilco , Tláhuac , Coyoacán and Benito Juárez . The State of Mexico borders the borough on the east side, and Iztapalapa has strong cultural and economic ties to this part of the state. The borough was created in 1928, centered on and named after a formerly independent municipality within the then Federal District , which already had governing authority over
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5184-477: Is spent on bribing high-ranking policy makers and 61 percent on lower-ranking bureaucratic-administrative office holders. At least 30 percent of all public spending ends up in the pockets of the corrupt. Even the domestic impact of corruption is no less severe, incurring additional expenses on firms and households. A family on average pays 109.50 pesos as bribes to authorities; households have also reported paying up to 6.9 percent of their income as bribes. In total,
5346-403: Is still prevalent: in 2008, changes were proposed to increase the subjugation of IFAI's decisions to state control, so that the distribution of information would become more centralized. A number of vertical subversions were also carried out at the time, including the merging of offices that handled information requests with less important agencies. This violated the earlier progressive changes to
5508-406: Is strongly tied to its politics. Historically, the political system of Mexico has not favored the general population, mainly because it focused to become and be a single-party system of government, largely dubbed "institutionalized" where those in charge had a one-voice, unquestionable plan of action mainly focused to favor the few elite while ignoring the welfare of the rest of population. From
5670-469: Is the annual Passion Play. The Passion Play is considered to be part of “folk religion,” supported by clergy but not considered to be liturgy. The Passion Play has antecedents in the plays put on by evangelizers to teach the Catholic faith and to get the indigenous to renounce their former beliefs. However, the passion play incorporates areas which were special or sacred to the pre Hispanic world, including
5832-414: Is the result of a large influx of people into the borough starting beginning in the 1970s, with the borough still attracting migrants. Iztapalapa remains afflicted by high levels of economic deprivation , and a significant number of its residents lack access to clean drinking water . Iztapalapa has one of the highest rates of violent crime in Mexico City . Combatting homicides and drug trafficking remain
5994-462: Is when he would start the fire on the sacrifice's chest. This ritual sacrifice took place on Huixachtlan which was a large, ceremonially important mountain and the first temple to receive fire from the new fire. Both of these places show that the New Fire Ceremony was closely tied to their understanding of astrology and their gods. The Binding of the Years refers to what was originally thought to be
6156-475: The Central de Abasto , which eliminated them. Culhuacan was moved to a site called Tollantzingo in the 950s, and shortly after that migrants from Tula came into the area to settle as well, bringing with them the worship of Quetzalcoatl . Other pre-Hispanic settlements in the Iztapalapa area were established and grew as well, including Hitzilopochco ( Churubusco ), Mexicaltzingo and Iztapalapa. These would be
6318-861: The Centro de Ejecución de Sanciones Penales Varonil Oriente and the Centro de Readaptación Social Varonil Santa Martha Acatitla . The Centro de Ejecución de Sanciones Penales Varonil Oriente (Center for the Execution of Penal Sanctions for Men East), more commonly called the Reclusorio Oriente (East Prison) was inaugurated in 1987 for adult males. The building extends over a 10,400 square metres (112,000 sq ft) surface in colonial San Lorenzo Tezonco. It contains five dormitories, intake center, workshops, sports facilities and classrooms. The Centro de Readaptación Social Varonil Santa Martha Acatitla (Center for Male Social Readaptation Santa Martha Acatitla)
6480-535: The Guadalupe Borrego (2,820 m or 9,250 ft asl), Xaltepec (2,500 m or 8,200 ft asl); and Yuhualixqui (2,420 m or 7,940 ft asl) volcanoes. These are recent geological formations, with evidence of lava flow still existent and none extend over 1,000 meters (3,300 ft) above the valley floor. Culturally, the most important of these elevations is the Cerro de la Estrella, which
6642-595: The Nahuatl language would essentially disappear. As of 2005, only about two percent of the population speaks an indigenous language, with 94.8% bilingual in Spanish as well. This is about equal to the city average. However, the borough contains about 25% of the total ethnic indigenous of the city. Most of the indigenous languages found in the borough are those associated with the state of Oaxaca , such as Zapotec , Mixteca and Chatina. Oaxacan languages account for 34.9% of
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6804-461: The United States and Canada . Mexico has an extensive infrastructure of informal economics, which further complicates the measurement of unemployment, as people involved in these jobs are not considered unemployed, while not being officially employed either (ex. housemaids, street sellers, artisans). It is estimated that 59% of the jobs in the country belong to the informal economy. Although Mexico's birth rate has been consecutively declining since
6966-544: The country's origin . In the Colonial Period , before its independence , the upper class was composed of those who owned the land and the lower class was made of those who worked the land. After the Mexican Revolution , the government ceded an estimated 50 percent of the land to the general population, covering a small portion of the gap between the wealthy and the poor. Land ownership continued to be
7128-755: The 11th century, the Toltec descendants had become dominant with the area with Culhuacán becoming the capital of a dominion in 1114. The main rulers of this city included Nauhyotl, Cuauhtexpetlatzin, Huetzin, Nonoalcatle and Cuauhtonal who ruled between 1120 and 1251. In the middle of the 13th century, the Toltecs were displaced by the Chichimecas , who ruled it from 1250 to 1400 under various rulers. Poverty in Mexico Poverty in Mexico deals with
7290-411: The 1800s to the end of the 20th century, as presidential administration came and went, the forms of government has been described as authoritarian, semi-democracy, centralized government, untouchable presidencies, mass-controlling, corporatist and elite-controlled. As each administration took turn, some changes have occurred, sometimes as to contribute to the welfare of the least fortunate but, overall,
7452-464: The 1914 version of the play. Since that time, this Passion Play has become a major event with the participation of 450 actors and attended by 2 million people over the course of the week and 2,000 police to provide security. This includes people from other parts of Mexico, from abroad and from the media. It is the most crowded and best known of its type in Mexico. The most crowded day is Good Friday , but as many as 40,000 are expected on Palm Sunday at
7614-476: The 1970, its population growth still exceeds its ability to pull people out of abject poverty. Contraception is widely used, despite it being a hot-button political and religious issue. Contraception is provided through a government-sponsored program called Mexfam. The average life expectancy has drastically increased from 60 years in 1968, to 77 years in 2012. Rural areas still have the highest birth rates and poverty rates in Mexico, with indigenous populations topping
