TalkBaja.com » Baja Mexico Forums » Baja News Wire

Gasolineros dicen que no son ‘ratas’ - El Vigia

Best laugh: "...en algunos establecimientos ya se están negando a vender combustible en bidones para evitar ser "medidos" o "quemados"..."

Oh; you're MEASURED and BURNED all right.

All anybody really needs to do is pull out one of these just as the attendant zeroes the pump.

Originally Posted by Marty Cortez

Gasolineros dicen que no son ‘ratas’ - El Vigia

Best laugh: "...en algunos establecimientos ya se están negando a vender combustible en bidones para evitar ser "medidos" o "quemados"..."

Oh; you're MEASURED and BURNED all right.

All anybody really needs to do is pull out one of these just as the attendant zeroes the pump.

Showing it to the attendant doesn't do much good,as proven when I showed an attendant here in Loreto, that he just managed to put almost 23 liters in a 19 liter container.'He just laughed and said "Tell the boss"

If PROFECO (the consumer advocate agency) would do their jobs this wouldn't even be an issue. The power of social media, especially FaceBook should not be underestimated- especially in Mexico.

My US friends and family like FaceBook but use it very cautiously, but my Mexican family adores it and goes "all in". Many of my Mexican family are poor and have no long distance phone plans or internet at home. They use FaceBook from smartphones at an internet cafe, free WiFi spot or at a friends house to communicate with family close and far, locate long lost friends and share many very stupid photos and cartoons. For good or bad- it allows them to acknowledge and congratulate each other on the small victories and accomplishments in their humble lives. Using it to create social awareness and change is giving many Mexicans a platform and voice they didn't really have before. People who would not hold a sign in a public protest will support a FaceBook protest page like this one, and so long as their targets react like this to it they are being successful. It's the modern day public pillory. Now if "shame" existed in Mexico- they might get somewhere.

We have a facebook page up in San Quintin over the same issue...

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ratasdelgasolina/

Originally Posted by Woooosh

If PROFECO (the consumer advocate agency) would do their jobs this wouldn't even be an issue. The power of social media, especially FaceBook should not be underestimated- especially in Mexico...

Totally agree. A very close friend who teaches law in Tijuana said to me awhile back that "what will end up reducing the corruption in Mexico will be digital cameras, cell phones, youtube, facebook and twitter. They are simple and powerful mediums that the criminal element cannot corrupt..."

Another example of the people taking action when the government won't or can't.

Originally Posted by BajaGringo

"what will end up reducing the corruption in Mexico will be digital cameras, cell phones, youtube, facebook and twitter. They are simple and powerful mediums that the criminal element cannot corrupt..."

A very insightful statement that displays how over time the balance of power will tip to the individual.

Originally Posted by BajaGringo

"what will end up reducing the corruption in Mexico will be digital cameras, cell phones, youtube, facebook and twitter. They are simple and powerful mediums that the criminal element cannot corrupt..."

Doesn't matter that they can't corrupt evidence. All they have to do is keep on corrupting the judges and change will come at a snail's pace.

Originally Posted by DENNIS

Doesn't matter that they can't corrupt evidence. All they have to do is keep on corrupting the judges and change will come at a snail's pace.

There is a new, transparent mood coming over Mexico, largely due to the internet in general. It is obvious to those closely watching what has been going on these past several months and no political parties are immune. There have been presidential cabinet members, governors, mayors, national union leaders and members of congress called out and exposed for corruption and/or abuse of authority. What I like about this administration is that it has made it clear that there are no political sacred cows, even within their own party. That political pressure will filter down to the judicial system as well.

The very fact that Peña Nieto was able to move through a three-way divided congress all of his major political reform legislation in one year is a strong sign that change is coming.

I think that snail just may be moving faster than you think...

All it takes is a few determined, committed people to bring about social change. That's the way it's always been. My family made some YouTube videos a few years ago about the Federal Zone problems in Rosarito of pollution, public access and illegal development. They continue to be viewed hundreds of times a month from inside Mexico and one has passed 20,000 views. We made the drafts of the video in English, fine tuned them with help from the on-line community and then published them in Spanish only. Our goal was to affect change from within Mexico, and it does work. We watch who views the videos and on which platform they watch them from and that data indicates a growing interest in social problems at the grass roots personal level from handheld smartphone devices using links that are shared among users and on FaceBook. Cockroaches hate bright lights and video is a blinding spotlight.

nice avater BG... a slight improvement. :)

Originally Posted by Woooosh

All it takes is a few determined, committed people to bring about social change. That's the way it's always been. My family made some YouTube videos a few years ago about the Federal Zone problems in Rosarito of pollution, public access and illegal development. They continue to be viewed hundreds of times a month from inside Mexico and one has passed 20,000 views. We made the drafts of the video in English, fine tuned them with help from the on-line community and then published them in Spanish only. Our goal was to affect change from within Mexico, and it does work. We watch who views the videos and on which platform they watch them from and that data indicates a growing interest in social problems at the grass roots personal level from handheld smartphone devices using links that are shared among users and on FaceBook. Cockroaches hate bright lights and video is a blinding spotlight.

You are so very right. We just might have to give a nod to Movistar for helping that move along even a bit faster. Ever since they started their 200 peso per month plan with unlimited calls to other Movistar phones and unlimited access to facebook, youtube, twitter and whatsapp, there has been an even greater surge of use of the social media here. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the coming years.

