LA MANZANILLA, Jalisco, Mexico - A video - made with a concealed camera - was posted New Year's Eve of a confrontation that took place this fall between Jalisco State Police and someone who had landed on the disputed beach in Tenacatita.
The Tenacatita bayside beach - and lots along the Tenacatita oceanfront (some owned by non-Mexicans) were seized August 4 by armed forces under the direction of Jose Villalobos, a wealthy Guadalajara developer who claims he bought the land nearly 20 years ago. The armed men came in without warning August 4 and forcibly evicted as many as 800 people from the area.
Beachfront restaurants and facilities have been destroyed on the bay beach, as have many homes and buildings on the oceanfront.
A group of people from nearby Rebalsito and La Manzanilla did go to the beach Dec. 27 to draw attention to the situation. They were allowed access for that day, though police were nearby.
The video, which is in Spanish, does have subtitles and written commentary for none Spanish speakers.
The video is a YouTube video, and the link first appeared on the La Manzanilla message board: La Manz message board
Showing posts with label land grab. Show all posts
Showing posts with label land grab. Show all posts
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Tenacatita one-day 'picnic' goes off without incident
TENACATITA, Jalisco, Mexico - A one-day picnic on the Tenacatita Beach Monday went off without any serious hitches, according to Rebalsito resident Dobie, writing on the La Manzanilla message board.
"It was a great day. Wonderful to watch boatloads of people go by, waving their Mexican flags," she wrote.
Here is a link to the full message: Tenacatita Beach picnic report
The picnic was put together to draw attention to the seizure of the Tenacatita Beach August 4 by armed forces under the direction of Jose Villalobos, a Guadalajara developer who claims he owns about 42 hectares of land on Tenacatita Bay and on the oceanfront side, too.
Nearly 800 residents were evicted that day and lands owned by Mexicans and non-Mexicans were seized and have been under armed guard since. The beach restaurants were razed and homes destroyed.
A number of lawsuits have been filed against Villalobos in federal courts from people trying to regain their land. Much of the property is federally titled, though Villalobos claims the titles are invalid.
A number of beachfront homes and a small RV park owned by non-Mexicans have been destroyed also, according to reports.
Monday's 'picnic' was the first time that the guards let a large group of people through since August 4. Previous attempts at gaining access to the beach have been met with force by the guards.
For this organized picnic, participants came via boats from La Manzanilla and via the formerly public road, which now has a gate across it.
According to Dobie's report, people coming through via road had to leave their identifications with the guards at the gate. People who arrived via boat were not asked for anything, she said.
Though Monday's event went off without any problems, it remains unclear if public access to the Tenacatita beach has been restored, or if this was a one-time reaction by Villalobos and his security forces designed to avoid a public confrontation. Since seizing the beach in August, Villalobos has told public officials that the beach is open to the public and that the guards are there only to maintain order.
The photo below, from Informador.com.mx, shows what people who arrived by car had to face.
"It was a great day. Wonderful to watch boatloads of people go by, waving their Mexican flags," she wrote.
Here is a link to the full message: Tenacatita Beach picnic report
The picnic was put together to draw attention to the seizure of the Tenacatita Beach August 4 by armed forces under the direction of Jose Villalobos, a Guadalajara developer who claims he owns about 42 hectares of land on Tenacatita Bay and on the oceanfront side, too.
Nearly 800 residents were evicted that day and lands owned by Mexicans and non-Mexicans were seized and have been under armed guard since. The beach restaurants were razed and homes destroyed.A number of lawsuits have been filed against Villalobos in federal courts from people trying to regain their land. Much of the property is federally titled, though Villalobos claims the titles are invalid.
A number of beachfront homes and a small RV park owned by non-Mexicans have been destroyed also, according to reports.
Monday's 'picnic' was the first time that the guards let a large group of people through since August 4. Previous attempts at gaining access to the beach have been met with force by the guards.
For this organized picnic, participants came via boats from La Manzanilla and via the formerly public road, which now has a gate across it.
According to Dobie's report, people coming through via road had to leave their identifications with the guards at the gate. People who arrived via boat were not asked for anything, she said.
Though Monday's event went off without any problems, it remains unclear if public access to the Tenacatita beach has been restored, or if this was a one-time reaction by Villalobos and his security forces designed to avoid a public confrontation. Since seizing the beach in August, Villalobos has told public officials that the beach is open to the public and that the guards are there only to maintain order.
The photo below, from Informador.com.mx, shows what people who arrived by car had to face.
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| Beach access, but first... |
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Tenacatita news too optimistic again - beach remains closed
TENACATITA, Jalisco, Mexico - Tenacatita Beach remains closed and will likely remain so unless developer Jose Villalobos signs a document allowing limited access.