7776-439: The 1990s , Mexico recovered to become an emerging economic power; however, the number of poor nationwide has remained constant even with the country's overall growth. Historically, southern states like Chiapas , Oaxaca , and Guerrero have remained segregated from the rest of the country. Their implementation of infrastructure, social development, education, and economic growth has been poorly accounted for. These states hold
7938-411: The 1990s, it was over 100%. This population growth has spurred the location of most of the city's housing projects of the last decades in this area. The borough's population is still expected to increase at a rate of 0.77%. While migration into the borough is significant, there is very little migration out into other parts of Mexico or abroad. Most of the borough's residents are poor to middle class, with
8100-543: The 1990s. Protestant and Evangelical sects have grown to about 6% of the population, with less than 2% professing no faith. The first public primary school classes in Iztapalapa were established in 1914 under the government of Venustiano Carranza at Escuela Enrique Laubscher and in the San Lucas Church. However, during the government of Lázaro Cárdenas , many in the borough refused to send their children to school, afraid that they would be indoctrinated against
8262-503: The 19th century. They remained important up until the early 20th century, with even steamships passing through at one time. In the 1930s, many of the barrios of Iztapalapa were still marked by canals and still grew vegetables, fruits and flowers. Eventually, major traffic was confined mostly to the Canal Nacional. As the canals dried up, newer modes of transportation were introduced. In 1903, mule -drawn trolleys were introduced into
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#17327760991598424-443: The Aztec realm were put out and everyone looked toward the mountain's summit. When the constellation called by the Aztecs "the fire drill" ( Orion's belt ) rose above the horizon, a man was sacrificed on the top of Huizachtlan and a fire drill was placed on his chest. When the priest started the fire he started it on the sacrifice's chest and then as soon as it caught he would slice the man's chest open and taken out his heart to fuel
8586-671: The Catholic faith. Today, the borough has sufficient educational infrastructure, with most schools belonging to the primary level. There are a number of institutions of higher education such as UAM , and the Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza of UNAM . There are 452 preschools, 612 primary schools, 191 middle schools, 21 vocational schools, 35 high schools, and two teachers’ colleges. Ninety-five percent of children between five and nine years of age attend school, with 96% of those between 10 and 14. Only 62% of those between 15 and 19 attend school and 27% of those between 20 and 24. About 4% of
8748-683: The GDP. The largest sector of retail sales is in street markets called tianguis , followed by public markets, street peddlers and lastly through the Central de Abasto. A total of 32.5% is employed in industry, minerals and construction. Industry includes food processing, bottling, tobacco products, metals, machinery, surgical equipment, paper and printing and textiles. Only 0.3% is now employed in agriculture or livestock. The Passion Play of Iztapalapa has its origin in an outbreak of cholera in 1833, which left many dead and many children orphaned. A procession
8910-606: The Mexican labor force earns the daily minimum wage or MX$ 1,343.28 per month (approx. US$ 111.94 November 2010 exchange rates). 20.5 of the labor force earns twice the minimum wage and 21.4 percent earns up to three times the daily minimum wage while 18.6 earn no more than five daily minimum wages. Only 11.8 percent of the working population earn wages equal or above MX$ 6,716.40 (US$ 559.70) per month. According to Jaime Saavedra, World Bank Poverty Manager for Latin America, Mexico has made considerable strides in poverty reduction since
9072-459: The New Fire Ceremony was Aztec. Every 52 years ended one cycle and began another. The worry, however, was that the sun would not return and the ceremony was designed to ensure the sun's return in the morning. Excavation of this site and others in the borough was begun in 1974 by INAH. This work has also uncovered fossilized human and mammoth remains in neighborhoods such as Santa María Aztahuacán and Santa Marta Acatitlán. The Museo Cabeza de Juárez
9234-463: The New Fire ceremony is described by Tovar. During the last five days (called nemontemi ) of the last year of the cycle, the preparations for the ceremony began. These preparations involved abstinence from work, fasting, ritual cleansing, ritual bloodletting , destruction of old household items and observance of silence. It was believed that during these days the world was in grave danger because of
9396-681: The Passion Play was submitted to UNESCO to become an intangible cultural heritage . Most Iztapalapa residents seek roles but not all are selected. The most coveted role is that of Jesus, which is selected each year by the Comité Organizador de Iztapalapa. Next is the role of the Virgin Mary . These are reserved for single young people, who do not have children, addictions, tattoos and can demonstrate their Catholic faith. The role of Jesus requires physical conditioning to carry
9558-613: The State of Mexico allows criminals to escape jurisdiction easily. However, the borough reports that crime rates diminished 5.41% from 2009 to 2010. Basic services, especially potable water , is lacking in many of these same areas, which are close to the Sierra de Santa Catalina where there is no piped water service; rather it is delivered in trucks to home storage tanks. Sometimes the wait for these trucks can last hours, and there have been hijackings of water delivery trucks. About 96% of homes in
9720-495: The United States have an even greater impact on Mexico because of the great economic dependence on the northern neighbor. After crude oil export sales, remittances sent home by Mexicans working in the United States are Mexico's second largest source of foreign income. Administration after administration, economic policies and social development programs have been targeted at decreasing poverty and increasing development in
9882-673: The Valley of Mexico, including the area of Iztapalapa. Chinampas here were made from reeds, tree branches and lake mud, growing corn, beans and wide variety of vegetables. These chinampas, now known as neighborhoods called Tezontitla, El Bordo, El Moral, Las Largas, Las Cuadradas, Tecorrales, Zapotla and others were separated by small canals and some of them had docks. They were also an ecosystem home to wide variety of land and aquatic flora and fauna, including storks, flowers, trees, reeds, quetzals, frogs, and fish. The chinampas remained in private hands until 1970, when they were expropriated to construct
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#173277609915910044-434: The absence of a serious employment policy means that economic expansion is sacrificed so that higher prices can be avoided. That exerts a negative impact on the labor market in both the short and medium term, and on new professionals most of all. Situations like this have caused the standard of living among the urban middle class to deteriorate and as a consequence brings on emigration from this sector to other countries, mainly