Originally Posted by Woooosh

nice avater BG... a slight improvement. :)

Still better looking than I with more hair, but closer...

Originally Posted by BajaGringo

There is a new, transparent mood coming over Mexico, largely due to the internet in general. It is obvious to those closely watching what has been going on these past several months and no political parties are immune. There have been presidential cabinet members, governors, mayors, national union leaders and members of congress called out and exposed for corruption and/or abuse of authority. What I like about this administration is that it has made it clear that there are no political sacred cows, even within their own party. That political pressure will filter down to the judicial system as well.

The very fact that Peña Nieto was able to move through a three-way divided congress all of his major political reform legislation in one year is a strong sign that change is coming.

I think that snail just may be moving faster than you think...

First sensible sinopsis of recent events I have read fom any Expat on the 3 forums I read. All others who do comment on these types of things would most likely crucify you for thinking this way. You would be spoiling all their fun.

Originally Posted by BajaGringo

The very fact that Peña Nieto was able to move through a three-way divided congress all of his major political reform legislation in one year is a strong sign that change is coming.

He didn't quite hit the finish line with the "protected zone clear ownership for foreigners" proposal. In fact, he didn't even get out of the starting gate.......but he will. The delay was planned because the timing just wasn't right. Better a delay than a loss.

Originally Posted by DENNIS

He didn't quite hit the finish line with the "protected zone clear ownership for foreigners" proposal. In fact, he didn't even get out of the starting gate.......but he will. The delay was planned because the timing just wasn't right. Better a delay than a loss.

The reform was passed through the federal congress. Talking about that with someone on the inside they explained that it was a calculated move to let that constitutional reform expire without pushing it through the various state legislatures. They assured me that it could have been accomplished but it was a calculated move to wait. But they also insisted that it will be passed and soon.

His exact words on the subject:

"no se debe quemar el último cartucho..."

Originally Posted by BajaGringo

Talking about that with someone on the inside they explained that it was a calculated move to let that constitutional reform expire without pushing it through the various state legislatures. They assured me that it could have been accomplished but it was a calculated move to wait. But they also insisted that it will be passed and soon.

Perhaps the PRI is going to go back to appointing state governors....like, turn back the clock about twenty years.
Your friends who assured it could have been accomplished at that time, I believe were wrong. Otherwise, it would have been.
It won't pass as a stand-alone bill.........probably ever. It will have to be run through in pieces, and lots of concessions will have to be granted.
It will be interesting.

The measure only needed to be passed by a majority of state legislatures. Currently, PRI now has political control of a majority of the Mexican state legislatures. It indeed could have been done if they truly wanted to.

One thing I have learned down here is when you get a very connected, inside contact with strong ties to all three (main) political parties, you listen - and I do. The same contact told me as far back as the mid 90's that the PANistas would win in 2000 and in a couple of years later assured me that they would win again in 2006, in spite of a strong, predicted showing by the PRD candidate.

But they also told me a few years before the 2012 election to be prepared for the PRI party to take it back along with many of the governorships and state legislatures.

And that is exactly what happened.

As happens elsewhere in politics, deals must be made to get things done. Part of the "deal" with getting the energy reform package through, was to let the constitutional reform vote (on coastal foreign ownership) in the state legislatures expire without a vote. If you watch closely this president has proven himself quite adept at making deals to get things done. So far, he has honored those deals even at the expense of internal party dissatisfaction. One example of that is the "Pacto por Mexico", which proved monumental in getting the different coalitions formed to move the various reform packages through congress. It was an amazing feat when just a year earlier many thought that such lofty goals were impossible. Especially in the face of 12 years of PAN administrations lack of ability to move almost anything through congress whatsoever. (much like Washington today)

The only way that Gustavo Madero, head of the PAN party would agree to participate in the Pacto por Mexico was if PRI gave up the governors office in the 2013 election here in Baja California. Not that they could alter the vote directly, but what PRI did was to limit national party funding in support of Castro Trenti and Peña Nieto himself canceled planned campaign appearances locally on his behalf.

My source also confided in me that the decision was not a difficult one for Peña Nieto as getting his reform packages through congress was determined to be a key goal for his administration. Additionally, it turns out Castro Trenti had his own problems and news connecting him to organized crime made the decision all the more easier.

If you search online you will find opinion pieces, written in both english and spanish supporting that view.

Originally Posted by edinnopolo

Showing...that he just managed to put almost 23 liters in a 19 liter container.'He just laughed..."

Yep.

The ruse of pretending to dispense "complete liters" completely falls apart at just the slightest nudge; quickly reverting to a smug cackling by the owner equivalent to "So what are YOU going to do about it, buey?"


A Federal prosecutor had a good answer to that in Santa Rosalía some years ago. When challenged, the attendant mouthed off just like we're talking about here.

Fed shows up the next day with cops, guns, and padlocks for the doors.

Originally Posted by Marty Cortez

Fed shows up the next day with cops, guns, and padlocks for the doors.

I like that one, too bad more of that approach does not become reality.

I wonder if a WEB site dedicated to listing the HONEST gas stations rated by private citizens would be nice. (In Spanish and English)
I could foresee LONG lines at some and no vehicles at others.

Thanks Ron, for the insight ... and as someone else said

War has rules, mud wrestling has rules - politics has no rules.

Ross Perot

Liked "county" Orange and the brades ... myself .. must be a family thing