**Collective Takes Over Victims Commission in Tijuana, Citing Neglect**
On the morning of January 15th, members of the collective “Una Nación BuscandoT” occupied the premises of the Victims’ Attention Commission in Baja California, located on Avenida Politécnico Nacional in the Garita de Otay neighborhood of Tijuana. This demonstration was in protest of the alleged lack of support provided to victims within the group, who claim that they have not received the assistance promised to them.
The group’s coordinator, Angélica Ramírez, criticized the Commission, stating, “We have received no response from Alejandra Basaldua (the Commissioner) regarding the victims. We have made several requests for educational scholarships for children and adolescents, which have been denied under the claim that there are no funds available.”
Recently, the group submitted a request for scholarships, psychological support, and medical attention for 25 minors associated with the collective. This request was officially received by the State Government’s General Secretariat on July 31, 2024, but remains unanswered.
Among those waiting for assistance is Danna, a young girl who was a victim of sexual abuse in 2022. Her only wish is to continue her education, but her parents struggle to fund both her schooling and necessary psychological therapy, as these costs are not covered by the commission.
Another case is that of Julio Domínguez Morales, an indirect victim from the disappearance of his son Lorenzo Domínguez since June 26, 2015. Julio has submitted requests for financial aid to support his search efforts for his son and care for his sick wife but has received no response.
“The support is to enable us to continue our searches. I have to cover all these expenses (minimum 3,000 pesos monthly). They give me no solution, just the runaround,” Julio expressed, showing the document with received stamp from the General Government Secretariat, which also goes unanswered.
Julio believes it unjust that families and collectives take on the role of searching for missing loved ones, a task he feels should be the duty of authorities, without receiving adequate support to perform these searches more frequently. Working as a day laborer, Julio can only search on Sundays, but with aid, he says, “I could go out every day to look.”
Due to the lack of action by the authorities of the Victims’ Attention Commission, the collective decided to take over the facilities until their concerns are addressed. They demand answers from Commissioner María Alejandra Basaldua regarding the allocation and use of funds supposed to support victims since no group in the state has reportedly received any assistance.
During the hour-and-a-half protest, which began at 10 a.m., Alejandra Basaldua was present in the building but did not meet with the collective to address their grievances.
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**Secondary Article: Ongoing Electricity Outages in Tijuana**
Tijuana is currently experiencing widespread electricity cuts across various neighborhoods due to strong Santa Ana winds. These winds are notorious for causing disruptions, including power outages, which impact daily life and operations throughout the region.
Municipal authorities have been working to restore power and tend to affected areas, but residents are urged to remain patient as repairs are underway. The community is advised to take precautionary measures, such as having backup lighting ready and minimizing unnecessary electricity use until full service is restored.
This situation highlights the ongoing challenges faced by utility services in areas prone to extreme weather conditions, emphasizing the need for responsive contingency plans to handle such recurring issues efficiently.
For further news and developments on these topics, stay tuned with us at TJGringo.com.