### Displaced in Search of Opportunities
**By Mara Yañez – August 26, 2024**
In the bustling city of Tijuana, it’s not uncommon to see children performing on the streets. Whether juggling balls, entertaining with fire, dressed as clowns, or playing the role of wrestlers, these young performers face daily hardships. Yet, it took over a year for authorities to initiate interventions aimed at addressing this situation.
Since February 2023, organizations such as the municipal DIF, the Secretariat of Welfare, and the Directorate of Indigenous Affairs have been involved in efforts to change these children’s circumstances. These efforts were halted, only to be resumed in July 2024.
“There is a very fine line between poverty and the criminalization of poverty. The initiative was suspended with no progress until recently. The Welfare department requested our support to prepare and train for this intervention,” commented Jorge Álvaro Ochoa, president of the State Human Rights Commission (CEDH).
Ochoa underlined that among the primary rights potentially at risk are physical integrity, health, education, nutrition, and a life free of violence, as well as possible trafficking cases. However, he noted that most of these children work due to their economic situation.
“In Mexicali, we’re investigating a case where an indigenous woman was on the street with her children, and one of them was hit by a car,” he added.
The program “No More Children on the Streets,” managed by the Secretariat of Welfare, has already intervened with 117 children and 44 adults as of July 22.
“We aim to offer numerous supports to these children and their families to prevent them from needing to work. This ranges from entrepreneurship support to permits for legitimate commerce,” noted Gerardo López, head of the agency.
Five brigades with 30 members from the Secretariat of Welfare, UMAS, DAPI, and language interpreters have conducted interventions across Tijuana’s nine delegations, focusing on areas like Zona Río, Zona Centro, Playas de Tijuana, Otay Centenario, and Zona Este.
“In Zona Río, from the Costco area to Lázaro Cárdenas, children could frequently be seen performing,” López emphasized.
“These families see opportunities in Tijuana and come to work here.” The majority of these children and families are migrants, primarily from Oaxaca, Chiapas, Haiti, and El Salvador, necessitating interpreters for local languages like Mixteco, Tzotzil, and Purepecha.
According to López, 90 percent of the interventions involve children who speak indigenous languages in addition to Spanish.
Fidel Martín López, a Tzotzil interpreter, shared that his involvement in these interventions has allowed him to build trust with the children by communicating in their native language.
“Children as young as five, six, and seven years old are working, just as I did. Since childhood, I worked with my parents and independently. To continue my education, I had to work. I understand their situation and what they’re experiencing,” he said.
### Related Article: Increasing Marijuana Cultivations in Tecate
**By April Ramírez – August 26, 2024**
Recently, there has been a notable rise in marijuana plantings in Tecate, Baja California, raising concerns among local authorities. The surge in cultivation can be traced to organized crime activities, driven by increasing demand and potential profitability.
In response, law enforcement agencies have ramped up their operations, resulting in a number of confiscations and arrests. However, the situation remains challenging due to the remote and difficult-to-access locations of the plantations.
This spike in cultivation follows a series of aggressive moves by drug cartels to expand their operations within the state, prompting government officials to intensify efforts to curb illegal activities and restore public safety.
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