Saturday, January 1, 2011

Hidden video posted showing guard blocking Tenacatita Beach access

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