ARROYO SECO, Jalisco, Mexico - Today's Los Angeles Times carried a story about warning issued by the Mexican government, telling Mexicans returning from the U.S. - and any one traveling in Mexico - to be extra cautious on the highways and travel in convoys.
Mexican Marines search a vehicle in the city of Puebla
Convoys? Yes, convoys.
The story said the government is offering armed escorts for such groups, including the military. In cases where people say they don't want an escort, the government says it can monitor travelers to ensure they get to their destinations safely.
Today's Los Angeles Times story comes just days after the U.S. Consultate General issued a stern warning about driving through Tepic, north of Puerto Vallarta. LINK: Trouble in Tepic
GUADALAJARA, Jalisco, Mexico - The La Manzanilla message board posted the report below from Informador.Com.Mx that a meeting was just held of top level Mexican officials, pushing for a reopening of the Tenacatita Beach road, closed since August. 4.
Tenacatita Beach last spring, before seizure
Since the closure, police and/or security forces under the direction of Jose Villalobos of the Rodenas Corp. have barred entry to the public and have had several confrontations with local residents who were evicted from their homes and businesses.
The evictees - along with a number of non-Mexican citizens who own property along the ocean beach there - have filed lawsuits in federal court in Guadalajara to regain their lands.
If the road suddenly is opened, it is unclear what people would find when they arrived. According to published reports, virtually all the restaurants - and other facilities like restrooms - have been leveled. Several palapas, with concrete floors have been erected, the same reports say.
Below is a Google translation of what was published.
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FROM INFORMADOR.COM.MX: GUADALAJARA, JALISCO (23/NOV/2010) .- Federal Deputies PRI, PAN and the PT, as well as representatives of national and state commissions and Human Rights Department of the Interior (Interior Ministry) met yesterday at the Plaza de Armas to give their views on the conflict over land on the beach at Tenacatita. Rep. David Hernandez lamented the absence of representatives of the Executive. In sum, the deputies asked the head of the Executive, Emilio González Márquez, order the release of the beach and the road before the holidays start decembrinas, with the aim of reviving tourism in the area. "We intend to make an agreement to open the beach and the road for people to take advantage of this period and thus reactivate the economy a bit." U.S. Rep. Salvador Caro noted that from August 4 (when the conflict) estimated economic losses to traders for 50 million pesos. For the deputy, the State Government's attitude is a clarion call for "peaceful civil resistance. Jalisco is a state with a serious problem of governance, there are other disputes over territories that the state has failed to solve. The currency of the Government are deaf, we do not hear, not see us .... " Another absentee was the representative of the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), who sent an official letter in which he explains that he was unable to attend the event by scheduling problems, but reiterated its position that the beach must be free. Other guests that attended were representatives of the company Rodenas, who won a land dispute in the area. He drew attention to the position of Deputy National Action Party, Luis Meillón Johnston, who admitted that he has talked about it with the governor. "I take the colors of my party, I do not intend to quarrel with the Government or the Director of State Public Security. If this does not solve is politicized. " "The road may be closed" The representative of the Human Rights Commission, Alfonso Hernández Barrón, announced the progress of the investigation into the confrontation between police and demonstrators supporting the area. CEDHJ said that immediately calls to withdraw the security forces who blocked the road and the beach at Tenacatita. "The road may be closed because it was done with public funds. This path must be open, affects a number of fundamental and human rights. " He recalled that injunctions have been issued for the authorities to avoid trouble among the people. Also felt that they should give psychological support "because there is anguish, despair and suffering, which can cause irreversible damage." He added that this is one of the most serious issues facing the Government of Jalisco, along with the dissatisfaction of residents to build the dam in the Zapotillo Temacauplín.
LA MANZANILLA, Jalisco, Mexico - A few years ago, getting a reasonable approximation of a traditional American Thanksgiving turkey dinner was a real challenge in La Manzanilla.
Not anymore, apparently.
At least three restaurants in La Manzanilla, including Palapa Joe's and Lora Loka's will be having the real deal.
Also, the La Manzanilla message board lists Kenny's as having a Thanksgiving Day dinner, too.
Everyone suggests that people get reservations, however - a very un-Mexican notion, but required in this case.
ARROYO SECO, Jalisco, Mexico - The RV park in Arroyo Seco - Isidro's Las Brisas - is officially open and like all good businesses, has a website with photos and contact information.
Isidro's Las Brisas RV Park is on the large beach (Playa Grande) in Arroyo Seco, Jalisco Mexico. This park is only about 10 miles from Tenacatita Beach which is now closed. This park has sewer hook ups, water and electrical. Each lot is separately metered and you also pay your own electrical. There are two toilets and two showers for your use. There are also two palapas you can sit under or hang your hammock from. The ocean is just across the road. This site has about 12 acres of palm trees and it is a very peaceful and tranquil site. Please call 210-399-6997 (US number) or 315-355-5224 (Mexico number) if you have any questions or want to make reservations.
The area is likely of special interest this season, with Tenacatita's beach and campgrounds blocked off by the police protecting Jose Villalobos. At the same time, a new restaurant has opened on the beach, operated by Luis, who has run the Las Brisas restaurant for a number of years.
The new restaurant is open most days and the menu is similar to last year's: lots of seafood, all of it good.
Visit La Manzanilla posts Revolution Day Parade video
In La Manzanilla today, the parade to celebrate Revolution Day wasn't too revolutionary. La Manzanilla's Lois Lane called it 'the parade that wasn't' because it started earlier than expected.
Earlier? In Mexico. What the #%@&*$^%??????....
But there is video proof that the parade did take place - a video taken for Visit La Manzanilla (LINK: Visit La Manazanilla) that shows smiling children walking down the streets.
LA MANZANILLA, Jalisco, Mexico - Today's message board in La Manzanilla had a posting of a notice from the U.S Consulate General in Guadalajara, warning U.S. citizens to be extra vigilant when traveling in certain areas of western Mexico.
The part of the warning that seemed the most relevant was for the city of Tepic, the site of a drug-related shooting in late October at a car wash.
The warning says to "avoid all unnecessary travel to the city of Tepic, Nayarit. Exercise extreme caution on the non-toll portion of the Route 15 bypass around Tepic."
Tepic is north of Puerto Vallarta. Here is a link to a story about what happened Oct. 27: Tepic shooting
Given that this is the month when many people are heading south along the highway from the U.S. border to La Manzanilla - passing right through Tepic or around it on the highway bypass - the warning couldn't be much more timely.
National Public Radio had a story earlier this week about how the guns being used by the drug cartels are believed to be coming into Mexico from the U.S.: NPR story on guns in Mexico
Isidro's Las Brisas RV Park is on the large beach (Playa Grande) in Arroyo Seco, Jalisco Mexico. This park is only about 10 miles from Tenacatita Beach which is now closed. This park has sewer hook ups, water and electrical. Each lot is separately metered and you also pay your own electrical. There are two toilets and two showers for your use. There are also two palapas you can sit under or hang your hammock from. The ocean is just across the road. This site has about 12 acres of palm trees and it is a very peaceful and tranquil site. Please call 210-399-6997 (US number) or 315-355-5224 (Mexico number) if you have any questions or want to make reservations.
