Posted by Dobie on May 14, 2013, 7:18 am
After months with no news, there has finally been some forward movement. On May 8, 2 members of the Rebalsito ejido and fishing cooperative, along with several lawyers and associates, went to Mexico City and filed a denuncia (formal complaint) with the Attorney General’s office relating to the events that took place on August 4, 2010 when the beach was taken over and everyone was forced to leave their homes and businesses. It also included events that happened later that night, when drunk security police came into town and terrorized people, shooting guns into the air as well as firing rubber bullets, storming into houses and roughing people up (including minors and an elderly man). Other federal offences, like cutting the mangroves, were also noted.
Individual denuncias were filed with the county shortly after August 4, but never went anywhere. It was obvious what side the government was on. Meetings with state and federal officials (when they happened) were a sham. The fact that the denuncia filed last week was accepted is a good thing. Hopefully this time the charges will be investigated and the papers won’t languish in the desk of some bureaucrat.
The other positive news is that SEMARNAT (the environmental agency) won the amparo filed by Rodenas regarding the concession. To briefly review, Rodenas’ concession (the right to use federal property, in this case, Tenacatita beach) came up for renewal in 2012 and SEMARNAT refused to renew their permit. Then SEMARNAT gave the concession to the municipality of La Huerta. Rodenas filed an amparo (similar to an injunction) against La Huerta and SEMARNAT which has prevented La Huerta from taking possession. Although SEMARNAT won, the case still has to go through a review, and then a final decision is made. Usually whoever wins the case, wins the review because the decision can only change if new information is introduced, but this is not always the case.
