Loreto, Baja California Sur
Encyclopedia
Loreto was the first Spanish
settlement on the Baja California Peninsula
. It served as the capital of Las Californias
from 1697 to 1777, and is the current seat of the municipality of Loreto
in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur
. The city of 14,724 people (2010 census) is located on the coast of the Sea of Cortés, about 350 km (217.5 mi) north of the state capital, La Paz
.
The town was founded in 1697 by Jesuit
missionaries, who found a steady spring of fresh water on this site. The Misión Nuestra Señora de Loreto was founded in the town in 1752. The town served as the capital of the province of Las Californias from its founding until the capital was moved to Monterey
on February 3, 1777. The town then became the headquarters for the Lieutenant Governor of California Viejo (later the province of Baja California).
The city is now a tourist
resort, catering mostly to U.S.
travelers, with daily flights from the U.S. state
of California
to Loreto International Airport
. Many American tourists enjoy fishing in "pangas" for "dorado" (Mahi-mahi
or Dolphin Fish). Local restaurants will willingly prepare the daily catch of the tourists. Loreto has an excellent museum that coexists alongside the historic, but still active, parish. Loreto has active sister city relationships with Hermosa Beach
and Cerritos
, California, USA.
, at 26º00'46" N 111º20'36" W. It is bordered on the east by the Gulf of California
, on the west by the Transpeninsular Highway
, and on the south by the Arroyo Loreto, a dry creek bed that only fills with water after a heavy rainfall. The city is built on relatively flat land with an average elevation is 10 metres (32.8 ft) above sea level. “La Giganta” Mountain Range (“Sierra de la Giganta
”) lies to the west, extending along the center of the state of Baja California Sur, parallel to the gulf coast.
The geology and topography of the Loreto region, extending from Bahía Concepción
to Agua Verde, is a coastal belt consisting "mainly of a narrow belt of ridges, valleys, and pediments adjacent to the escarpment, low- to moderate-elevation ranges transverse to the coast, and narrow coastal plains”.
From January to March, winds blow from the NW (night hours) and the North (day hours), the rest of the year, the winds blow usually from the West. Loreto's yearly precipitation is low; averages about 11.89 centimetres (4.7 in). The wettest months are August and September, when there are occasional short-lived rainfalls. One concern for Loreto is the Pacific hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30, and some times causes heavy rainfall and floods in the area. The last time the town area was hit by a hurricane was on September 2 and 3, 2006, when the hurricane John
hit the Baja California Peninsula.
(which includes Nopoló, Puerto Escondido
, San Javier
and the rest of the little villages from the coast and mountains) has a population of 11,839 people.
Due to Loreto's small population and low immigration, large families are characteristic, and residents often have the same last name, a phenomenon also found in other state localities. The two largest families are the “Davis”, predominating in the east of the city, along the beach (“Calle Davis” is a street with this last name), and the “Murillo”, predominating in the south along the Arroyo Loreto, in the neighborhood known as “barrio del Muro”, named after the retaining wall built to hold flood waters from the creek. Other large families are the Amador, the Arce, the Cota, the Higuera, the Romero and the Villalejo.
There are seven buildings in Loreto from the 18th to the 20th century that are considered historical monuments by the federal government; the most important is the Mission of our Lady of Loreto, which is at the start of "the royal road" (“el camino real”), an historic corridor that follows north along the ancient route of the Spanish missions, to its ending in Sonoma, California, USA
.
In the neighboring town of San Javier
are five historical buildings, most importantly the Mission of Saint Francis Xavier (Misión de San Francisco Javier
), the best preserved mission in the peninsula. The ruins of Mission of San Bruno
, the first mission of Baja California, founded in 1683 but abandoned a mere two years later, are twenty kilometers north of Loreto.
The Jesuit Missions Museum (“Museo de las Misiones Jesuíticas”) is located beside the Mission of our Lady of Loreto. It has a collection of religious art, weapons and tools from the 17th and 18th centuries that were used in the Spanish missions in Baja California.
In the “La Giganta” Mountain Range (“Sierra de la Giganta
”), there are cave paintings in canyons and rock shelters. The nearest sites to Loreto are “Cuevas Pintas” (15 km to the west) and "La Pingüica" (60 km to the North). The cave paintings from the indigenous groups of Baja California are world famous and some of them have been added to UNESCO's list of world heritage sites.
” and species like marlin
(black marlin
, Atlantic blue marlin
, striped marlin
) and sailfish
, which are ideal for the fly fishing; winter fishing features “yellow tail
” (jurel) and other species that usually are deep in the sea rocks. In addition to these seasonal species, Loreto's waters are home to other species like snapper and seabass, which are found all year long. Thanks to this abundance, Loreto has been home of several IGFA
records. The two “foundations” of Loreto’s sport fishing are the “dorado” and the “yellow tail” (Seriola lalandi dorsalis). The dorado is the emblematic species of Loreto's warm waters, its season beginning in late May, peaking from July to September, and ending in November, with two important tournaments, in July and September. The yellow tail is one of the strongest species; its season begins in November, peaks from March to April, and comes to an end in late May.