10206-438: The area falls into the temperate category and all receive most of their rainfall in the summer and early fall. Uncontrolled population growth in the area has nearly wiped out all forms of wildlife in the borough, although as late as the 1960s, there were still a number of waterfowl to be found. Animals found here now are pets or the few cases in which families still raise domestic fowl, rabbits and others for food. Almost all of
10368-401: The area includes Eje 3 Sur, Eje 4 Sur, Eje 5 Sur, Eje 6 Sur, Eje7 Sur, Eje 8 Sur, Eje 2 Oriente, Eje 3 Oriente, Eje 4 Oriente and Eje 5 Oriente. The main highway leaving Mexico City towards Puebla cuts through the borough. Each day about 80,000 vehicles pass through, making it the second busiest highway section in Mexico City. Many of these are local and intercity buses which can block two out of
10530-449: The area is divided into four zones. One consists of a warm wet climate with temperatures above 18 °C (64.4 °F) in the coldest months. Another is a temperate wet climate with temperatures between −3 and 18 °C (26.6 and 64.4 °F) in the coldest months. One has a relatively dry climate with a range of temperatures, and the last consists of a cold climate with average temperature not exceeding 6.5 °C (43.7 °F). Most of
10692-501: The area was a peninsula jutting onto the lake formed by the Sierra de Santa Catarina. The first city on this peninsula was Culhuacán on the south side next to the Cerro de la Estrella , which grew to contain various neighborhoods surrounded by chinampas, or artificial islands in the lake used to grow food. These and the exploitation of lake resources was the basis of the city's economy. Chinampa agriculture would be important in many areas of
10854-495: The areas that border the boroughs of Benito Juárez, Coyoacán and Iztacalco. As of 2010, about 30% of the borough's buildings still have damage from the 1985 earthquake . Most are located in the Peñon Viejo, Ermita Zaragoza, Santa Martha Acatitla, Santa Cruz Meyehualco, El Molino, San Lorenzo and La Hera areas, with about 150,000 damaged homes. Over 95% of the homes in the borough have electricity, running water and sewerage, and
11016-443: The biggest economy in Latin America up until 2005 when it became the second-largest. Despite these changes, Mexico continues to suffer great social inequality and lack of opportunities. The previous administration made an attempt at reducing poverty in the country by providing more professional and educational opportunities to its citizens, as well as establishing a universal healthcare . Mexico 's unequal development between
11178-502: The borough (90%) is urbanized, with only six percent designated as ecological reserve, concentrated in two parks, the Cerro de la Estrella National Park and the Sierra de Santa Catarina, declared a reserve in 1994. However, both of these areas are under pressure by the continued urbanization and population growth of the area. Iztapalapa and most of the east side of the Federal District was historically rural and poor up until
11340-638: The borough do have piped-in water, but about 500,000 residents have insufficient supplies, low pressure and in many places the water quality is visibly poor. Visibly dirty water is locally called “agua de tamarindo” ( tamarind water) because of its brown color. The borough is home to a number of historic churches, many of which were built in the colonial era. The Franciscans built monasteries and churches in communities such as Huitzilopohco, San Marcos Mexicaltzingo, Santa Marta, and Nativitas Tepetlacingo. Most of these churches, especially those of San Lucas Evangelista, San Marcos Mexicaltzingo, San Juan Evangelista and
11502-499: The borough provides sufficient educational services and other services such as sports facilities; however, the high population density means that the five or less percent equals a large number of people without sufficient services. Primary problems facing the borough include crime , especially drug trafficking and sale of stolen auto parts, and also lack of water supply. Iztapalpa has the highest rates of rape , violence against women , and domestic violence in Mexico City. Most crime
11664-404: The borough sponsors various activities such as Christmas plays, processions “ posadas ” as well as cultural events such as dance recitals. The borough is named after a city which was founded here in the pre-Hispanic period. "Iztapalapa" comes from Nahuatl and means "in the waters of the banks," referring to its position along the lakeshore, situated partly on dry land and partly over water Like
11826-666: The chapels of Calvario and Santa Martha Acatitla were built over foundations of pre Hispanic temples, which had been destroyed in the Conquest . The main parish church building of the city of Iztapalapa dates from at least 1664. Its main entrance contains various indigenous symbols. Some churches, however, were built later, such as the Asunción de María parish church built in 1890, and the current San Juan Evangelista church built between 1880 and 1897. The two most important religious establishments have been Señor de la Cuevita Sanctuary and
11988-402: The collection of taxes; stimulate the productivity of businesses and the training of workers; and create more and better jobs. Mexico's wealth is unevenly distributed among its people where 10 percent of nation's wealthiest have 42.2 percent of all income and 10 percent of the nation's poorest have 1.3 of the remaining income. Carlos Slim , the richest man in Mexico and one of the richest in
12150-768: The complex has been secularized since the 19th century and declared a national monument in 1944. From 1960 to 1984, it was occupied by INAH , which renovated it. Today, this complex is home to the Museo del Exconvento de Culhuacán (Museum of the Former Monastery of Culhuacán), inaugurated in 1987. The grounds around it are referred to as the Parque Historico y Centro comunitario Culhuacán (Culhuacán Historic Park and Community Center). The park contains an artificial pond and areas planted with native trees such as ahuejotes . The monastery complex itself still contains
12312-410: The constitution, including Article 6, so that transparency was threatened. Opacity is therefore a major player as a determinant of inequality, especially in effecting the welfare of lower-class households. When resources are misallocated and official funds pocketed by illegitimate parties, the true quality of public services such as healthcare tend to be lower than expected; similarly, the secrecy of
12474-404: The cost of corruption in terms of GDP was estimated to be about $ 550bn in 2000. The situation is still problematic in spite of recent initiatives by the state to become more transparent to the public. Over the years, there has been an effort by the government to reduce opacity, but even so, these initiatives often do not realize their full potential. In June 2003, under Vincente Fox's presidency,
12636-456: The country has grown tremendously since the 1950s. At the same time, government efforts to accommodate the growing student population, improving the quality of instruction and promoting prevalent school attendance has not been enough and therefore education has not remained among priorities for families who must struggle with poverty. 700,000 students grades 1-9 dropped out of school in 2009 in all of Mexico. 7.9 percent (almost 9 million) of
