LOS CABOS.- Just after a week of waking up to the damage caused by Hurricane Odile in Baja California, the Federal strategy to reactivate the local economy is coming in handy, which has enabled large scale deployment of security forces from various agencies to stop the wave of violence and looting that followed the hurricane.

The so called "Baja California Sur Economic Reactivation Plan" is largely focused on Los Cabos, which is the area most affected by Odile. In broad terms, this strategy seeks to have the commercial sector and service sector return to normality as soon as possible.

In order for this to happen, various financial incentives have been announced to support all types of businesses. It has also been announced that 11 bank branches and six super markets were able to reopen over the weekend. The federal government has announced a temporary employment program where citizens may receive a salary for helping out with cleanup and recovery while things go back to normal.

Operations to transport stranded tourists continue, and only around 10 thousand people are still waiting to return home. Telcel, a nation-wide cellular company gave $75 pesos (about $7dollars) worth of credit to users, who simply had to dial *133# and "send" to receive the credit.

In terms of security, it is estimated that between 800 and 1000 patrol units are on the streets of Los Cabos and the effects have been immediate. Robbery was considerably reduced and checkpoints have conducted searches of vehicles driving out of the city to detect stolen vehicles.

Cruz Roja is also working with more than 500 volunteers on the ground, 120 of whom are paramedics offering medical assistance to victims of the hurricane.

*With information from Aristegui Noticias and the Office of the President of Mexico

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Brenda.Colon@sandiegored.com

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