Other activities are:
The catholic private school "Colegio Calafia" offers one associate degree in commerce.
High school students (10th to 12th grade) are served by two public schools:
Middle school students (7th to 9th grade) are served by two public schools:
Elementary school students (1st to 6th grade) are served by six public schools and one catholic private school. There are five kindergarten schools. Boarding School Number 8 (Albergue Escolar Número 8 "General Venustiano Carranza") serves children from the mountain villages who attend school, away from their homes and families. It serves approximately sixty five students.
The city of Loreto is the seat of the Municipality
of Loreto, which is governed by a City Council (Ayuntamiento
), consisting of a Mayor or Municipal President
(Presidente Municipal), a Syndic
(Síndico), and six City Councilors
(Regidores), all eight elected by direct popular vote
for a mandatory single term limit
of three years. The Mayor is a voting member of the council, and as head of the public municipal administration is directly responsible for actual implementation of the City Council’s decisions, somewhat analogous to a City Manager
. The Mayor of Loreto is Jorge Alberto Avilés Pérez, whose term runs until April 2014.
The Syndic (or Trustee), also a voting member, is responsible for the legal representation of both the council itself and of the municipal government more generally, and monitors municipal assets and supervises public servants conduct, similar to an US Inspector General
.
The other six City Councilors are voting members whose principal function is analysis and overall direction, rather than direct implementation of the council's decisions. The Mayor is represented at the community action level by seven subdelegates (Subdelegados Municipales), who are appointed by the City Council to perform certain functions: presently serving are Agua Verde, San Javier
, Ligüi, Colonia Zaragoza, San Nicolás, Tembabiche, and San Juan.
, as of February 3, 2008, recorded 9,073 registered voters for the Municipality of Loreto.
In Loreto, the main political parties
are:
Loreto politics has demonstrated two characteristics: high voter participation
and differentiated voting.
Baja California Sur State has high voter participation than the rest of the country, and within the State, Loreto is the Municipality with the highest turnout. Local elections have generally had higher participation than General Elections (Elecciones Federales) for President, Senators and Deputies. Local election participation was as low as 48.2% in 1993 and as high as 83% in 1996 while participation in the last General Election was 62.42%.
Differentiated voting means that the citizens’ vote for the candidates rather than the political party, and thus often chose candidates of diverse political affiliation at the same election. Examples of differentiated voting are the 2005 State and local election, and the 2006 General Election.
In the 2005 State and local elections, three different political parties won on the same election day, one for each of three offices: the winning candidates in Lareto were the PRI candidate Rodimiro Amaya for State Governor (but he lost the rest of the State), the PAN candidate Rodolfo Davis for Mayor, and the PRD candidate Antonio Olachea for State Representative (the current XII District State Representative). In 2006, Loreto voters elected Felipe Calderón
, the winning PAN candidate, for President
, and PRD candidates Francisco Obregón Senators
and Juan Adolfo Orci Martínez Deputies
. This differentiated voting pattern began in 1993, the year that the PRI was first defeated in a local election: PRI won the Governor election, but lost the Municipalities of La Paz
, Comondú and Loreto
, as well as the State Congress. Each election has had winners of dissimilar political affiliation. From 1999 to 2005, even though the PRD
won almost all the local elections across the State, the Loreto Municipality was carried by either the PRI
or the PAN
, while the PRD won the Governor’s election and State Representative Election. In 2008, however, the PRD
won both Mayor and State Representative offices.
, offering regional domestic flights on carriers AeroCalafia and Aeroservicio Guerrero. International service is currently provided by Alaska Airlines
and Horizon Air
to Los Angeles
.
Spanish colonization of the Americas
Colonial expansion under the Spanish Empire was initiated by the Spanish conquistadores and developed by the Monarchy of Spain through its administrators and missionaries. The motivations for colonial expansion were trade and the spread of the Christian faith through indigenous conversions...
settlement on the Baja California Peninsula
Baja California Peninsula
The Baja California peninsula , is a peninsula in northwestern Mexico. Its land mass separates the Pacific Ocean from the Gulf of California. The Peninsula extends from Mexicali, Baja California in the north to Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur in the south.The total area of the Baja California...
. It served as the capital of Las Californias
Las Californias
The Californias, or in — - was the name given by the Spanish to their northwestern territory of New Spain, comprising the present day states of Baja California and Baja California Sur on the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico; and the present day U.S. state of California in the United States of...
from 1697 to 1777, and is the current seat of the municipality of Loreto
Loreto (municipality)
Loreto is a municipality of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. It was created in 1992 from the partition of the neighboring Comondú Municipality. The municipal seat is in the town of Loreto, which was the former capital of Las Californias during Spanish colonial times.The 2010 census...
in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur
Baja California Sur
Baja California Sur , is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. Before becoming a state on October 8, 1974, the area was known as the South Territory of Baja California. It has an area of , or 3.57% of the land mass of Mexico and comprises...