12798-524: The country offers higher development while the southern states are the most impoverished. This is clearly the result of states equipped with better infrastructure that others. The states of Chiapas, Oaxaca, and Guerrero are among the least developed in the country. These states hold the highest numbers of indigenous population. As a result, 75 percent of the indigenous population lives on moderate poverty line and 39 percent of these under extreme poverty. Unemployment in Mexico has been continuous. In 2009,
12960-491: The country prevails. Concerning the last two six-year terms of Mexican former presidents, it is important to highlight that the poverty figures were slowly decreasing. For example, according to CONEVAL numbers, in 2010 46.1% of the Mexican population was poor, however in the years up to 2016 this figure dropped to 43.6%. In addition, during that time 3 million Mexicans were removed from extreme poverty, having gone from 11.3% of Mexicans living in extreme poverty to 7%. One of
13122-407: The country's economic growth, as well as employment opportunities and greater income, and the migration of people from the rural states to the urban areas, helped reduced poverty nationwide. The 1970s and 1980s saw the transformation of government and economic policies. The government gave way to flexible foreign trade, deregulation and privatization of several sectors. After the economic crisis of
13284-412: The country's seafood production along with much of what is imported. The market begins business at 4:00 a.m., when delivery trucks bring in fresh fish from all over Mexico to the vendors. This daily delivery is about 500 tons and includes all kinds of seafood from shrimp to fish to shellfish to small sharks and manta rays . The main fish market is here due to Mexico City's role as economic center since
13446-441: The country. Between the 1920s and the 1940s the illiteracy levels range between 61.5 and 58 percent, due this the government focused on establishing social protection institutions. By the late 1950s, 59 percent of the population knew how to read and write. In the 2000s only 9.5 percent of the population older than 15 years was illiterated. By the 1960s, individual involvement of some states to increase social development, along with
13608-463: The country. Even with the best of intentions, friction between the " special interests " of decision-makers and the general public welfare, makes it difficult for clear goals in the benefit of the public to be accomplished. Cancun is an example of where the government have failed to promote general welfare and unequal distribution of wealth. While known for its crispy white beaches, fancy hotels of international renown, and spring break ; Cancun shows
13770-417: The cross, which weight about 198 pounds. For a year, the chosen Jesus exercises daily as well as prays to prepare physically and spiritually. The Passion and Death are played out at the Cerro de la Estrella, emulating Calvary . The man playing Jesus must carry the cross 2.5 miles (4.0 km) from the center of Iztapalapa to the summit of the Cerro de las Estrellas to be crucified. The day after Easter Sunday
13932-520: The disabled. As job seekers become older, it is harder for them to get employed as employers tend to seek candidates within the "younger than 35 range". Social security (IMSS) is insufficient and there is a huge gap in proportion to the entire population (50% covered), the work force (30% covered), and the retired (33% covered). There is no unemployment insurance in Mexico. Mexico is a country where investment on infrastructure has remained as unequally distributed as income, especially in rural areas and in
14094-436: The early 1900s. The Mexican Constitution , approved in 1917, outlined the basic social protections citizens are entitled to, including the right to property , education , health care , and employment ; and it establishes the federal government responsible for the execution and enforcement of these protections. The global economic crisis of the late 1920s and forward slowed down any possibility of social development in
14256-595: The federal government. The goal is to attract visitors to these neighborhoods as well as other landmarks of the borough such as the Cerro de la Estrella , Pueblo Culhuacán , the Churubusco Gardens , La Magdalena Atlazolpa, Los Reyes, San Antonio Culhuacán, Mexicalzingo, the San Lorenzo Cemetery, San Andrés Tetepilco and San José Aculco. The borough has an average elevation of 2,240 m (7,350 ft) asl and extends over firm land and what
14418-425: The federal highway system up until two decades ago when it was composed of two-lane roads; often deathtraps and the scenarios of head-on collisions between truckers and families on vacation. City and state governments often face challenges providing citizens who live on informal commerce with the basic services of urbanized life. To worsen the problem the housing laws often vary greatly from one state to another, with
14580-484: The fire cult of Huehueteotl walked from the ceremonial center of Tenochtitlan across the eastbound causeway towards a mountain called Huixachtlan on the eastern bank of Lake Texcoco close to Colhuacan . The priests would dress as various deities to perform the ceremony. The summit of Huizachtlan was visible from most of the Basin of Mexico . On this extinct volcano was a temple platform. At this time all fires in
14742-422: The fire to sacrifice or blister themselves; among this, there would be great celebrating and no one would sleep all throughout the night. The Aztecs believed that their ability to continue in the world as they knew it relied on their ability to understand and incorporate astrological signs and patterns into their own festivals and seasons. The Templo Mayor, which was the temple in the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan,
14904-525: The fire. This new fire that was started in the first sacrifice's chest started off the ceremony and then later numerous sacrifices celebrated the new cycle. When the first sparks of fire sprung from the fire drill , the New Calendar Round was declared begun and a huge bonfire was lit. From this bonfire torches were carried by runners to every ward of the city where the temple hearths would be lit. The first fires to be lit in this way were those at
15066-426: The first common cause of poverty is the individual condition . This means, a person's individual circumstances and possibilities create their opportunity for access to goods and services. This condition is triggered by a person's income, education, training or work experience, social network, age, health, and other socio-economic factors: As population has grown, the number of students enrolled in schools throughout
15228-399: The first official income-based poverty measurement. It was not until the end of 2005 that CONEVAL was created, with the main task of measuring poverty, a mission that it carried out on a specific basis until 2009. Poverty aid organizations and social development groups have remained active in Mexico. Despite foreign and national aid programs in the country, the overall level of poverty in
15390-464: The former m onastery of Culhuacán. The Señor de la Cuevita Sanctuary is located on Avenida Morelos and 16 de Septiembre in the city of Iztapalapa. It was built to house an image of Christ made of cornstalks which is called the “Señor de la Cuevita” (Lord of the Small Cave). According to legend, this image was taken from here to Etla, Oaxaca , but it mysteriously disappeared from there to reappear in
15552-469: The four main settlements of the area, with close relations that would last into the colonial era, when they were part of the Mexicaltzingo corregimiento. The village of Iztapalapa has its origins in the fall of Teotihuacan in the 8th century. Ancient Iztapalapa has alliances and disputes mostly with the other dominions with economies based on chinampas, such as Xochimilco, Chalco and Mixquic . By
