Thank you for Montepio not being part of beautiful uptown Catemaco, Veracruz. This hovel of money grubbing, dirty denizens of one of the more beautiful scenes along the Los Tuxtlas coast is actually part of the San Andres Tuxtla (S.A.T.) municipio.
That municipio, since the advent of a dirt road, 30 or 40 years ago, from Catemaco to Montepio has done its best to avoid improving this beach town´s infrastructure, probably because of jealousy to allow tourists to head for beautiful downtown Catemaco instead of beleaguered uninteresting S.A.T. S.A.T. , itself offers about as much to tourists as a trip to ugly downtown Hicksville, USA.
Instead of helping in paving their part of the Montepio road, S.A.T apparently developed its own hare brained scheme for a disconnected paved road via Ruiz Cortines, which at present ony serves some fat cattle ranchers. And iInstead of maintaining one of the unique artifacts of Los Tuxtlas, - (the 19th century Hacienda of Montepio), Montepio's only historic jewel is a pig sty.
Residents indiscriminately clutter the beach with dilapidated palapas, forcing non-consuming bathers across the river to Dos de Abril. Meanwhile, sun stroked bathers BE AWARE to take advantage of the palapa shade - costs 40 PESOS to sit here, Señor!
The heart of Montepio, visible from 360 degrees, is the epitome of Los Tuxtlas sense of care for its environment. Gravel hungry builders have destroyed Montepio's pristine view, except of course for the scissor hair cuts of the surrounding hills. At least the S.A.T. part of the Montepio road is now being paved, after S.A.T sat on its rear end for many months and apparently funneled Montepio money into Ruiz Cortinez. As a consequence many parts of the previously prepared road, which was ready for paving, is now a wash out nightmare and will cost twice as much to repair and finish. Whenever!
The abortion part of the Montepio road, designed by the biologists of the UNAM biological station, still exists, and should become a reminder to the entire world, to not let biologists design roads, at least until engineers are allowed to clone mammals with wheels instead of legs.
A curious adjunct is the complaint from Montepio residents is that their Hurricane Stan relief from S.A.T. was absolutely nothing. There is a vague movement for that part of the Los Tuxtlas zone to secede from San Andres Tuxtla and establish a new municipio headquartered in La Nueva Victoria, near the El Tropico entrance to the Tuxtlas beaches.
Great idea, except there are so many rich folks from S.A.T. owning most of the area on a forgotten basis, judging by its many abandoned structures. And the actual residents of the area own almost none of it. Meanwhile, the waters of Rio Maquina and Rio Col are still wonderfully cool, and the shore beaches are still wonderfully warm. and when the fish or shrimp are fresh ( which on my last visit was also questionable), Montepio is one of the great places to visit on the Tuxtlas coast.
Too bad!