. The city of 14,724 people (2010 census) is located on the coast of the Sea of Cortés, about 350 km (217.5 mi) north of the state capital, La Paz
La Paz, Baja California Sur
La Paz is the capital city of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur and an important regional commercial center. The city had a 2010 census population of 215,178 persons, but its metropolitan population is somewhat larger because of surrounding towns like el Centenario, el Zacatal and San Pedro...
.
The town was founded in 1697 by Jesuit
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
missionaries, who found a steady spring of fresh water on this site. The Misión Nuestra Señora de Loreto was founded in the town in 1752. The town served as the capital of the province of Las Californias from its founding until the capital was moved to Monterey
Monterey, California
The City of Monterey in Monterey County is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in Central California. Monterey lies at an elevation of 26 feet above sea level. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,810. Monterey is of historical importance because it was the capital of...
on February 3, 1777. The town then became the headquarters for the Lieutenant Governor of California Viejo (later the province of Baja California).
The city is now a tourist
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
resort, catering mostly to U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
travelers, with daily flights from the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to Loreto International Airport
Loreto International Airport
Loreto International Airport is an international airport located at Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico. It handles national and international air traffic for the city of Loreto. It is operated by Aeropuertos y Servicios Auxiliares, a federal government-owned corporation. It is capable of...
. Many American tourists enjoy fishing in "pangas" for "dorado" (Mahi-mahi
Mahi-mahi
The mahi-mahi or common dolphinfish is a surface-dwelling ray-finned fish found in off-shore temperate, tropical and subtropical waters worldwide. It is one of only two members of the Coryphaenidae family, the other being the pompano dolphinfish...
or Dolphin Fish). Local restaurants will willingly prepare the daily catch of the tourists. Loreto has an excellent museum that coexists alongside the historic, but still active, parish. Loreto has active sister city relationships with Hermosa Beach
Hermosa Beach, California
Hermosa Beach is a beachfront city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Its population was 19,506 at the 2010 census, up from 18,566 at the 2000 census....
and Cerritos
Cerritos, California
Cerritos is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, and is one of several cities that constitute the Gateway Cities of southeast Los Angeles County. It was incorporated on April 24, 1956...
, California, USA.
Geography
Loreto is located on the east coast of the Baja California PeninsulaBaja California Peninsula
The Baja California peninsula , is a peninsula in northwestern Mexico. Its land mass separates the Pacific Ocean from the Gulf of California. The Peninsula extends from Mexicali, Baja California in the north to Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur in the south.The total area of the Baja California...
, at 26º00'46" N 111º20'36" W. It is bordered on the east by the Gulf of California
Gulf of California
The Gulf of California is a body of water that separates the Baja California Peninsula from the Mexican mainland...
, on the west by the Transpeninsular Highway
Mexican Federal Highway 1
Mexican Federal Highway No. 1 follows the length of the Baja California Peninsula from Cabo San Lucas , at the southern end to Tijuana in the north...
, and on the south by the Arroyo Loreto, a dry creek bed that only fills with water after a heavy rainfall. The city is built on relatively flat land with an average elevation is 10 metres (32.8 ft) above sea level. “La Giganta” Mountain Range (“Sierra de la Giganta
Sierra de la Giganta
The Sierra de la Giganta is a mountain range of Baja California Sur state in northwestern Mexico. The range extends parallel to the coast of the Gulf of California, west of the town of Loreto. The Sierra de la Giganta is one of the landforms in the Peninsular Ranges, which extend from Southern...
”) lies to the west, extending along the center of the state of Baja California Sur, parallel to the gulf coast.
The geology and topography of the Loreto region, extending from Bahía Concepción
Bahía Concepción, Baja California Sur
Bahía Concepción is one of the largest bays of Baja California. Lying on the Sea of Cortez, and less than 20 miles south of Mulegé, Bahía Concepción features over 50 miles of beaches...
to Agua Verde, is a coastal belt consisting "mainly of a narrow belt of ridges, valleys, and pediments adjacent to the escarpment, low- to moderate-elevation ranges transverse to the coast, and narrow coastal plains”.
Climate
Loreto’s climate is hot and humid, with abundant sunshine (desert with some rainfalls in summer). The median temperature is 24.4 °C (76 °F). The temperatures are hot from June through October. These summer days have highs around 34 °C (93 °F) and high humidity. According to the National Meteorological Service (Servicio Metereológico Nacional) Loreto's highest official temperature reading of 39 °C (102 °F) was recorded on August 1965; the lowest temperature ever recorded was 5.4 °C (42 °F) in January 1971. In spring season, the temperatures are moderate and temperate. Autumn and winter months are usually windy.From January to March, winds blow from the NW (night hours) and the North (day hours), the rest of the year, the winds blow usually from the West. Loreto's yearly precipitation is low; averages about 11.89 centimetres (4.7 in). The wettest months are August and September, when there are occasional short-lived rainfalls. One concern for Loreto is the Pacific hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30, and some times causes heavy rainfall and floods in the area. The last time the town area was hit by a hurricane was on September 2 and 3, 2006, when the hurricane John
Hurricane John (2006)
Hurricane John was the eleventh named storm, seventh hurricane, and fifth major hurricane of the 2006 Pacific hurricane season. Hurricane John developed on August 28 from a tropical wave to the south of Mexico. Favorable conditions allowed the storm to intensify quickly, and it attained peak winds...
hit the Baja California Peninsula.
