Last time we visited Big Bend was several years before 9/11. At that time we visited the small town of Santa Elena on the Mexican side of Rio Grande. We were surprised that the border was completely open for people to cross. At the crossing point there was a sign that let you know that you were leaving the US and that you could not enter Mexico with firearms…etc. A man in a small boat picked you up on the shores of the Rio Grande and rowed you across to Santa Elena.
The town of Santa Elena consisted of no more than two streets. People served food from their homes or sold souvenirs. There was a school with a museum that housed the work of the children and a dinosaur bone. A church sat on one of the streets and a small plaza was in the middle. We ate at a woman’s house. She had a typed menu that offered tortillas de maiz or de urina. We got a kick out of the error, but ordered corn tortillas just in case the flour tortillas actually contained urine. The day was an important one for Mexico; it was election day, and Vicente Fox was running as the PAN candidate. The PRI had been in power for more than 70 years, and the people of Santa Elena laughed when Adolfo suggested that the PAN candidate might win. “No way. The PRI always win,” they retorted. They were wrong this time—the PAN actually won, and Vicente Fox became president. This was big history in Mexico, but Santa Elena was much more affected by the events of 9/11 in the United States.
Because of events in New York and Washington, D.C., the lives of the people of Santa Elena and Boquillas del Carmen--the other town across from Big Bend—-have changed completely. With the crack down on border towns, the border crossings have been closed. No longer can U.S. citizens visit the small towns, and the people of those towns cannot cross into the U.S. where they purchased food and supplies to survive. Now it is a four-hour drive to a Mexican town of size where they can buy food and other supplies. The citizens of Santa Elena and Boquillas aren’t even allowed to sell their artesanias at the banks of the river. They leave their articles there with a small jar for your money, but this is illegal, and they could get into trouble as could the Americans who purchase the contraband walking sticks, beaded creatures, or other items.
Yesterday I spoke with a resident of Study Butte who owns a quilt shop. She said the border issue is a very sore spot with people on both sides of the border. The economy on both sides was affected. Stores on the American side relied on the business of Mexicans who freely traveled up here to purchase supplies, and people on the Mexican side relied on tourism from the park. The border closing also broke up families. Some members of families lived on this side of the river and others lived across the river. I remember that people on the Mexican side owned cars that they left on this side to get around once across the river. I wonder what happened to those cars.
It’s sad when governments make decisions that so totally affect the lives of people just for political gain. I cannot imagine that this area would ever be a threat to the U.S. Terrorists or other trouble makers would be singled out very quickly in such small communities where everyone knows each other. The woman at the quilt shop was so angry about the situation that she said she will not vote for incumbents again.
Me, Mom, and Dad on the banks of the Rio Grande near Boquillas
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