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In Mexico and in other parts of Latin America, a large overlap can be observed between indigenous territories and regions of high biological value. In this paper, we ask if the same overlap can be observed in the state of Jalisco, in western Mexico. To answer this question, we start with a succinct analysis of the two main indigenous regions in rural Jalisco: the Huichol Sierra in the northern part of the state and the Sierra of Manantlán, in the southern part. Then, we extend our analysis to the state in its entirety in order to measure the overlap between indigenous territories that have been "desindianized" and regions of high biological value. This is done by comparing the municipalities that contain agrarian centers designated as "indigenous communities" and the municipalities that areas officially recognized for their ecological importance. A high correlation between these two variables is observed, leading to the question "why". A series of hypotheses is developed and these are contrasted with empirical evidence through a case study of the ejido of Ayotitlán, in the Sierra of Manantlán. Although different forms of environmental degradation can be observed in Ayotitlán, it continues to be one of the best conserved territories in the state of Jalisco, with high levels of biodiversity. This is due, not only to its isolation, but also to the way in which the indigenous inhabitants have interacted with the environment and because of their activism in defense of their territory and natural resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses microcredit as a possible instrument for local development, especially when some financial institutions arrive in local towns of limited resources with credit possibilities in soft conditions and when there is a constant training for the use of said resources on individual or collective projects for the production and the services. The paper analyzes the specific program of the Sistema de Financiamiento Rural Alternativo (SIFRA, System for Alternative Rural Financing), which has been implemented in the state of Jalisco for several years, with the support and collaboration of the government's Secretaría de Desarrollo Rural (Department of Rural Development) as well as that of several non-government organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper works from the hypothesis that the businessman's transgression to the political-electoral sphere was due to the accumulation of capital; taking as a premise that the accumulation of capital does not only occur in the natural sphere of the above mentioned actor, the economic sphere; but also that it must be resolved with the accumulation of capital in the social, cultural spheres as well as in the political one. The theoretical proposal is Political Geography; and in order to make evident the above mentioned process of the businessmen's accumulation of capital - transgression of spheres, the case of the Aguascalientes businessmen is approached from an empirical point of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]