Demographics
According to INEGI, the 2005 city population was 10,283 people with 2565 households, with 77.67% male and 22.32% female householders. The population is young: 29.75% are from 0 to 14 years of age, 19.19% from 15 to 24, and only 6.42% are 60 years of age or older. For every 100 females there are 102.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 100.5 males. The Municipality of LoretoLoreto (municipality)
Loreto is a municipality of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. It was created in 1992 from the partition of the neighboring Comondú Municipality. The municipal seat is in the town of Loreto, which was the former capital of Las Californias during Spanish colonial times.The 2010 census...
(which includes Nopoló, Puerto Escondido
Puerto Escondido, Baja California Sur
Puerto Escondido is small coastal town in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. It is located at 28 km south of Loreto, on Federal Highway 1, overlooking Isla el Carmen in the Gulf of California...
, San Javier
San Javier, Baja California Sur
San Javier is a village in Loreto Municipality in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. It is approximately 36 km southwest of Loreto on an unfinished road...
and the rest of the little villages from the coast and mountains) has a population of 11,839 people.
Due to Loreto's small population and low immigration, large families are characteristic, and residents often have the same last name, a phenomenon also found in other state localities. The two largest families are the “Davis”, predominating in the east of the city, along the beach (“Calle Davis” is a street with this last name), and the “Murillo”, predominating in the south along the Arroyo Loreto, in the neighborhood known as “barrio del Muro”, named after the retaining wall built to hold flood waters from the creek. Other large families are the Amador, the Arce, the Cota, the Higuera, the Romero and the Villalejo.
Culture
Sonoma, California
Sonoma is a historically significant city in Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA, surrounding its historic town plaza, a remnant of the town's Mexican colonial past. It was the capital of the short-lived California Republic...
.
In the neighboring town of San Javier
San Javier, Baja California Sur
San Javier is a village in Loreto Municipality in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. It is approximately 36 km southwest of Loreto on an unfinished road...
are five historical buildings, most importantly the Mission of Saint Francis Xavier (Misión de San Francisco Javier
Misión San Francisco Javier de Viggé-Biaundó
Misión San Francisco Javier de Viggé-Biaundó was a Spanish mission in San Javier, Baja California Sur, Mexico.-Origins:The Spanish mission of San Francisco Javier was initially founded by the Jesuit missionary Francisco María Piccolo in 1699 at a spring called Biaundó by the native Cochimí, about 8...
), the best preserved mission in the peninsula. The ruins of Mission of San Bruno
Misión San Bruno
The short-lived Jesuit mission of San Bruno was established in 1683 on the Gulf of California of Baja California Sur, about 20 kilometers north of the later site of the town of Loreto....
, the first mission of Baja California, founded in 1683 but abandoned a mere two years later, are twenty kilometers north of Loreto.
The Jesuit Missions Museum (“Museo de las Misiones Jesuíticas”) is located beside the Mission of our Lady of Loreto. It has a collection of religious art, weapons and tools from the 17th and 18th centuries that were used in the Spanish missions in Baja California.
In the “La Giganta” Mountain Range (“Sierra de la Giganta
Sierra de la Giganta
The Sierra de la Giganta is a mountain range of Baja California Sur state in northwestern Mexico. The range extends parallel to the coast of the Gulf of California, west of the town of Loreto. The Sierra de la Giganta is one of the landforms in the Peninsular Ranges, which extend from Southern...
”), there are cave paintings in canyons and rock shelters. The nearest sites to Loreto are “Cuevas Pintas” (15 km to the west) and "La Pingüica" (60 km to the North). The cave paintings from the indigenous groups of Baja California are world famous and some of them have been added to UNESCO's list of world heritage sites.
Fishing
Loreto has a reputation as an excellent sport fishing location. This is its main tourist attraction, as well as the main source of employment in the area, thus linking Loreto’s economy closely to fishing. There are two well-defined fishing seasons: summer features “doradoMahi-mahi
The mahi-mahi or common dolphinfish is a surface-dwelling ray-finned fish found in off-shore temperate, tropical and subtropical waters worldwide. It is one of only two members of the Coryphaenidae family, the other being the pompano dolphinfish...
” and species like marlin
Marlin
Marlin, family Istiophoridae, are fish with an elongated body, a spear-like snout or bill, and a long rigid dorsal fin, which extends forward to form a crest. Its common name is thought to derive from its resemblance to a sailor's marlinspike...
