Martí Batres talks about new sanctions on loggers in CDMX

The recent approval, in Congress of Mexico City, of the initiative that modifies the Penal Code of Mexico City, to harden the sanctions against illegal logging of forestswill allow “truly punishing and keeping the loggers in jail,” in addition to attacking the “corrupt chain” of illegal wood sales in the country's capital, stated the head of Government, Marti Batres.

He andtightening of these measures“it will be an important tool to combat the felling of trees, to inhibit this phenomenon and, eventually, to punish it,” he indicated. Batres Guadarrama, who, in a press conference, assured that “a weakness in the regulations allowed loggers to get out (of prison) more easily than those detained.”

Furthermore, it will allow action against those who operate in collusion with the loggers, as could be the logging businessmen.

In the city, Batres recognized, “There are complete illegal chains, from illegal logging to the processing of wood and its industrialization, its transformation and conversion into some good,” in which even those who introduce wood to the black or formal market could participate.

We have to close all possibilities in that sense,” said Batres Guadarrama.

These operations have allowed the closure of 57 lumberyards, for irregular activities, from the end of June to date, said the Secretary of Government, Ricardo Ruiz Suárez.

The most important change, in the reform initiative local Penal Code, “There is a variation in the maximum penalty for illegal logging,” said the capital's president. Given this, the sentences go from sentences of two to 10 years in prison and one thousand to 5 thousand current Updated Measurement Units, to sanctions of six to 20 years in prison and from 6 thousand to 10 thousand current Measurement and Updated Units, to anyone who cuts down or causes the death of one or more trees, in a protected natural area, in an area of ​​environmental value, in a ravine or on conservation land.

Likewise, the modification of the Article 345 bis and additions to Article 346 bis of the Penal Code, in order to apply sanctions to anyone who illegally trades, collects, stores, transforms or distributes round wood, chips, charcoal or any other forest raw material, with the same prison sentence, and from 10 thousand to 15 thousand UMAs.

The reform initiative, endorsed by Congress, will be published in the Official Gazette in the coming days, for its entry into force.

CDMX government guarantees preservation of natural environmental areas

In order to guarantee the preservation of the natural areas of Mexico City, the current administration has planted 43 million bushes, trees and plants in forested areas in the last five years. Of the total, about 30 million have been planted in conservation soil.

There are ejidos in which we have already completely covered the surface that was open and without trees,” said the Secretary of the Environment, Marina Robles García.

The recovery of 8 is added00 hectares of conservation landwhich are in the process of restoration, revegetation and soil improvement, are invaded by irregular human settlements.

Of the total, he specified Robles Garcia“360 of those hectares have been recovered in this year 2023 and particularly those 800 hectares we are in a restoration process, specifically revegetation and soil improvement.”

With the “Green Job”, which promotes the training of brigade members, defenders of conservation land, went from 800 to 4,800, that is, "we multiplied by about six, seven, the number of brigade members who are dedicated to protecting conservation land, this "It is another important measure," indicated the head of Government.

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