Surprise!

So...after the visit by that bright and energetic Inginero, him directly from the Reforma Agraria, him having seen first hand all the rock-hard evidence in regards to El Carrizalito's historic location, were thinking, "No sweat." Informed with such concrete facts, how could this governmental agency do anything but concede the obvious? Carrizalito was where we'd claimed it belonged, where it had always been. And not where it had been incorrectly drawn in on that horrifically erroneous "Plano Definativo" for Ejido Jose De La Noria.

THEY DECIDED WHAT?!

We're back in the seclusion of green wood, our minds completely removed from that coastal desert setting there along Sea of Cortez, southern Baja. It comes as shock to us when fax from partner Ernesto spells out decision by Mexico City head office of above named bureaucracy.

(fax) "David, a very bad news. I receibe notice that the Reforma Agraria have decided in favor of the ejido. I talk to our lawyer and he say we can fight this. We still have possession."

How...why... the Reforma Agraria knowing full well the truth, could such a warped decision have been rendered against us?

To logical, rational people, those residing in relatively logical, rational societies, the mysteries of such things south of the border... cause considerable befuddlement. Not so much, though, to those whoÕve explored, sat back and pondered the realities of Mexico.

Two important factors, I realized, must have been at work here:
"Bureaucratic agendas driven by politics," I suspected as one lame leg of an at least two-legged beast. Mostly the Reforma Agraria was still in the hands of the PRI, a party that hadn't been required to make sense! It just is...was.

Ejido politics.... Ejidos had been ruthlessly manipulated into dependable vote-generating organs, thus assuring the continued legitimizing of the regime. It has long been policy to keep, or try to keep, ejidos happy through give aways, especially prior to a major election. Many cookies both real and illusionary get hurled in direction of this arm of the electorate. The simple redrawing of a map to favor, to affect, the majority of the votes in a given area is an act that's been repeatedly performed. It's an old dance, ingrained and well practiced. It's very cost effective...too.

Redrawing a map is cheap, and it does make more people happy than unhappy. After all, even with an Ejido as small as San Jose De La Noria, a potential 300 votes, this number far exceeds the few property owners unfortunately involved. In this case more than 20 to one would be favored by an illegal, unethical, property manipulation. OOPS! A "slip of the pen" wrong placement.

WHO'S TO BLAME?

What about the mess this causes, the aggravation, the clamor? one might logically ask.

Well, those making such headaches for others have been incredibly well insulated from problems once theyÕre created. The inner secrecies of the Mexican bureaucracy. The average Mexican, let alone foreigner, trying to pierce the smoke screen. Oh how skillful those in charge of such offices can lead one down false paths, into box canyons...dead ends. ÒThe matter will require further study.Ó And, of course, with budgets so low, personnel in such short supply...well...great spans of time can slide by. And then the person you once were dealing with is no longer there. And that persons replacement can easily claim scant knowledge of situation. And....
Accurate blame, you see, gets very hard to place.

.............................................................

MORE SINISTER MOTIVES

Besides bureaucratic mismanagement with political intent, the chance is great that even darker motivations rested behind the Reforma Agraria's efforts to make the redrawing of the map (Plano Definativo for Ejido San Jose De La Noria), stick.

As I pointed out in my "Open Letter to (you) Sr, Chavez," the cast of characters that the finger can easily and knowingly be pointed at. . . leaves one highly suspicious:

Jose Luis Osorin Cholet, a man who had to flee S. Baja just ahead the law and massive accusations of official corruptions, was the federal delagado of the Reforma Agraria at the time of this plano's redrawing. He had been in office during the period when great activity was occurring in the Los Cabos area. Certainly he had come to understand the value of accessible coastline. I imagine him openly salivating as he assessed the situation along that Agua Verde coastal stretch. After all, there were but mostly ignorant ejido people to be dealt with, most of whom couldn't read, write or interpret a map. . . .

Eligo Soto Lopez is another name that must be considered here. Before directly following Sr. Cholet as Delagado De La Reforma Agraria, Eligo had been Presidante De Municipal for the municipo of Comondu. Top dog in the area when plans were drawn for a road to be constructed to Agua Verde; what was then this tiny fish camp of less than 30 families.

GOV. SPENDS MILLIONS TO REACH VERY FEW

The Agua Verde road? Why its costly construction through such difficult terrain, to benefit so few? It doesn't make sense unless you share a deceptive agenda. Eligo also already knew those in Ejido San Jose De La Noria who could be counted upon, for a few crumbs, to go along with such a scam; natural bandits like Francisco Savin, "Fish Truck" Vincente, etc: The few who could read.

Carlos Rondero is another whom I picture setting down at the initial redrawing of that loco plano. A man very high in "The Party." Carlos was 1st. secretary to the governor when first I met him. A large property that appeared on that new plano, but which hadnÕt been on the old one, was simply marked as "Predido Agua Verde," approximately 400 hectares. The owner claimed is not directly Carols - another family member - but in our investigation of situation it turned out that Carlos was ÒtheÓ Rondero who was calling all the shots. The Agua Verde road, of course, goes right to, and through, this extremely choice property.

That there were others involved in this false plano's drafting, I simply have no doubt. And, of course, the possibilities still exist that very high members of that original cabal can still reach deep inside bureaucratic apparatus existing today (the Reforma Agraria, the Procuradora Ag. and the Tribunal Ag., etc.) and still effect their illigetimate designs. So imbedded are the tentacles of the pre-existing order...that the new order that's striving to be, throughout Mexico, will be extremely taxed to extract them.

For me, it is very hard to imagine an across-the-board acceptance of something as obviously false, proveable false, as that Plano for Ejido San Jose De La Noria for all the above mentioned bueaucracy's the political gains can't possibly be that great. Without some sorts of pressures being applied from someone, someone still strategically in high position, this shouldnÕt be happening.

EVERY DAY THERE'S MORE EYES WATCHING

A mind-teasing problem, this attempted theft by paper of Rancho Carrizalito, that along with all the other previously mentioned thefts designed into that one laughable document. Is it possible that even though the overwhelming majority of Mexicans have spoken for sweeping changes, an end to that cancer of insider corruption, it's still going to so "blantently" go on?

Are those manipulating this situation so brazen, so sure of themselves, so all powerful, that they will try and continue this crime with, now, so many others watching?

Ahhh...what lessons we still have to learn with this, Sr. Chavez.
This El Carrizalito thing! it keeps me on edge of my seat.

More to come, I assure you!

Don Dahveed

Email: david@dondavidonbaja.com