(black marlin
Black marlin
The black marlin is a species of marlin found in tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific oceans not far from the surface. It is a large commercial game fish with a maximum published weight of , but greater weights than this have been recorded. It is one of the largest marlins and bony fish...
, Atlantic blue marlin
Atlantic blue marlin
The Atlantic blue marlin is a species of marlin endemic to the Atlantic Ocean. The Atlantic blue marlin feeds on a wide variety of organisms near the surface. By using its bill, it can stun, injure, or kill while knifing through a school of prey and then return later at its leisure to eat...
, striped marlin
Striped marlin
The striped marlin, Tetrapturus audax, is a species of marlin found in tropical to temperate Indo-Pacific oceans not far from the surface. It is a large commercial game fish with a record weight of 190 kg, and a maximum length of 420 cm. The striped marlin is a predator that hunts during the day...
) and sailfish
Indo-Pacific sailfish
The Indo-Pacific sailfish, Istiophorus platypterus, is a sailfish native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is dark blue on top, brown-blue laterally, silvery white underbelly; upper jaw elongated in form of spear; first dorsal fin greatly enlarged in the form of a sail, with many black cones,...
, which are ideal for the fly fishing; winter fishing features “yellow tail
Yellowtail amberjack
The yellowtail amberjack or great amberjack, Seriola lalandi, is a large fish found in the Pacific and Indian oceans. It can be divided into three sub-species: The California yellowtail, Seriola lalandi dorsalis, the southern yellowtail, or in New Zealand and Australia the yellowtail kingfish or...
” (jurel) and other species that usually are deep in the sea rocks. In addition to these seasonal species, Loreto's waters are home to other species like snapper and seabass, which are found all year long. Thanks to this abundance, Loreto has been home of several IGFA
International Game Fish Association
The International Game Fish Association is the leading authority on angling pursuits and the keeper of the most current World Record fishing catches by fish categories. Fishermen who are sport fishers are careful to follow their stringent rules for fair play and line requirements in order to...
records. The two “foundations” of Loreto’s sport fishing are the “dorado” and the “yellow tail” (Seriola lalandi dorsalis). The dorado is the emblematic species of Loreto's warm waters, its season beginning in late May, peaking from July to September, and ending in November, with two important tournaments, in July and September. The yellow tail is one of the strongest species; its season begins in November, peaks from March to April, and comes to an end in late May.
Recreation and tourist attractions
There are several beaches in the Loreto area:- Nopoló.
- Juncalito.
- Ensenada Blanca.
- Agua Verde.
- San Bruno (to the North of town).
Other activities are:
- Diving. Loreto offers world class snorkelling and scuba divingScuba divingScuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
, featuring warm water that makes wetsuits unnecessary most of the year, remarkable biodiversity, and good visibility. - Golfing. The Loreto Golf Course is a par 72 course with 18 holes and two artificial lakes, located in Nopoló, 9 km south of the town.
- Tennis. The Loreto Tennis Center has 8 professional courts and a stadium, also located in Nopoló.
- CampingCampingCamping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants leave urban areas, their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motorhome, cabin, a primitive structure, or no...
. Loreto offers from full service campsites, as well as deserted beaches. - KayakingKayakingKayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking and canoeing are also known as paddling. Kayaking is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle...
. Several companies offer sea kayak tours. - SailingSailingSailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
. Puerto Escondido, now renamed “Puerto Loreto” by the federal government, is south of Loreto. This port it is a safe natural harbor surrounded by hills, and is home to the “Sea of Cortez Project”, formerly known as Nautical Ladder Plan), operated by two government agencies. The Hidden Port Yacht Club is also based in this port, an internationally recognized club that is also involved in philanthropic activities.
Education
The city has two public schools of superior studies:- The Regional Center of Normal Education “Marcelo Rubio Ruiz” (CREN) is an undergraduate school of education that offers two bachelor's degree programs in education and in special education.
- The Baja California Sur Autonomous University campus Loreto (UABCS) offers two bachelor's degree programs in alternative tourism and in political science and public administration.
The catholic private school "Colegio Calafia" offers one associate degree in commerce.
High school students (10th to 12th grade) are served by two public schools:
- Centro de Estudios de Bachillerato.
- Colegio de Bachilleres (former Preparatoria Federal por Cooperación “Manuel Davis Ramírez”).
Middle school students (7th to 9th grade) are served by two public schools:
- Escuela Secundaria Estatal “Benito Juárez”.
- Escuela Secundaria Estatal “Modesto Sánchez Mayón”.
Elementary school students (1st to 6th grade) are served by six public schools and one catholic private school. There are five kindergarten schools. Boarding School Number 8 (Albergue Escolar Número 8 "General Venustiano Carranza") serves children from the mountain villages who attend school, away from their homes and families. It serves approximately sixty five students.
Events
- Fiestas de la Virgen de Loreto. The Our Lady of Loreto Festivities are celebrated on September 8. It's a series of religious, civic and cultural events.
- Fiestas de la Fundación de Loreto. The foundation of the city is celebrated from October 19 to 25. It's one of the most important cultural events in the state.
