Municipal administrative and economic reforms in Mexico/Cuba

Municipal governments in Mexico and Cuba continue implementing administrative and economic reforms to improve local governance and business environments.

In Ciudad Juárez, Mayor Héctor Rafael Ortiz Orpinel has expanded economic development through the “Cruzada por tu Mercado” program at Parque Hidalgo to improve infrastructure and merchant integration. The administration is working to reduce paperwork for new companies and promote medical tourism. To manage waste, the city has set a September 30 deadline for a new tire shredding plant following sanctions against a collection company for environmental and safety violations.

Recent City Council actions in Ciudad Juárez include the posthumous awarding of “Las Llaves de la Ciudad” to the artist Juan Gabriel, with a ceremony scheduled for August 28. The council also approved a ten-year extension for a three percent extraordinary property tax to fund the Centro de Exposiciones y Convenciones (CEC). To combat illegal dumping and pollution, the council approved the reactivation of the “Agentes Ecológicos” program. Starting in September, four inspectors will respond to citizen reports regarding illegal waste dumping, trash burning, air and water pollution, and noise complaints. This follows an investigation into a metal recycling business in the Satélite neighborhood, which was fined approximately 650,000 pesos for lacking valid civil protection and ecology certifications after a fire.

In Cancún, the Benito Juárez City Council has advanced efforts to modernize administration by proposing reforms to the Municipal Institute for Administrative Development and Innovation (IMDAI). These changes aim to establish a Municipal Authority for Simplification and Digitalization. The council also introduced a proposal to regulate abandoned or deteriorating properties to improve urban order and approved a second 44-day leave of absence for municipal president Ana Paty Peralta.

In Cauto Cristo, Cuba, municipal authorities have formed a multidisciplinary group to enforce the acceptance of electronic payments and promote banking services.