15714-608: The gardens that once belonged to the emperor Cuitláhuac and the hill on which the New Fire ceremony was performed. The Passion Play started as a number of reenactment events held in a number of places in the borough during Lent and Holy Week , including a procession with the Señor de la Cuevita on the fifth Friday of Lent. However, by the early 20th century, one main passion play for the borough had come into existence. According to one local legend, Emiliano Zapata lent his horses for
15876-429: The government's budget allocation prevents public scrutiny, so it is difficult to establish financial accountability. As well, from a broader perspective, vital infrastructure from projects, especially those aimed at facilitating social mobility, will also have to deal with the potential impediments caused by the overpricing effect and unnecessary risks of corruption, thereby reducing the accessibility of infrastructure for
16038-417: The highest levels of illiteracy, unemployment, lack of basic services such as running water and sanitation, overall urban infrastructure, and government establishment. As citizens of the least fortunate states have noticed growth and improvements in other states, many have simply left seeking better opportunities. The reasons for poverty in Mexico are complex and widely extensive. There is an agreement that
16200-415: The historic center of the city of Iztapalapa, which are La Asunción, San Ignacio, Santa Barbara, San Lucas, San Pablo, San Miguel, San Pedro and San José. Records of the “eight barrios of Iztapalapa” go back at least until 1898. Borough authorities have sought “Barrios Mágicos Turísticos” (Magical Tourism Neighborhoods) status for these, for a program similar to the “ Pueblos Mágicos ” tourism program run by
16362-567: The immediate improvement in living standards, in which the government gave direct government transfers to beneficiaries; solidarity for production, in which employment opportunities and development of productive capacities and resources were offered (investing, generating and developing human capital); solidarity for regional development, where infrastructure works of regional impact were built and development programs were carried out in specific regions (generating infrastructure by regions, employing local people). This innovative social program achieved
16524-459: The implementation of the Federal Law of Transparency and Access to Public Government Information (IFAI) offered civic organizations and members of the public to acquire previously undisclosed information. This reform has led to the exposure of previous under-the-radar activities, such as the government's misappropriation of 200 million pesos that was intended to combat AIDS. And yet, censorship
16686-427: The incidence of poverty in Mexico and its measurement. It is measured based on social development laws in the country and under parameters such as nutrition , clean water , shelter , education , health care , social security , quality and availability of basic services in households, income and social cohesion . It is divided in two categories: moderate poverty and extreme poverty. According to CONEVAL ,
16848-480: The income received by a person is less than the food basket and also has three or more lacks previously mentioned. While less than 2% of Mexico's population lives below the international poverty line set by the World Bank , as of 2013, Mexico's government estimates that 33% of the population lives in moderate poverty and 9% lives in extreme poverty , which leads to 42% of Mexico's total population living below
17010-512: The instability inherent in the shift from one cycle to another. It was feared that female stellar deities , the Tzitzimime , would descend and devour the earth. In the days prior to the New Fire Ceremony, citizens would renew their houses and ready them for the ceremony by throwing out hearth stones, clothes, jars and other vessels for cooking, idols and other household goods. These things were considered to hold essences that would be linked to
17172-411: The institution designated to measure poverty in Mexico, poverty analysis should not only look at monetary income but also at social factors. Six different lacks serve as indicators in terms of measuring poverty, which are educational backwardness, access to health services, access to social security, access to (decent) food, quality of housing spaces, and finally access to basic services in housing (having
17334-429: The international market, Mexico has had to offer low wages to its workers while allowing high returns and generous concessions to international corporations. The words " palancas " and " favores " are part of Mexican economic culture where high-ranking policy makers and private entrepreneurs are accused of promoting their own bottom line while ignoring the necessaries of the working class. Current recessionary trends in
17496-542: The involvement of about 80 people. The Festival del Fuego Nuevo ( New Fire Festival ) is an annual event held in November/December with events such as music, dance, theatre, cinema and art exhibitions. This event is named after the Aztec New Fire ceremony , which was celebrated every 52 years at the summit of the Cerro de la Estrella hill. This was a solemn ceremony when all fires were extinguished with
17658-489: The late 1990s, with performance above the Latin American average. Saavedra explained that: "Between 2000 and 2004, extreme poverty fell almost seven percentage points, which can be explained by development in rural areas, where extreme poverty fell from 42.4 per cent to 27.9 per cent. The urban poverty rate, however, got stuck at 11.3 per cent." Social development began to take place in the form of written policy in
17820-406: The legislature and government budgets so that locals will be more informed and aware of their rights. For example, Fundar, an NGO which specializes in government budget analysis, runs workshops to educate the public on disseminating information released by government agencies. The Transparency Collective has also been working with IFAI (Federal Institute of Access to Information). The civil society
17982-551: The list. Mexico does not promote equal opportunity employment despite established laws forbidding most socially-recognized forms of discrimination. The government doesn't become sufficiently involved to promote opportunities to all citizens; including reducing discrimination against middle-age and elder citizens. Over a million of the unemployed face age discrimination and 55% of all unemployed face some form of discrimination when seeking employment. There are virtually no opportunities for individuals with special requirements such as
18144-440: The main criticisms made of the previous six-year term is that it did indeed reduce the number of people in extreme poverty, but the number of people in moderate poverty increased in a greater proportion. A public policy to combat the lack of food was the community kitchens implemented during the administration of Enrique Peña Nieto, which succeeded in decreasing food poverty levels. The community kitchens program sought to improve
18306-430: The main source of wealth for Mexicans and has dictated the hierarchy of wealth distribution amongst the population. After the country entered its economic industrial transformation , industrialists, businessmen, and politicians have controlled the direction of wealth in Mexico and have remained among the wealthy. The average individual gross annual income in Mexico in 2002 was US $ 6,879.37 (2010 dollars). 12.3 percent of