- Fiestas de San Javier. The festivities from December 1 to 3 are in honor of Saint Francis Xavier, patron saint from the neighbor town of San Javier. These festivities attract a lot of pilgrims from the peninsula.
- Loreto 400. An off-road racing event that takes place in September. The course is a classic desert offroad race which route includes Comondú, San Javier and the old towns of La Giganta mountain range.
- Loreto 300 milles. Off-road racing event. December.
- Torneo de las Misiones. Fishing Charity Tournament that started in 1993. The 2007 edition will be July 12–14.
- Loreto Dorado International Fishing Tournament. Takes place in July.
- Copa Dorado Tournament. State tournament in September.
- Governor's Cup Fishing Tournament. May
Government
Municipalities of Mexico
Municipalities are the second-level administrative division in Mexico . There are 2,438 municipalities in Mexico, making the average municipality population 45,616...
of Loreto, which is governed by a City Council (Ayuntamiento
Ayuntamiento
Ayuntamiento In other languages of Spain:*Catalan/Valencian .*Galician .*Basque . is the general term for the council of a municipality, or sometimes the municipality itself, in Spain and Latin America. Historically Ayuntamiento was often preceded by the word excelentísimo , when referring to...
), consisting of a Mayor or Municipal President
Municipal president
A presidente municipal is the chief of government of municipios in Mexico. The position is comparable to the county executive of a county in the United States or to the mayor of a city in the United States, although the jurisdiction of a presidente municipal includes not only a city but the...
(Presidente Municipal), a Syndic
Syndic
Syndic , a term applied in certain countries to an officer of government with varying powers, and secondly to a representative or delegate of a university, institution or other corporation, entrusted with special functions or powers.The meaning which underlies both applications is that of...
(Síndico), and six City Councilors
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
(Regidores), all eight elected by direct popular vote
Direct election
Direct election is a term describing a system of choosing political officeholders in which the voters directly cast ballots for the person, persons or political party that they desire to see elected. The method by which the winner or winners of a direct election are chosen depends upon the...
for a mandatory single term limit
Term limit
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for...
of three years. The Mayor is a voting member of the council, and as head of the public municipal administration is directly responsible for actual implementation of the City Council’s decisions, somewhat analogous to a City Manager
City manager
A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a council-manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief executive officer or chief administrative officer in some municipalities...
. The Mayor of Loreto is Jorge Alberto Avilés Pérez, whose term runs until April 2014.
The Syndic (or Trustee), also a voting member, is responsible for the legal representation of both the council itself and of the municipal government more generally, and monitors municipal assets and supervises public servants conduct, similar to an US Inspector General
Inspector General
An Inspector General is an investigative official in a civil or military organization. The plural of the term is Inspectors General.-Bangladesh:...
.
The other six City Councilors are voting members whose principal function is analysis and overall direction, rather than direct implementation of the council's decisions. The Mayor is represented at the community action level by seven subdelegates (Subdelegados Municipales), who are appointed by the City Council to perform certain functions: presently serving are Agua Verde, San Javier
San Javier, Baja California Sur
San Javier is a village in Loreto Municipality in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. It is approximately 36 km southwest of Loreto on an unfinished road...
, Ligüi, Colonia Zaragoza, San Nicolás, Tembabiche, and San Juan.
| Years | Name | Political Party |
|---|---|---|
| 2011–2014 | Jorge Alberto Avilés Pérez | PRI |
| 2008–2011 | Prof. Yuan Yee Cunningham | PRD |
| 2005–2008 | Rosalía Romero de Aguiar (2007–2008) Rodolfo Davis Osuna (2005–2007) |
PAN |
| 2002–2005 | Lic. Homero Davis Castro | PAN |
| 1999–2002 | Lic. Antonio Verdugo Davis | PRI |
| 1996–1999 | Ramón Davis Drew | PRI |
| 1993–1996 | Alfredo García Green | PAN |
Politics
The Municipality was created in 1992 and Loreto citizens elected their first Mayor (Municipal President) in 1993. The Federal Electoral InstituteFederal Electoral Institute
The Federal Electoral Institute is an autonomous, public organization responsible for organizing federal elections in Mexico, that is, those related to the election of the President of the United Mexican States and to the election of the members of the Lower and Upper Chambers that constitute the ...
, as of February 3, 2008, recorded 9,073 registered voters for the Municipality of Loreto.
In Loreto, the main political parties
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
are:
- The National Action PartyNational Action Party (Mexico)The National Action Party , is one of the three main political parties in Mexico. The party's political platform is generally considered Centre-Right in the Mexican political spectrum. Since 2000, the President of Mexico has been a member of this party; both houses have PAN pluralities, but the...
(PAN), a conservativeConservatismConservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
party which was formed locally in the early 1990s by small merchants and Cursillos de CristiandadCursilloCursillos in Christianity is a ministry of the Roman Catholic Church...
members (a Catholic movement), as a political opposition to the then undefeatable PRI. - The Institutional Revolutionary PartyInstitutional Revolutionary PartyThe Institutional Revolutionary Party is a Mexican political party that held power in the country—under a succession of names—for more than 70 years. The PRI is a member of the Socialist International, as is the rival Party of the Democratic Revolution , making Mexico one of the few...
