Reclaiming the Lakeshore

A Mexican milagro happened yesterday.

The federal water commission ordered the state to tear down the wall. In the early afternoon a backhoe showed up and started work. There were three federal reps present. They presented us with a copy of the order, which curiously enough was signed by a local Chapala government official. That seems like it doesn't make sense, but this is Mexico.

The media was out in full force: three newspapers and two television stations.

The bad guys that made threats have left the neighborhood, and the police are guarding the main street entering our neighborhood off the highway.

For those of you not living in Mexico: this kind of thing never happens. The rich and powerful routinely buy off authorities, make threats to anyone in their way and do exactly as they please.

This is, as far as we know, unprecedented and fast! It was just this past Monday that we went to see the local authorities. If you read part two of "Stealing the Lakeshore" you'll see that we had totally given up hope for a resolution in our favor.

Margarito, the man who owns the 99-year lease from the federal government to farm on a portion of the beach here in La Cristina and who was asked to leave two years ago at gunpoint, is happy beyond measure.

Whoopee!

Read the story in the Guadalajara Reporter.