18468-484: The mid-20th century. Large-scale urbanization and industrialization began in the 1950s, along with high rates of migration into the borough in the 1970s. Today, it has high population density, limited infrastructure and high levels of socio economic marginalization. Social problems include homelessness, unregulated street vending, illegal building and crimes associated with the sex trade. Many live in rundown housing with deficient municipal services. The exception to this are
18630-489: The misappropriation and mis-allocation of funds, and public participation in state and municipal-level decision-making. This opens up a channel for corruption. Evidence of this can be derived from the Corruption Perception Index 2010: Mexico received a low score of 3.1, on a scale of 0 to 10 (lower scores represent higher levels of corruption). The result is a diffusion of corruption, from the state to
18792-695: The municipal level, and even right down to local security. While it can be difficult to quantify the costs of corruption with pinpoint accuracy, a report from the UN estimates that the cost is about 15 percent of Mexico's GNP, and 9 percent of its GDP. Such higher costs have adversely affected the growth of the economy, for instance deterring foreign investments due to uncertainty and risk. A study by Pricewaterhouse Coopers reveals that Mexico had lost $ 8.5 billion in foreign direct investments in 1999 due to corruption. Business companies admit to spend as much as 10 percent of their revenue in bureaucratic bribes . 39 percent
18954-671: The municipality to link it Mexico City via Jamaica . These trolleys would be used to bring Mexican president Francisco I. Madero to celebrate his inauguration in 1912. Several train lines linked the area to other parts of Mexico by 1922. The first bus services between the center of Mexico City and the large market was begun in 1952. Today, most transportation in the borough is on various roadways via public or private vehicle. Main avenues include Calzada Ermita-Iztapalapa, Calzada Ignacio Zaragoza, Calzada Benito Juárez, Calzada La Viga, Anillo Periférico Norte, Circuito Interior , Avenida Tláhuac, Avenida Plutarco Elias Calles. The “Eje” road system in
19116-640: The national poverty line. The extreme gap is explained by the government's adoption of the multidimensional poverty method as a way to measure poverty, which outlines that a person with an income above the "international poverty line" or "well being income line", set by the Mexican government, falls in the "moderate poverty" category if he or she has one or more deficiencies related to social rights such as education (did not complete studies), nutrition (malnutrition or obesity), or living standards (access to elemental services such as water or electricity, and secondary domestic assets, such as refrigerators). Extreme poverty
19278-431: The necessary conditions to progress and get out, with government help, from the condition of poverty. At the beginning, this program was highly questioned due to its clientelist utility. For example, there is a record that in the places where it entered with the greatest rigor and resources was in those localities in which the electoral results did not favor that president. PRONASOL covered different axes among which were
19440-464: The new 52 year cycle. Therefore, many items such as hearth stones were thrown out in order to not be associated with the old cycle in any way. They used this time as a "spring cleaning" to honor the old and prepare for the new. It was the fire that acted as this Binding of the Years. The ceremony itself entailed all the fires being put out. Then, in Uixachtlan they started a fire on the chest of
19602-474: The nutritional conditions of the population regarding boys and girls from 1 to 11 years of age, pregnant and lactating women, people with disabilities and adults over 65 years of age. The Transparency Collective, or El Colectivo por la Transparencia in Spanish, is a non-governmental collective organization that advocates transparency in Mexico. It was first formed by six civil society organizations in 2002 to demand for greater transparency from state agencies, and
19764-413: The old cycle. On a national level, temples were also expanded and changed in the spirit of renewal. The ceremony was represented as a bundle of sticks when it was carved as the ceremony was thought to reset the cycle of the years. At sunset on the last day of the year, which always happened during the birth of Huitzilopochtli , the day-sign "1 Tecpatl" of the year "2 Acatl," a procession of priests from
19926-406: The overall quality and efficiency of public education. Critics argue that these issues contribute to a broader problem of inadequate access to quality education, which, in turn, has implications for human development. Some argue that these challenges can lead to a lower human development index (HDI) and impact individuals' opportunities for personal and professional growth, potentially contributing to
20088-481: The people and accounts for 45% of the borough's GDP. Commerce and services together employ 63.3% of the population. Twenty-four percent of this commerce is wholesale, much of which is tied to the Central de Abasto and the La Nueva Viga markets. However, wholesale businesses have declined 2.8% while retail establishment have increased 8.1%. This has a positive effect on employment, but this activity adds less to
20250-436: The people of Mexico City area. The facility extends over 328 hectares (810 acres) and is the most important commercial center for the city. It is the largest such market in Latin America. It was established in the 1970s, over what were the remaining chinampa farming plots in the borough, effectively eliminating this tradition in this part of the city. The main building was inaugurated in 1982, built by Abraham Zabludovesky , as
20412-544: The political framework behind the economic and social structure of the country continues to be the greatest contributor to inequality. While the NAFTA agreement proved effective in increasing Mexico's economic performance, foreign trade policies have been heavily criticized by activists such as Michael Moore (in Awful Truth ) as not doing enough to promote social advancement and reducing poverty. To remain competitive in
20574-408: The poor, especially in rural areas where such infrastructure is less established than in urban areas. Mexico is a country that has significantly improved in various areas such as access to health, education, life expectancy, GDP, level of exports abroad, infrastructure, labor productivity, among others. But it should also be noted that the distribution of income has become increasingly unequal; which
20736-521: The population above the age of six is illiterate with 63% of this number being female. The highest rates of illiteracy are in the 65 and older age group. Public high schools of the Instituto de Educación Media Superior del Distrito Federal (IEMS) include: The Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana was established in 1974 with three campuses in Azcapotzalco , Xochimilco and Iztapalapa. Iztapalapa
20898-632: The population is illiterate. 73% of Mexican households have at least one member without education or education below the 7th grade. 40 percent of people in the states of Chiapas , Veracruz , Hidalgo , Oaxaca and Guerrero have education below the 7th grade. The state of public education in Mexico has been a topic of concern due to challenges in achieving educational progress. Efforts to address these challenges have faced obstacles, particularly in relation to teacher unions that have been criticized for demanding significant concessions while delivering limited results. This situation has led to concerns about