(PRI), which ruled the country from 1929 to 2000, and was mainly formed by public employees and labor union members. - The Party of the Democratic RevolutionParty of the Democratic RevolutionThe Party of the Democratic Revolution is a democratic socialist party in Mexico and one of 2 Mexican affiliates of the Socialist International...
(PRD), a left-wing party which gained a presence within the State in 1998 when many local PRIInstitutional Revolutionary PartyThe Institutional Revolutionary Party is a Mexican political party that held power in the country—under a succession of names—for more than 70 years. The PRI is a member of the Socialist International, as is the rival Party of the Democratic Revolution , making Mexico one of the few...
members changed their political affiliation. - The New Alliance PartyNew Alliance Party (Mexico)The New Alliance Party is one of the newest political parties in Mexico.Its creation was proposed by the Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación , the largest trade union in Latin America, led by Elba Esther Gordillo, the controversial former general secretary of the Institutional...
(PANAL), the political wing of the National Education Workers' Union (SNTE), a corporatist union led by Elba Esther GordilloElba Esther GordilloElba Esther Gordillo Morales is a Mexican politician, formerly affiliated to the Institutional Revolutionary Party until 2006...
. The party began activities in the municipaly in 2007, when PANNational Action Party (Mexico)The National Action Party , is one of the three main political parties in Mexico. The party's political platform is generally considered Centre-Right in the Mexican political spectrum. Since 2000, the President of Mexico has been a member of this party; both houses have PAN pluralities, but the...
members, including several members of the Davis Family changed their political affiliation. The SNTE provided funds and political activists.
Loreto politics has demonstrated two characteristics: high voter participation
Voter turnout
Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election . After increasing for many decades, there has been a trend of decreasing voter turnout in most established democracies since the 1960s...
and differentiated voting.
Baja California Sur State has high voter participation than the rest of the country, and within the State, Loreto is the Municipality with the highest turnout. Local elections have generally had higher participation than General Elections (Elecciones Federales) for President, Senators and Deputies. Local election participation was as low as 48.2% in 1993 and as high as 83% in 1996 while participation in the last General Election was 62.42%.
Differentiated voting means that the citizens’ vote for the candidates rather than the political party, and thus often chose candidates of diverse political affiliation at the same election. Examples of differentiated voting are the 2005 State and local election, and the 2006 General Election.
Mexican general election, 2006
A general election was held in Mexico on Sunday, July 2, 2006. Voters went to the polls to elect, on the federal level:*A new President of the Republic to serve a six-year term, replacing then Mexican President Vicente Fox .*500 members to serve for a...
In the 2005 State and local elections, three different political parties won on the same election day, one for each of three offices: the winning candidates in Lareto were the PRI candidate Rodimiro Amaya for State Governor (but he lost the rest of the State), the PAN candidate Rodolfo Davis for Mayor, and the PRD candidate Antonio Olachea for State Representative (the current XII District State Representative). In 2006, Loreto voters elected Felipe Calderón
Felipe Calderón
Felipe de Jesús Calderón Hinojosa is the current President of Mexico. He assumed office on December 1, 2006, and was elected for a single six-year term through 2012...
, the winning PAN candidate, for President
President of Mexico
The President of the United Mexican States is the head of state and government of Mexico. Under the Constitution, the president is also the Supreme Commander of the Mexican armed forces...
, and PRD candidates Francisco Obregón Senators
Senate of Mexico
The Senate of the Republic, constitutionally Chamber of Senators of the Honorable Congress of the Union After a series of reforms during the 1990s, it is now made up of 128 senators:...
and Juan Adolfo Orci Martínez Deputies
Chamber of Deputies of Mexico
The Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of the Congress of the Union, Mexico's bicameral legislature. The structure and responsibilities of both chambers of Congress are defined in Articles 50 to 70 of the current constitution.-Composition:The Chamber of Deputies is composed of one federal...
. This differentiated voting pattern began in 1993, the year that the PRI was first defeated in a local election: PRI won the Governor election, but lost the Municipalities of La Paz
La Paz (municipality)
La Paz is a municipality of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. Its area of 20,275 km² makes it the municipality in Mexico with the fourth-largest area. It had a population of 251,871 inhabitants in the 2010 census...
, Comondú and Loreto
Loreto (municipality)
Loreto is a municipality of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. It was created in 1992 from the partition of the neighboring Comondú Municipality. The municipal seat is in the town of Loreto, which was the former capital of Las Californias during Spanish colonial times.The 2010 census...
