Monday, August 6, 2012
Mexico
Inaugurates Wine Museum, Wine Route Highway Upgrades
Presidency
of the Republic
During the inauguration of the Baja California
Vine and Wine Museum, Mexican President Felipe Calderón remarked that the museum will also operate as a convention
center that will trigger further economic and cultural activity in the Ensenada-Valle de Guadalupe region. He hoped that
both national and foreign tourists would visit it and discover the region's wine-making tradition, a deep source of pride
for Mexico.
The new museum, built with $5.3 million in state
and federal funds, is at the 81-kilometer marker of the road linking Tecate and Ensenada.*
Calderón noted that the museum required the combined efforts of the federal government,
CONACYT, the state government, and Casa Cetto, with a total investment of 76 million pesos.
The president said that in order to support the industry, the Program to Support the Wine Industry (Proviti) was
implemented this year, which will have a 50 million peso fund. The program will provide wine makers with access to support
or financing of between 250,000 and 500,000 pesos to invest in production, investment and training projects, studies and consultancy.
The president's visit coincided with Fiestas de la Vendimia, Baja California's annual
harvest celebration that [is now taking place and] includes concerts, dinners and wine tastings at the different wineries.* (see
MexiData.info "Events")
Modernization
of Tecate-El Sauzal Wine Route Highway
On tour in the state of
Baja California, President Calderón inaugurated three stretches of the modernization of the Tecate-El Sauzal highway,
which passes through the state's popular Valle de Guadalupe wine region.
The
highway is now 12 meters wide, with two broad lanes and an emergency lane to enable people to drive easily. These measures
are designed to reduce traveling times by an hour. The federal government's investment in the modernization of this highway
totaled nearly 540 million pesos.
The president remarked that in addition
to creating jobs for the residents of Baja California, reconstruction of the highway will contribute to the development of
local economic activities, such as tourism, fishing and the wine industry, particularly in the Valle de Guadalupe, which produces
extraordinary wines that will now be able to be transported to Mexico City and the rest of the world more easily. This development
of the local economy translates into opportunities for growth, well-being and prosperity.
During the current administration, several infrastructure works have been undertaken, including the Mexicali-San
Felipe highway, the Ensenada highway linking up with the Tecate-El Sauzal highway, and the Tijuana-San Diego Border Crossing
Checkpoint, scheduled for completion over the next few months, which will be one of the most modern in the world.
The president concluded by saying that during the six years of his government, over 21,000
km of highways have been built or modernized, nearly as much as highways built during the past three administrations together.
* Excerpted from the San Diego Union-Tribune, "Calderón Christens Baja Wine Museum," Aug. 4, 2012, pg. B5
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Press Release: Presidency
of the Republic, Ensenada, Baja California, Aug. 3, 2012; translation Presidency of the Republic