21060-588: The pre Hispanic period. The twice-weekly El Salado tianguis or street market offers everything from the cheapest used items to luxury items can be found. The Fábrica de Artes y Oficios Oriente was inaugurated in 2000, located between the two largest apartment complexes of the borough, the Iztapalapa and the Unidad Vicente Guerrero. It contains a forum for 800 people, lobby with two wings for expositions and workshops. Classes are given in guitar, dance, candlemaking, ceramics, and sewing. There
21222-470: The pre-Hispanic villages of Xochimilco and Tláhuac , Iztapalapa began as a village on the shores of the lake system and dedicated to farming on chinampas . The first settlements on this side of Lake Texcoco were formed by refugees from the fall of Teotihuacan at the base of the Cerro de Culhuacán hill. These people were led by a chief named Mixcoatl and would become known as the Culhuas . At that time,
21384-515: The public and private sectors. By law, there are public monopolies: government-owned companies controlling oil and gas, electricity, water, etc. Private sector monopolies and duopolies are found in the media, television, telecommunications, and raw materials. For this reason, clear principles of competitiveness that offer incentives to private investment, both national and foreign, are needed in order for jobs to be created. Mexico's rampant poverty lagged social development and general public welfare
21546-455: The rapid influx of people, which led to the development of slums in the outskirts of many Mexican cities. The constant government corruption is another factor to which poverty is frequently attributed. Only in recent years, after various economic setbacks, Mexico has recovered to a level where the middle class , once virtually nonexistent, is beginning to flourish. Social stratification , still greatly present in Mexico, can be traced back to
21708-491: The rest of the city. Most of the migration came from families leaving the center of the city, but more importantly many migrants from other parts of Mexico into the city settled in the relatively cheap Iztapalapa. In the last decades, the population increase of the borough has accounted for 83% of the population growth of Mexico City. Today, the population of the borough accounts for over 20.5% of Federal District ’s total. The population growth has slowed somewhat, but at its peak in
21870-415: The richer urban zones and the considerably poorer rural zones have been attributed to the fast economic growth that took place during the so-called Mexican miracle , the period in which Mexican economy transitioned from an agricultural economy to an industrial one. This led many people to relocate to the cities. Even though investments were pouring into urban infrastructure, the government couldn't accommodate
22032-449: The right to access information. Currently, it consists of eleven civil society groups with the common goal of strengthening democracy and raising accountability and the transparency of the state. The Transparency Collective offers an avenue for locals to seek help in obtaining the right to information by offering manuals and online tutorials teaching the locals how to file a request for information. It also discusses topics like human rights,
22194-599: The scene of the expulsion of the money changers from the temple is re enacted. The Palm Sunday procession proceeds then to the Casa de la Mayordomía in the San Miguel barrio followed by hundreds dressed as Nazarenes and thousands more spectators. After the death of Jesus is played out, the “body” is lowered and taken to the Cuitláhuac Plaza where it is “buried” and “guarded” by people playing Roman soldiers. In 2010,
22356-558: The selection committee meets to choose the next Jesus and Mary. While this Passion Play is the best known, events related to Holy Week take place in all parts and parishes of the borough including other re-enactments done by children as well as smaller events in Santiago Acahualtepec and Culhuacán which are more recent. Prisoners at the Reclusorio Oriente [ es ] hold their own Passion Play with
22518-482: The shape of dumps of pottery and households utensils discarded in the initial stage of the celebration. The idea was first proposed by George C. Vaillant in the 1930s but his model was criticized as theoretically unfounded and abandoned. In 2001, Elson and Smith rethought the proposal in light of the findings of several ceramic dumps that seemed to match the idea of what remains of New Fire ceremony would look like. They conclude that New Fire ceremonies were held throughout
22680-521: The site consists only of planted eucalyptus and Pinus patula trees, along with insects and rodents. There are also problems with illegal building and farming in areas. The Museo Fuego Nuevo (New Fire Museum) was built by architect David Peña and inaugurated in 1998. The museum is dedicated to the history of the site, especially as related by the Fuego Nuevo Codex. There is evidence of the hill's ritual use going back 4,000 years; however,
22842-562: The southern states. Because many people establish in rural areas, without government permission, and without paying property taxes, the government does not make significant efforts to invest in overall infrastructure of the entire country, yet it has started to do so until the 1990s. Communities often face a combination of unpaved roads, lack of electricity and potable water, improper sanitation, poorly maintained schools, vandalism and crime, and lack of social development programs. The government did not begin to focus on improving and modernizing
23004-478: The start of the event. The reenactments start on Palm Sunday and last until Easter Sunday with various Biblical scenes related to the life and death of Jesus played out. The most important episodes include the blessing of the palms on Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday in the Cuitláhuac Garden, and Good Friday, with the sentencing, the crown of thorns and the crucifixion. At the Señor de la Cuevita Sanctuary,
23166-420: The state of Hidalgo having no housing laws at all. Because of this, higher income communities will invest in the development of their own communities while lower income communities might be deprived of the basics such as running water and drainage in various cases. The concentration of poverty and distribution of wealth and opportunities is clearly visible from a geographic perspective. The northern region of
23328-486: The three lanes. Construction work has been done to widen the highway, but political disputes have kept new lanes from opening as of early 2011. Public transportation includes several trolleybus lines, busses, taxis and bicitaxis . Line 8 and Line A of the Metro also pass through the borough. With a population of 1,815,768 as of the 2010 census, Iztapalapa is the most populous and fastest growing borough in Mexico City. It
23490-498: The total. Uto-Aztecan languages account for 23.32% which include Tarahumara , Mayo , Yaqui , Cora and Huichol . Another significant percentage are those of the Oto-Pamean languages which include Otomi , Mazahua and Matlatzinca .The only language which has been spoken in Mexico not represented in Iztapalapa is Kickapoo . The overwhelming majority of the population is Catholic , although this has declined by 1.9% since
