Benito Juarez, last park in Tijuana's Zona Rio, has its heroes

13 years have passed since the Centro de Resistencia Sabino Arellano was first set up in Benito Juarez Public Park, one of the oldest and the last remaining public parks in the Zona Rio area, right in front of Tijuana’s city hall. The grass roots Resistencia was started mainly by elders of the neighborhood who saw homes displaced by city government buildings.

Their latest effort is to stop the construction of a private parking lot and a mall right over the public park.

Felipe Gomez has been taking care of the park almost 24/7 this whole time. He remembered when he saw Sabino, one of the movement founders, for the last time. “At that time he knew he was about to pass away and told us that he would like the cause to continue without him.”

After Sabino's death, Gomez was the only one who decided to keep on. The main issue for the pro-park side against the project called Zocalo 11 de Julio, was that the state government would have to come up with 40 percent of the project budget, while 60 percent would come from private investors. But he project has had other obstacles.

Since the area is right next to the river’s canalization, the ground soil would have long-term consequences on its construction.

Back in the first days when neighbors were occupying the park area, Felipe explained that state police evicted them a couple of times.

“At the time we were targeted by the state police. We were hurt several times during these evictions and detained just for being and getting organized in a public space."

In 2019 when the state government administration changed they made an agreement with protesters, and the neighbors were promised that a room would be built for the community exactly where the Centro de Resistencia Sabino is. But nothing was done.

“Another time machinery was brought at night and they chopped down 400 trees. Besides, strange men were injecting chemicals into the trees, and of course they died. You can see now how they are still standing but dead.”

Felipe is now hoping thatif the story about the defense of Benito Juarez Park reaches their ears, citizens will value this public and green space in the area.