Olympic Committees Convene in Acapulco

(Acapulco, JG 21 October) Acapulco is the host city for a convention of the Olympic committees of the nations of the world. This, the Seventeenth General Meeting of the Association of National Olympic Committees, commenced its deliberations at the Fairmont Acapulco Princess Hotel in the Diamond Zone.

In theory, the Olympics are apolitical. Unsurprisingly, politicians could not resist showing up for photo ops and to rub elbows with Acapulco’s distinguished visitors. The president of Mexico, Felipe Calderón Hinosa, flew in by helicopter for the formal opening ceremonies. The governor of Guerrero, Zeferino Torreblanca Galindo, was by his side, together with current Acapulco mayor, José Luis Ávila Sánchez. The head of the Mexican Olympic Committee, Mario Vázquez Raña, extended a special invitation to the PRI candidate for governor, former Acapulco mayor Manuel Añorve Baños, thus giving the politician an implicit endorsement. At the head table for the event, Governor Torreblanca was the only person from Guerrero present. The others were Jacques Rogge, the president of the world-wide association of Olympic Committees, the head of the Mexican Olympic Commttee, and the governor of Yucatán, Ivonne Ortega Pacheco, who was in town to help Añorve’s political campaign against Ángel Aguirre. A place was also given to Berdardo de la Garza, head of the National Commision of Sports (Conade), a government entity.

At the opening ceremonies, the hosts played María Bonita, a well-known and beloved song composed by Mexican singer and songwriter, Augustín Lara in honor of María Félix, a storued actress of Mexican film. Once the speeches and congratulations came to an end, the dignitaries all departed, leaving the Olympic Committees in the quiet luxury of the Princess Hotel to complete their work.