23652-422: The total. Next are those between 20 and 34, who account for about 29% of the total. A large percentage of the population of the borough is under 15 at 36.4%, with only 7.6% over 50. During the colonial period into the 19th century, Iztapalapa was mostly indigenous, with small population of European descent and mestizos . Migration into the area eventually would change the ethnic composition to primarily mestizo and
23814-551: The twin temple Templo Mayor where the Tlatoani would participate, and later the fires at the Calmecac of Huitzilopochtli and subsequently the lesser temples and Calmecacs and Telpochcallis and lastly private households. Once the fires in homes were lit, people celebrated the renewal by cutting their ears and the ears of their children and throwing blood towards the first fire. People would also often throw themselves into
23976-490: The unemployment rate was estimated at 5.5 percent (over 2.5 million). Although that figure is far below the unemployment indexes in the rest of Latin America, the European Union, the United States and much of Asia, Mexico faces a serious problem generating jobs. In spite of splendid macroeconomic indicators that currently exist: continuing low levels of inflation and stability in the nation's currency exchange rate ;
24138-455: The various species found in the different types of water found in Mexico. These include rivers, lakes, ponds, estuaries, beach areas as well as reefs offshore. The current borough government building, or “ palacio delegacional ” were inaugurated in 1989. It contains a mural by Francisco Cárdenas done in 2003 called “Iztapalapa: Ayer, Hoy y Siempre” (Iztapalapa: Yesterday, Today and Always). The borough contains two large penal institutions called
24300-545: The world, has a personal fortune equal to 4 to 6 percent of the country's GDP . In spite of efforts by government officials during the past three administrations; transition to globalization , the NAFTA agreement; Mexico has been unable to create efficient public policies in order to compensate for the distortion of its market and the poor distribution of national income. The absence of basic agreements among Mexico's main political parties for more than ten years has caused
24462-460: Was an Aztec ceremony performed once every 52 years—a full cycle of the Aztec “calendar round”—in order to stave off the end of the world. The calendar round was the combination of the 260-day ritual calendar and the 365-day annual calendar. The New Fire Ceremony was part of the “Binding of the Years” tradition among the Aztecs. The Binding of the Years occurred every 52 years, or every 18,980 days as
24624-545: Was an ancient and widespread ritual in Postclassic Central Mexico that the Aztecs appropriated to their own society. The Anales de Tlatelolco mention the Aztecs upon achieving independence of the Tepanec state celebrated a New Fire ceremony that marked the beginning of the calendric count of the Aztecs. This suggests that the ceremony was also used as a dynastic foundation rite. The Celebration of
24786-439: Was based on the improvement and development of human capital; this was evident when, for example, in rural communities the government gave away corn or different seeds so that people (laborers and farmers) could work them and obtain financial and personal benefits from them; Another example is the provision of construction material for people with limited resources, to build a decent home, or if it already exists, to improve it. It
24948-647: Was constructed first and covers an area of 177,966 square metres (1,915,610 sq ft). Most of the institution's research work is conducted at the Iztapalapa campus. Other institutions include the University Autónoma dela Ciudad de México , San Lorenzo Campus and the Instituto Tecnológico de Iztapalapa . The two most important economic activities in the borough are manufacturing and commerce. Sixty-three percent of all business establishments are dedicated to commerce, which employ 42% of
25110-517: Was constructed in 1976. This museum in Colonia Agua Prieta is an enormous multicolored monument of Benito Juárez ’s head that measures 13 metres (43 ft) in height and weighs six tons. It was decorated by David Alfaro Siqueiros but he died before he could finish the work. His brother-in-law, Luis Arenal Bastar completed it. The work is considered to be a fusion of painting, sculpting, engineering and architecture. Today, it contains
25272-506: Was established for recreational and cultural purposes. The hill (cerro) was the site of the Aztec New Fire ceremony , last performed in 1507. The park is also culturally important due to the annual Passion Play which is partially conducted on the summit of the cerro each year. The area is managed by the Secretaría de Agricultura y Recursos Hidráulicos, but it lost its original forest cover due to over-cutting of trees . The ecosystem now on
25434-533: Was former lake bed of Lake Texcoco . Some of the firm land is alluvial plain but most of it are elevations such as the Cerro de la Estrella (2,460 m or 8,070 ft asl), Peñón Viejo or Peñon del Marqués (2,400 m or 7,900 ft asl), and the Sierra de Santa Catalina , which contains the Cerro Tecuatzi (2,640 m or 8,660 ft asl), Cerro Tetecón (2,480 m or 8,140 ft asl), and
25596-468: Was largely important to the New Fire Ceremony because there the ceremonial fire was taken to the top of the pyramid and lit inside the Temple of Huitzilopotchli. The position of every part of the ceremony was carefully chosen to either mirror what was happening in the sky or to please the gods or both. When the priest would wait for the constellation to move, that was the signal that all would be well and that
25758-522: Was performed to an image of Christ called the “Señor de la Cuevita” (Lord of the Little Cave) to end the epidemic. When it subsided, it was considered a miracle and various cults to this Christ figure appeared. Expressions of gratitude to this figure eventually consolidated into two annual events. The first is a Mass in honor of these images, now known as the Fiesta de Solteras de Septiembre. The second
25920-449: Was productively engaged in the reform of the constitution. For example, CIDE, an academic focusing on public policy, worked at state level helping states comply with the reform. Fundar also focused on evaluating government responses to information requests, the appeals process and on training groups to analyze information released by the government. New Fire ceremony The New Fire Ceremony ( Spanish : Ceremonia del Fuego Nuevo )
26082-724: Was the site of the New Fire ceremony . Since the pre-Hispanic period, Lake Texcoco has been drained, leaving behind only two natural river called the Churubusco and La Piedad , which unite to form the Unido River , and a few canals . However, the rivers are confined to large pipes as is one of the canals, and most of the Canal Nacional which forms part of the border of the borough has been filled in to create Calzada La Viga road. For this reason, there are no longer any naturally occurring surface water. The climate of
26244-488: Was under the mandate of Carlos Salinas de Gortari and it was known as the National Solidarity Program (PRONASOL), this had as its main banner to combat conditions of extreme poverty and meet their basic needs, this program sought to foster cooperation through unpaid effort. In other words, the government provided goods and inputs to citizens, so that through their efforts and work, they would create
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