The following was posted by Rebalsito resident Dobie, who has been active in assisting the people evicted August 4 by security forces.
Area residents - and the persons evicted - had hoped that the beach would be reopened in time for the Christmas holidays.
The following was posted by Rebalsito resident Dobie, who has been active in assisting the people evicted August 4 by security forces.
=======
FROM THE LA MANZANILLA MESSAGE BOARD:
Sorry to report that the gate is still there. Yes, the beach is open if they feel like letting you in, and you show your I.D. (so they can write your name down) and you don't take a camera or a cell phone, and they'll watch you the whole time, and there are no services, and, and, and....
In yesterday's Jornada article it says that Villalobos "could" sign the agreement this week, (which would open the beach, but with many conditions) and then he would have 5 days to get his guys out of there, or at least only on his supposed 42.5 hectares. But the conditions include days use only, no camping, no one can build palapas or open restaurants, only vendedores ambulantes (with permits, of course). Doesn't sound much like free access to me. Most people here think it's unacceptable; others feel like it's a first step.
It's clear that it's not just governor Emilio that's backing Villalobos, but higher-ups in the federal government too.
I find it hard to believe that they'll take the gate down, especially if they want everyone out by 6 PM. How are they going to keep people from coming back?
But I do believe in miracles, and at this point that's what I think it'll take.
In yesterday's Jornada article it says that Villalobos "could" sign the agreement this week, (which would open the beach, but with many conditions) and then he would have 5 days to get his guys out of there, or at least only on his supposed 42.5 hectares. But the conditions include days use only, no camping, no one can build palapas or open restaurants, only vendedores ambulantes (with permits, of course). Doesn't sound much like free access to me. Most people here think it's unacceptable; others feel like it's a first step.
It's clear that it's not just governor Emilio that's backing Villalobos, but higher-ups in the federal government too.
I find it hard to believe that they'll take the gate down, especially if they want everyone out by 6 PM. How are they going to keep people from coming back?
But I do believe in miracles, and at this point that's what I think it'll take.
============
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| State Police evicting residents |
Numerous lawsuits have been filed against the Guadalajara-based developer who is said to be living on the Tenacatita Beach.
State police - allegedly enforcing a court order - seized the area August 4, evicting as many as 800 persons and seizing beachfront lots owned by Mexican and non-Mexican residents.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
New look for the 'Tenacatita Bay Bugle' this season
TENACATITA, Jalisco, Mexico - After several seasons of playing around with this website, it seemed that this year might be the year to make it more useful to the community. The page has been redesigned and in the next few weeks some links will be added making cruising the area electronically a little easier.
It might have been reading about the sewers overflowing in La Manzanilla, (or maybe the crocodiles wandering the streets after dark), but certainly all of the largely terrible news out of Tenacatita and Rebalsito suggests another central repository of information, updated frequently, might be useful.
How frequently will depend on a lot of factors.
The message board in La Manzanilla run by Daniel is hands-down the best resource in the area for keeping up daily on the news. Tomzap also has some good information, though it is complicated sometimes to find the latest stuff.
Perhaps this site can add to those efforts.
And who knows, maybe the ghost of Charles Foster Kane will rise out of the sand on the beach near where the Fiesta Mexicana restaurant was to point a finger at the Rodenas company and say 'shame on you.'
This quote from the film, Citizen Kane, seems apropos at this moment:
"It's also my pleasure to see to it that decent, hard-working people in this community aren't robbed blind by a pack of money-mad pirates, just because they haven't had anybody to look after their interests..."
Here's a link to an interesting clip from Citizen Kane:
How to Run a Newspaper
It might have been reading about the sewers overflowing in La Manzanilla, (or maybe the crocodiles wandering the streets after dark), but certainly all of the largely terrible news out of Tenacatita and Rebalsito suggests another central repository of information, updated frequently, might be useful.
How frequently will depend on a lot of factors.
The message board in La Manzanilla run by Daniel is hands-down the best resource in the area for keeping up daily on the news. Tomzap also has some good information, though it is complicated sometimes to find the latest stuff.
Perhaps this site can add to those efforts.
And who knows, maybe the ghost of Charles Foster Kane will rise out of the sand on the beach near where the Fiesta Mexicana restaurant was to point a finger at the Rodenas company and say 'shame on you.'
This quote from the film, Citizen Kane, seems apropos at this moment:
"It's also my pleasure to see to it that decent, hard-working people in this community aren't robbed blind by a pack of money-mad pirates, just because they haven't had anybody to look after their interests..."
Here's a link to an interesting clip from Citizen Kane:
How to Run a Newspaper
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| Hard to believe, but all those restaurants are gone - and so is access to the beach |
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