El Mentor y El Protegido: La Historia de Los Presidentes Calles y Cárdenas

Reseña:  El Mentor y El Protegido: La Historia de Los Presidentes Calles y Cárdenas

Esta novela de ficción histórica  acerca lo que pasó a mi ver.  La novela fue escrito por Ralph Goldman, Doctor en Ciencias políticas por la Universidad de Chicago.  Compré el libro en COAS Bookstore, Las Cruces NM por $1!  Hubo muchas ejemplares del libro, y no tenia mucha confianza que seria un libro tan interesante de punto de vista histórica.  Sabiendo poca de la presidencia de Plutarco Calles, el libro sobrepasó lo que esperaba..informándome de la importancia de Calles en resolver la Revolution Mexicana, y la situación política durante los años treinta-hasta que Cárdenas fue elegido a la presidencia en 1934.  

Calles fue el mentor de Cárdenas  por años, empezando cuando Cárdenas fue promovido como oficial del ejercito mas que una vez.  Calles instaló Cárdenas como gobernador de Michoacán, el estado natal de Cárdenas.

La separación política entre los dos empezó en los años 1934-1938 cuando Cárdenas comenzó su presidencia. Calles siguió controlando la política moviendo los hilos a pesar de no ocupar la carga presidencial( "Jefe máximo de la revolución").  Calles mismo originó el apodo "Maximato" para reflejar su importancia.

Cárdenas siempre quiso ayudar el pueblo, distribuyendo la tierra a muchas personas sin tierra, tomándolo de la iglesia.  La revolución resultó en el sistema ejidatario, el mecanismo para dar tierra a los campesinos.  Claro que la expropiación de las empresa de hidrocarburos fue lo que los historiacos dan énfasis (Pemex fue formado),  sin embargo la relación Cárdenas tenia por el pueblo es lo que me fascina. 

Cárdenas en fin exilió a Calles, una decision difícilmente implementado, dado que los dos han sido amigos por muchos años.

Un libro bien escrito, investigado, y puede ser leído por los que sean hispano hablantes nivel no avanzado.

Lázaro Cárdenas

Calles foto:

San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, México

San Miguel de Allende (aka SMA)

This is one of those rare towns that has been able to preserve its historic center, in spite of its population increase from 21,000 when we visited in 1968 to over 100,000 today.  It is my favorite city anywhere, sitting at roughly 6,300 feet above sea level.  It is a town rich in the arts, blending  retirees  from the México, USA, Canada and Europe into a committed population.  How are these retirees different?  Commitment....commitment to help other people, whether it be a neighboring pueblo, starting tax exempt companies, educating children, or any of dozens of other ways.  

Background

SMA got its start due in the 1520's when it was settled by Franciscans led byJuan de San Miguel.
Ignacio Allende, who led the independence insurgency against Spain, added his name to what is now known as San Miguel de Allende.  The "ruta de la independencia" is the real beauty of colonial Mexico often over looked by tourists interested in the many Cancuns found in Mexico.

Noteworthy
During the late 1940's The SMA Art Institute was on the approved list for GI bill post WWII educational reimbursement, hence many Americans began living there during this period.  Any blog reader familiar with the Jack Kerouac book On The Road will recall the lengthy passage resulting from the "beats" visit there. The Kerouac fellow beat Dean Moriarity died in San Miguel after a drug laced bout with booze he was found in a coma on railroad tracks outside of town and never recovered.

More importantly the "bible"of life in San Miguel was written  several decades back:  "On Mexican Time: A New Life in San Miguel" written by Tony Cohan is a highly regarded narrative.  It  remains relevant today for anyone relocating to SMA as well as a good read for tourists.

Little known is the SMA story of a retired American Marine who died in the cantina El Gato Negro (La Tenampa). The establishment owner appealed to the Boro to cremate the body as no one came to claim it.  It was approved and on my last SMA visit in 2018 the ashes were still kept in an urn behind the bar.  The owner retains the boro approval receipt, and the history, which he allowed me to read.

For readers interested in current information subscribe to Atención the weekly newspaper including the arts, community, events and other useful information.

My personal photography website:  website contains many portraits of the street people in SMA.
No profit motive to it, but if interested in photo stories from the plaza take a gander.

Hacienda Jaral de Berrios

Jaral de Berrios

Many folks associated with Mexico and or booze are well aware of the high quality mescal,  Mescal Marquez Plata and other liquors made by Jaral de Berrios due to having received many international awards.  That, however is not the purpose of this blogpost, rather it is the history of the hacienda, which once employed 6.000 obreros in its heyday that interests me.  It is located at 6,800 ft in the small pueblo of San Felipe, Guanajuato.  

Andres de Berrios took ownership in 1694, and a much later de Berrios, Juan, became the richest man in México of his generation, leaving large land tracts for most of his 99 children. (Source: Trip Advisor)

I was able to get into the building several years ago (think$).  Tourists are not allowed in, as it is unsafe, with floors caving in, etc.  I later learned that a friend from Guanajuato, Gabriela H had family records indicating an undefined partial ownership in Jaral de Berrios.

For more information: https://www.mexconnect.com/articles/4268-beauty-among-the-ruins-hacienda-jaral-de-berrio

Citas de Libros Leídos

Libros Leídos

Me gusta citar algunas frases de los libros leídos para reconocer años después el sentido del libro.  Dado que leo mucho aquí hay unos ejemplos que mas o menos cabe la idea:

Malinche  ( Laura Esquivel)

"Los extranjeros habían llegado por el viento"

Santa Evita (Tomás Eloy Martinez)

"La bella le crece por adentro sin pedir permiso"

"No es el cadaver de esa mujer, sino el destino de Argentina"

"Yo volveré y seré millones"

Caín (José Saramago)

"Que diablo de dios es este que para enaltecer a Abel desprecia a Caín?"

Juego del Angel (Ruiz Zafón)

"Martin pensó de ser el primero ciudadano permanente del cementerio de los novelistas olvidados...

enterrado con sus obras lamentables"

En el Tiempo de los Mariposas (Julia Alvarez)

La mano derecha de Trujillo....el sapo"

Ficciones (Borges)

"Loterias babilônias fracassar por que solamente se dirigían a una facultad de hombre esperanza"

Esta cita no funciona.....Borges...que puedo decir?

Cajas de Cartón (Jimenez)
"Torito ser enfermó, estaba pálido apretó fuertemente contra el pecho..."

La Invención del Amor  (Ovejero)
"No era que hubiese encontrado algo parecido a la mujer ideal para mis deficiencias"

Alebrijes

Alebrijes: The lively and colorful Mexican art form

What better opening blog post than a discussion of the lively  Mexican art of alebrijes?  My first encounter came via a very complete exhibition at the architectural art showplace La Aurora in San Miguel de Allende, GTO, México three years ago.  Little did I realize the values of this "street art," with some selling for thousands of dollars at La Aurora.  A far cry from my 1970's experience with them, but the basis of using multiple animal forms in the same piece continues.  It seems these brightly colored statues/figures were started in Oaxaca, but like other Mexican art are now found throughout the country.  In the aforementioned extensive San Miguel exhibition of alebrijes prices varied from $25 to $5,000.  For more detailed information on this art form clic: Alebrijes