Ron, Dora and I drove up over Christmas just to see and have a quick swim.  This was the first time we'd been there since the closure.  Guards at the gate want to see the drivers ID and confiscate any alcohol.   Guards on the beach were pretty cool but won't allow fotos of anything but the beach itself.  Probably about 40 cars parked along the beach road.  People were having fun but it's definately not the place we've loved so much in the past.   Remember there are no restaurants and no bathrooms.

Still a beautiful beach

Looking east

Looking west

Judges give hope to Tenacatita evictees

From the Guadalajara Reporter - October 14th

A district judge who rubber-stamped the eviction of restaurant and businesses owners on Tenacatita beach last year was not qualified to issue the order, the Jalisco Supreme Court has ruled. The September 21 decision gives hope to dozens of families living in nearby El Rebalsito, who may soon be able to return to the beachfront land where they have worked for more than three decades.

The three Novena Sala (Ninth Salon) magistrates ruled that Guadalajara real estate firm Rodenas Inmobiliaria must now make reparations for all damages occurred when state police – acting on the order of the 2nd district court judge in Autlan – forcibly took over the zone in the early morning of August 4, 2010. The eviction resulted from Rodenas’ decades-old dispute over land ownership rights with the local Resbalse de Apazulco ejido.

Rest of the Article

Demonstration for Tenacatita in Long Beach CA

The governor of Jalisco, Emilio Marquez was in Long Beach California and Diputado Salvador Caro and people from Temacapulin and Tenacatita were there to greet him. When they said they wanted to speak with him, he said he wasn't prepared for a conversation. They waited outside the Mexican Consulate, but he never came out - he left through another door.

Lorena Sahagun said (paraphrased) that he saw them and didn't have the guts to speak with them; but what counts is that he knows that they haven't forgotten.

PROFEPA tells Rodenas to take down the fence

PROFEPA tells Rodenas to take down the fence (and more)

Posted by Dobie on April 14, 2011, 11:53 am

Last week representatives of SEMARNAT (Secdretaria de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales) delivered a document to Villalobos. It's 8 pages long, but these are the relevant parts: (a brief translation follows each part)

PROCURADURIA FEDERAL DE PROTECCION AL AMBIENTE.

Delegación Jalisco.

Subdelegación Jurídica.

Asunto: Acuerdo de Emplazamiento

Guadalajara, Jalisco, a 22 de febrero de 2011

Con motivo de la visita de inspección … (del 27 de octubre de 2010) … se emite el presente acuerdo que a la letra dice:…

PRESUNTA INFRACCIÓN ATRIBUIDA A LA EMPRESA "INMOBILIARIA RODENAS, S.A. DE CV.":

The letter is sent by PROFEPA stemming from a visit by SEMARNAT. From what I understand, SEMARNAT makes the laws and PROFEPA enforces them.

1.- Presunta violación … de Concesión número DZF-846/92 de fecha 05 de enero de 1993 el cual establece que: “’EL CONCESIONARIO’” se abstendrá de realizar cualquier acto que tenga por objeto tratar de construir playas privadas o impedir el libre acceso a las mismas,…)”…

The conditions of Rodenas' Concession says that they have to abstain from doing anything to impede free access to the beach.

"Para garantizar el libre tránsito por la zona federal y/o terrenos ganados al mar, 'EL CONCESIONARIO’ se obligué a establecer accesos específicos … y a, no levantar obstáculos que limitan la libre transitabilidad, 'LA SECRETARIA’ podrá determinar el establecimiento de uno o mas accesos procurando afectar lo menos posible los derechos de aprovechamiento que esta concesión otorga"

To guarantee free access, Rodenas can't put up any obstacles and the Secretary will establish access point(s) to ensure maximum access to the beach.

… la cual establece que: "Queda estrictamente prohibido delimitar la zona concesionada con cercas, alambrados. bardas, setos o cualquier otro elemento semejante que impida el libre tránsito peatonal por este bien federal. El incurrir en este supuesto seria cause de revocación de la concesi6n." (sic.)

The concession says it's stricly prohibited put up fences or whatever might impede free pedestrian access to the federal zone. Violation will be cause for revocation of the concession.

… toda vez que al momento de la visite de inspecci6n se encontró una caseta de vigilancia custodiada por elementos de la Policía Auxiliar y de la Dirección General de Seguridad Publica, ambas de la Secretaria de Seguridad Pública del estado de Jalisco, así como la instalación de una malla ciclónica con doble puerta con cadenas y candados que impide el libre tránsito o acceso a la playa de Tenacatita, lugar en que el transito a la Zona Federal Marítimo Terrestre se limita de forma discrecional. ya que al inquirir a los vigilantes al respecto del paso hacia la porción de Zona Federal concesionada al XXXX, quien es titular… de la Concesi6n numero XXXX, se inform6 que solamente el inspector podría acceder a la Zona Federal que se pretendía visitar, no así el propio XXXXX,…

Still, when SEMARNAT came to the beach on Feb. 22, the encountered the fences, chains, locks and the guard booth. They were coming to inspect another concession as well, but the guards would only allow the inspector from SEMARNAT and not the owner of the other concession.

MEDIDA CORRECTIVA IMPUESTA A LA EMPRESA “INMOBILIARIA RODENAS, S.A. DE C.V.”.

Deberá de acreditar ante esta Delegación de la Procuraduría Federal de Protección al Ambiente en el estado de Jalisco que se permite el libre acceso del público a la Zona Federal … en la playa de Tenacatita … y que no se utiliza medio y/o argumento coercitivo alguno para impedir el paso y/o libre tránsito de las personas por la dicha área. … (laza de cumplimiento: 5 días hábiles…)

Rodenas has to show PROFEA that they're allowing free access to the beach. They've got 5 days to comply.

The 5 days are up. Now the notary has to come to witness that they haven't complied. Then a demanda to PROFEA to act. This is a BIG step forward as it's the first time a federal agency has actually taken action (even if it's only the first step).

Sorry this is so long, but I know lots of people think nothing's happening.

dobie

Tenacatita Update

Posted by dobie on March 22, 2011, 7:49 am

Unfortunately it appears that not much has changed at Tenacatita. The fence is still up, the gates are still closed, and access is still given very arbitrarily. At the last ejido meeting, a letter was read from SEMARNAT. Apparently they came to serve Rodenas with a fine for cutting mangroves and an order to replant the amount of trees that they had cut down. Unfortunately they weren't allowed in. On the legal front, the juicios (judgments) are starting to be heard. A new acuerdo (agreement) is being worked out by the government, ejido lawyers and diputado David Hernandez (the one who pulled the gate down with his pickup truck). It looks like they're trying to work something out before Semana Santa.

A reporter for a Mexican business magazine called PODER (POWER) was here last weekend interviewing people. She also had a 2 hour interview with Villalobos in Guadalajara. Her article is supposed to be done soon; she'll let me know when it's ready.

I know many people think the battle has been lost but I don't believe that. Villalobos hasn't started building anything - back in August he said that in 6 months there would be a hotel. The juicios are proceeding, which means many lawyers, judges, and engineers have been out to the property to see for themselves the destruction (although some have been denied access or told to come back another day).

La lucha sigue, Tenacatita vive