, as well as the State Congress. Each election has had winners of dissimilar political affiliation. From 1999 to 2005, even though the PRD
Party of the Democratic Revolution
The Party of the Democratic Revolution is a democratic socialist party in Mexico and one of 2 Mexican affiliates of the Socialist International...
won almost all the local elections across the State, the Loreto Municipality was carried by either the PRI
Institutional Revolutionary Party
The Institutional Revolutionary Party is a Mexican political party that held power in the country—under a succession of names—for more than 70 years. The PRI is a member of the Socialist International, as is the rival Party of the Democratic Revolution , making Mexico one of the few...
or the PAN
National Action Party (Mexico)
The National Action Party , is one of the three main political parties in Mexico. The party's political platform is generally considered Centre-Right in the Mexican political spectrum. Since 2000, the President of Mexico has been a member of this party; both houses have PAN pluralities, but the...
, while the PRD won the Governor’s election and State Representative Election. In 2008, however, the PRD
Party of the Democratic Revolution
The Party of the Democratic Revolution is a democratic socialist party in Mexico and one of 2 Mexican affiliates of the Socialist International...
won both Mayor and State Representative offices.
Local media
The city has one local radio station, XHLBS 92.5 FM “Estéreo Loreto”, that plays popular music and offers local news.Trivia
Loreto was the setting for the 7th season finale of ABC reality TV show "The Bachelor”, aired May 16, 2005.Transport
The city is served by Loreto International AirportLoreto International Airport
Loreto International Airport is an international airport located at Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico. It handles national and international air traffic for the city of Loreto. It is operated by Aeropuertos y Servicios Auxiliares, a federal government-owned corporation. It is capable of...
, offering regional domestic flights on carriers AeroCalafia and Aeroservicio Guerrero. International service is currently provided by Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines is an airline based in the Seattle suburb of SeaTac, Washington in the United States. The airline originated in 1932 as McGee Airways. After many mergers with and acquisitions of other airlines, including Star Air Service, it became known as Alaska Airlines in 1944...
and Horizon Air
Horizon Air
Horizon Air Industries, Inc. is a regional low-cost airline based in SeaTac, Washington, United States. It is the eighth largest regional airline in the USA, serving 52 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico....
to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
Further reading
- Ann O’Neil and Don O’Neil (2001), Loreto, Baja California: First Mission and Capital of Spanish California, Tio Press, ISBN 0970854102.
- Alan Axelrod, David Axelrod and Aaron Bodansky (2007), Best Guide: Loreto, Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico; ISBN 0970045584.
- Brett Alan Wyatt (2005), You Decide Travel Guide:Loreto, Riley Books, ISBN 0970889852.
- Conservación del Territorio Insular Mexicano, A.C., Estudio socioeconómico de las comunidades costeras El Juncalito, Ligui, Ensenada Blanca y Agua Verde, Municipio de Loreto, B.C.S.
- Miguel León-PortillaMiguel León-PortillaMiguel León-Portilla is a Mexican anthropologist and historian, and a prime authority on Nahuatl thought and literature.He wrote a doctoral thesis on Nahua philosophy under the tutelage of Fr...
(1997), Loreto's key role in the early history of the Californias (1697–1773), California Mission Studies Association, OCLC 37842990. - Paul Gangster, Oscar Arizpe and Antonina Ivanova (2007), Loreto - The future of the first capital of the Californias, ISBN 9780925613523
- Sergio Morales Polo (1993), Loreto : some relevant facts about the history of the keystone of California culture, Editorial Londó, OCLC 39034134.
- Nicole Dyan Peterson (2005), Casting a wide net decision-making in a Mexican marine park, Ph.D. dissertation, UCSD, OCLC: 64507505.
- Loreto: Baja California, Mexico fishing chart and guide (1999), Baja "Directions", Inc., ISBN 1929394055 9781929394050.
External links
- www.AllAboutBaja.com Learn all about Loreto and the entire Baja peninsula.
- Loreto Eco-Alliance Non-profit organization of environmental organizations and individuals committed to working collaboratively to protect and preserve the coastal, marine and terrestrial eco-systems of the Municipality of Loreto
- Guide to Loreto Loreto attractions, tourist information, activities
- Baja Travel Guide Loreto online trip planner to help decide your next vacation.
- Loreto Guide Loreto guide with travel information.
- Loreto Hotel Association Loreto transportation and accommodations.
- Parque Nacional Bahia de Loreto Loreto Bay National Park Official Page.
- Futuros Alternativos Loreto Strategic planning study for the Greater Loreto region.
- Grupo Ecologista Antares Non-profit association committed to conservation of nature and sustainable development in the Loreto region.
- Loreto Official website
- FONATUR Loreto Touristic Project
- Dirección de Turismo Municipal de Loreto Loreto Tourism Office.
- CREN "Marcelo Rubio Ruiz" Loreto school of education.
- Animalandia A non-profit organization that applies spay and neuter programs.
- Fishing for the Mission Tournament
- Hidden Port Yacht Club
- The Baja Big Fish Company Loreto Information about sportfishing, weather and local news.
- El Sudcaliforniano Newspaper Local news.
- Loretanos Local people pictures and articles.
- esmexico.com Loreto photos