Los Cabos, BCS. _ Against the backdrop of violence that the city of Culiacan, Agustin Coppel Luken expressed optimism that it is possible that the cities of the Sea of Cortés Region can achieve a better future.
At the inauguration of the Summit 2024 Cities with a Future. No fear of actionthe Honorary President of Sea of Cortez Forum spoke about the importance of citizen participation in the face of the challenges of the present, such as violence, poverty and environmental damage.
"In the midst of these terrible adversities, we are certain, most of us here present, that our cities can achieve a better future, a very difficult task to achieve, but possible."
Coppel Luken emphasized that to be a citizen is not only to inhabit a city, but to be someone who faces the challenge of defining what will become of the space they inhabit and to assume the responsibility of working to design and build a common future.
In this regard, he addressed the issue of the violence he suffers from Culiacan due to the confrontation of criminal gangs that have claimed the lives of more than 400 people, more than a hundred missing persons, hundreds of car thefts, assaults and robberies of businesses, extortion, as well as road blockades.
"The city of Culiacán has already been empty for two months from 7 pm onwards, which irremediably condemns to bankruptcy all businesses, restaurants, bars, entertainment, pharmacies, transportation, which do their business at night," he said.
"This unfortunate situation represents a major failure of the government at its three levels, regarding its inability to assume and deliver results in its primary responsibility."
The Honorary President of Sea of Cortez Forum stated that the level of violence and impunity has become intolerable and the damage to the state is very deep.
He emphasized that the emergency situation in which he Culiacan is the product of years of neglect by the three levels of government, failure to prosecute crime professionally and failure to confront crime, which means that they abdicated their constitutional responsibility.
Coppel Luken acknowledged that citizens also abdicated the responsibility of taking charge of the future of their cities and towns.
"Something we failed to do, something we did wrong, or at least not well enough to prevent the deterioration of peaceful coexistence in our cities. Not recognizing the part of responsibility that we all have in this problem is also a form of resignation and this way we will not be able to improve", he said.
The Sinaloa businessman stated that the Sea of Cortés Region is committed to being a success story in the field of development and sustainable prosperity and will be an example for all.
He invited the attendees to the Summit 2024 to think, to dialogue, to design our cities and thanked them for being a good example of citizenship.
