Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) – On Friday, protestors in Puerto Vallarta caused disruption by closing a section of Mexico 200, the main highway connecting downtown Puerto Vallarta with the international airport. This led to over 600 tourists missing their flights, and several flights being canceled and delayed. The protests were reportedly over a new state law that requires vehicles to receive emissions tests and certification, which most foreigners do annually with their vehicles. However, the protests have very little to do with emissions and more to do with corruption and politics.
Under the new law, the responsibility for testing vehicles for emissions has been placed on state-managed testing centers, as opposed to independent mechanics in the area. The state government claims that the protests in Puerto Vallarta are being organized by local mechanics who used the previous system to enrich themselves through corruption, by selling verification stickers on the black market without actually inspecting the vehicles. The state alleges that these mechanics have spread misinformation about the new law to outrage the public and convince them to protest, hoping that the law will be eliminated and they can return to selling certifications on the black market.
On the other hand, some political parties accuse the ‘Morena’ political party of fueling the protests by sending their supporters to disrupt the inspection center. The Governor of Jalisco, who endorsed the changes to the state law and enacted emissions testing, has been a leading critic of Mexico’s President, who is the founder of the Morena political party in Mexico. Some accuse the Morena party of trying to cause discourse and dissatisfaction in the upcoming elections to leverage power with the Morena party.
However, for the common person, the objection to the law isn’t about emissions testing, but the $500 peso price tag that comes with the inspection, which is about $28 US Dollars. With misinformation from mechanics who don’t want to be cut out of the inspection process, and politicians trying to secure more power for their party, the protests have only caused disruption to the public and a bad image for tourism in Puerto Vallarta.
Politically, members of the Morena party on the City Council are still pushing for the closure of the emissions center in Puerto Vallarta and threatening to bring in the National Guard to force the closure, although there is no evidence that City Council has that authority.
The state government has sent state police to the center to stop the city from forcefully closing the center, as they did on Friday when the city said the center didn’t meet the beautification rules for construction in the area. The state reopened the center on Saturday when a brief confrontation between city and state police occurred. On Saturday, the city tried to close the verification center for the second time, claiming that the center violated environmental regulations.
Now, protestors are threatening to close the highway again in midweek, the busiest travel time in Mexico as millions of tourists take a vacation for Holy Week and Easter holidays.
The state continues to communicate that emissions testing will continue and protests will not lead to Puerto Vallarta being excluded from the law, as protestors are demanding.
Local politicians have stated that Puerto Vallarta does not need emissions testing because the air quality is better than that of Guadalajara, suggesting that emissions shouldn’t be done until there is already a pollution problem and not as a preventative measure.
It still remains to be seen if the interest of the people will be addressed, for now, corruption and politics win the day.
The purpose of vehicle emissions testing is to measure the amount of pollutants that a vehicle emits into the environment. Cars and other vehicles are a major source of air pollution, and emissions from vehicles can have negative effects on human health and the environment. Emissions testing helps to ensure that vehicles meet the required standards for acceptable levels of pollutants, such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter. By requiring emissions testing, governments can reduce the amount of harmful pollutants in the air and improve air quality, which can have a positive impact on public health and the environment.
Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) - On Friday, protestors in Puerto Vallarta caused disruption by closing a section of Mexico 200, the main highway connecting downtown Puerto Vallarta . . .
