Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico - The Amapas Neighborhood Association (ANA) recently met with Lic. Eduardo Valdivia of the Department of Tourism's Legal Attention to Visitors Office to discuss its free legal assistance for not just tourists, but all foreigners in Puerto Vallarta, including part- and full-time residents.

Lic. Valdivia's office, conveniently located in the little casita at the southeast corner of Cardenas Park, is open 8-4, Monday through Friday. Its three English-speaking lawyers provide a variety of free legal services to tourists, both foreign and domestic, and foreigners in general.

Their services include offering legal guidance and assistance in making both civil and criminal complaints. The lawyers will even accompany you to the Fiscalia (DA's office), providing transportation and translation services (again, free) if/when you need to appear there in person.

They'll also help with filing complaints on anything from garbage to speed bumps, disputes about contracts, disagreements with landlords, and problems with bad local service (products purchased, but not delivered, etc.)

In the case of bad local service, the Tourism lawyers will first attempt to mediate a settlement between you and the provider. If that fails, they'll help you take the matter to PROFECO, or the appropriate department regulating that business.

The lawyers will try to handle everything at the time of your visit. Questions and complaints can be dealt with in as little as 10-15 minutes or as much as an hour or so, depending on the complexity of the particular situation.

Lic. Valdivia reports a solid track record for his office, which handled 10 complaints last month. Out of 20, he says 15 are usually resolved satisfactorily.

TaxiSafe

The office has recently taken over for TaxiSafe, a non-governmental program created to make reporting police misbehavior and rogue taxi drivers easier for tourists – and the rest of us, for that matter. The office will take and forward any complaints about police abuse or harassment directly to Internal Affairs at UMA for immediate action, but a specific process must be followed.

Within a couple of days (usually 2-5), a police line-up will be held so the victim can identify the police element/s responsible. There's no skipping this vital step. The following legal process can take a couple of weeks, but a tourist with a plane to catch can sign a Power of Attorney, giving the Tourism lawyer the ability to stand in for him or her, so justice can be done in the victim's absence.

With bad taxi drivers, the Tourism lawyers can take the matter to the Sindicato, which regulates and disciplines cab drivers, and a fine or suspension can result.

A Few Words of Advice

Lic. Valdivia offered the following information and advice:

• Police officers must have and show their ID.
• The police have the right to ask you for your ID.
• If you're out late at night, it's smart to keep your ID separate from your wallet, so if you have to present ID, you don't have to flash cash.

The Cardenas Park Legal Attention to Visitors office is open 8 to 4, Monday-Friday. The office phone is: (322) 222-2224. There's also a desk in the Tourism office in the downtown City Hall that's open 8-8, Monday-Friday. Initial complaints can even be made by email, preferably with details and photos included. Email the office at atencionaturistas(at)hotmail.com.

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The Amapas Neighborhood Association is the official association of residents and business owners in the Colonia Amapas of Puerto Vallarta. A volunteer and not-for-profit association with about 350 members, the ANA was founded in 2002 to improve the quality of life in Amapas. We work to keep our neighborhood safe, beautiful, desirable and welcoming to tourists and residents from all countries and walks of life. We are also the official "Junta Vecinal" or neighborhood council for Amapas, the legal representative of the neighborhood to the city government. Learn more at AmapasPV.com.