http://www.gob.mx/conagua/articulos/playas-limpiecitas-en-mexico?idiom=es

Really open ended.

No new info there. Just a political excuse with a budget to justify a wasteful bureaucratic program used by the party in power to pay back political favors. If they ever actually conducted a cost-benefit analysis they would embarrassingly have to report that since the program was initiated scantily few if any tourists have ever decided where to vacation based on a beach being "certified" clean, and simple scrutiny would quickly show the beaches that pass this "test" aren't any cleaner than non-certified beaches. They would also find that far from attracting tourists the program has angered many tourists to the point where they refuse to return to "certified" beaches. It's a shame, really, that such a program is used as an excuse to do what local governments should already be doing, but apparently keeping beaches and their waters clean remains as elusive as rocket science to every municipal government we've had unless there's money budgeted in it for them, thus the budget and all the hoopla that gets politicians' pictures in the papers so it looks like they're doing something and can springboard on to the next elected office.

Though I must say it appears to some of us that the hardest-working department of the current municipal government is precisely the public services department responsible for sweeping the streets and beaches as well as collecting the garbage. They remain extremely underpaid while everyone else in the municipal government is evidently extremely overpaid, though since there is zero transparency in our local government as to who does what for how much it is all simply guesswork and speculation.

But don't take my word for it. Ask any tourist why they chose to vacation in Zihuatanejo or Ixtapa.

Really open ended.

"Perhaps you are unaware of Mexico's laws. One of them is that all beaches are Zona Federal, meaning local governments don't have the authority to ban dogs from the beach. What is banned from beaches by federal law are horses and motorized vehicles."

Rob,

Trying to find the actual law you mentioned above, any idea where I can locate it online? I'd love to have a copy in case they give me any trouble at City Hall about my dog.

Gracias!

Here's the applicable law:

Constitución Política de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos (see Art. 27)

Reglamento para el uso y aprovechamiento del mar territorial, vías navegables, playas, zona federal marítimo terrestre y terrenos ganados al mar.

https://youtu.be/uHBae1rR5RI

Great video.

9/19/2016
@upnortnick

One answer to YOUR question about WHO is THE "authority", and who can distinguish between good & bad, just & unjust, would be people who are "critical thinkers", and think for others.
I would add using and applying objective, (rather than subjective), guidelines, to arrive at their conclusion, which hopefully, will be of benefit to the majority.

9/19/2016
Hola b13

Well put.
SOME people have the tendency to obey and follow rules, regulations & laws that THEY like, while ones they oppose, if it causes an inconvenience, think it is not just, etc., then just the opposite.

Excuse me, did I just hear you say you've never ever broken a law or a rule?

Perhaps if folks would actually read the history of this matter before giving opinions that don't consider the history it would actually be helpful to the discussion.

In the case at hand, pretty much the entire community, especially the beachfront hotels and restaurants whose clients are affected, has expressed its position against this arbitrary regulation. [/b]

It is a moral obligation of a good citizen to ignore bad and unjust laws.

19 IX 2016
@ Zihua Rob

¡NO!, you did not "hear me say you've never ever broken a law or a rule",
i.e. bringing their pets to the beach, when it is not permitted to do so.
As far as that derogatory comment goes, I doubt that there are many who haven't, including myself.
Example: Driving over the posted speed limit.

Rather, my reply was simply prompted by / directed to a specific comment made by b13--->

("I agree I love dogs but there are places they belong and don't belong. If there is a dog ban it should be respected at least until the ban is modified or lifted. I believe dog owners have rights but I don't think they have more rights than everyone else." )

....was more of an observation in general, that could be applied in MANY situations, apart from the dogs on the beach issue.

And, contrary to your criticism, I have followed this issue / "arbitrary regulation", and I am aware of the various aspects, on BOTH sides of the fence, related to it.
Like anything else, there good citizens who favor it, and others who oppose it, and, believe and act as you suggested, e.g., that they have a "moral obligation to ignore bad and unjust laws."
Do as you please.

BTW, thank you for your reply, and for taking the time to put me before your clients, your family and your own life, to RESPOND to my comment, and bicker with me again.
¡Much appreciated!

"It is a moral obligation of a good citizen to ignore bad and unjust laws".

You may be right, but who is the authority of what is or isn't a bad and unjust law?

Certainly not people who aren't critical thinkers or who otherwise don't think for themselves. I certainly have no difficulty distinguishing between good and bad, just and unjust.

You may be right, but who is the authority of what is or isn't a bad and unjust law?

9/19/2016
Hola b13

Well put.
SOME people have the tendency to obey and follow rules, regulations & laws that THEY like, while ones they oppose, if it causes an inconvenience, think it is not just, etc., then just the opposite.

Excuse me, did I just hear you say you've never ever broken a law or a rule?

Perhaps if folks would actually read the history of this matter before giving opinions that don't consider the history it would actually be helpful to the discussion.

In the case at hand, pretty much the entire community, especially the beachfront hotels and restaurants whose clients are affected, has expressed its position against this arbitrary regulation.

It is a moral obligation of a good citizen to ignore bad and unjust laws.

Well put.
SOME people have the tendency to obey and follow rules, regulations & laws that THEY like, while ones they oppose, if it causes an inconvenience, think it is not just, etc., then just the opposite.

Rob,

Trying to find the actual law you mentioned above, any idea where I can locate it online? I'd love to have a copy in case they give me any trouble at City Hall about my dog.

Gracias!

Not sure what you're "Liking". His argument is invalid since no one except the municipal government is breaking the law regarding allowing dogs on the beach. As the attorney from Mexico City with her dog who was accosted by the so-called Guardianes Ecológicos correctly pointed out to them, the beach is Zona Federal and the municipal government has no legal authority to ban dogs from it.

As I said before when people on this board complain about the lawlessness in Mexico, big laws, little laws, the only ones that break the law are people who think they are above the law, and that includes dog owners that take their dogs on the beach.

Perhaps you are unaware of Mexico's laws. One of them is that all beaches are Zona Federal, meaning local governments don't have the authority to ban dogs from the beach. What is banned from beaches by federal law are horses and motorized vehicles. Not dogs. This is a sham policy to try to simulate their job in an effort to get the beach "certified" like in Ixtapa, where millions of pesos have been spent on the policy with nothing to show except tourists promising never to return to Zihuatanejo-Ixtapa because of it.

You also appear to ignore the origin of this local policy, including the fact that a meeting with locals, beachfront restaurant owners, beachfront hotel operators and the local government resulted in a promise by the local government to modify their policy to remove the dog ban, which they never did, making the government unrepresentative and the people who imposed the policy, now on the campaign trail for the next elections in 3 years, liars.

The community of Zihuatanejo is against this errant policy. It's our town. The government works for us. When they fail to represent us then there are consequences for them. For this reason, it is quite revealing that the policy is applied neither uniformly nor successfully.

And just to drive the point home, have you never broken a law?