Sanchez Magellan

Villa y Puerto Coronel Andrés Sánchez Magallanes is a town in the municipality of Cárdenas, state of Tabasco, Mexico. It is located in the Barra de Santa Anna, which is a small strip of land between the Gulf of Mexico and the Laguna del Carmen.

It has a population of 6,913 inhabitants, being the second most important population in the municipality, and an important fishing port in the state, being the main oyster producer in Tabasco, and one of the main producers of this mollusk in Mexico.

Currently this Villa is connected by land and sea with communities and other nearby Villas. Sánchez Magallanes has telecommunications service such as Sky, Dish and a local service called 'Tv Sánchez Magallanes'. Likewise, the villa is connected to Telcel's 4.5G mobile network and Telmex's Infinitum wired network.

The society of the Port of Sánchez Magallanes has progressed in recent years and the increase in its inhabitants has led to attracting national trade. Sánchez Magallanes has 3 self-service stores: 2 Abarrotes Monterrey and 1 Súper Sánchez.

History

The first inhabitants of this region were tribes of Nahua origin who settled in the territory, settling in a town they called Ahualulco. When in 1518 the Spanish conquistadors under the command of Captain Juan de Grijalva sailed through this area, they observed that the "indigenous people waved colored flags and made loud sounds with turtle shells to scare them away", for which the place was baptized by the conquistadors with the name "La Rambla".

Around 1557, when the pirate incursions began on the coast of Tabasco, the indigenous people decided to settle further inland in the province, on land that is now the municipality of Huimanguillo. Already in the independent period, a population was established with the name of Barra de Santa Ana.

Etymology

Its name honors Colonel Andrés Sánchez Magallanes, Republican colonel in charge of the Cárdenas National Guard, hero and defender of the Juarista Reform who distinguished himself in the war of the French intervention in Tabasco together with Don Gregorio Mendez. He participated in the battle of Jahuactal and in the battle of February 27, 1864, which culminated in the expulsion of the French from Tabasco territory. In recognition of his fight, the municipal seat bears the title of & # 34; Heroica & # 34;. The State Congress declared him "Benemérito de Tabasco".

Physical environment

The town and port of Sánchez Magallanes is located in the Barra de Santa Ana, which is a narrow strip of land that separates the sea from the "El Carmen" lagoon, Therefore, it is surrounded by water: to the north is the Gulf of Mexico and to the south, the town borders the mentioned lagoon.

In the vicinity of the village there are mangroves and swamps.

Marine erosion

Due to the changes generated by climate warming, for some years now the Villa Sánchez Magallanes has suffered erosion caused by the sea, which has destroyed practically all its beaches and has penetrated in the urban area. Dozens of houses that were more than fifty meters from the sea, today look abandoned and destroyed by the waves.

"My house was more than fifty meters from the sea, and today the sea is already inside my house."

Inhabitant Sánchez Magallanes

The problem of marine erosion is caused by the effects of climate change, but it is also caused by the inhabitants themselves because they have destroyed natural barriers such as uvera and dunes, which play an important role in reducing the air speed and offer protection to the urban area.

Because of the above, a project was started to relocate dozens of families whose houses are in danger of being "swallowed" by the sea.

Work was being done on the preparation of a project that contemplated the construction of breakwaters and other protection systems, in order to try to protect the population from waves and the advance of the sea.

This project failed due to the prevailing corruption in the town. Some time later, an attempt was made to stop erosion using geotubes, but the idea failed due to the ignorance of the inhabitants, who gradually broke them and thus destroyed one of the few existing barriers.

Social Issues

Currently the residents have a discussion with the Catholic Church and the local government that have been corrupted by both parties. Since said church appropriated a street (Venustiano Carranza) which crosses two Catholic-owned buildings, leaving the streets that cross it cut off (Benito Juárez and Gregorio Méndez Magaña). The inhabitants say that the street does not belong to said institution and it was stolen with the support of the local government that turns a blind eye. Ignoring article 130 of the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States. many residents complain as it obstructs traffic in the area that has been increasing and leaving an artery clogged by corruption.

Infrastructure

Gregorio Méndez Street.

Magellan Sanchez Bridge.

The town has its small and narrow paved streets, it has a public park, a market and the port captaincy. Regarding education, it has four primary schools, one secondary school, and a high school belonging to the CBTA.

In terms of health, the town has a clinic from the state health sector, IMSS.

Services

It has all the basic municipal services, such as: public lighting, public security, street cleaning and central park, garbage collection, pantheon and drinking water. It also has a taxi service, as well as buses, which connect it with the municipal seat.

Trade

Sánchez Magallanes is an Integration Center, so it registers an acceptable commercial movement as it is the commercial and services center of a region that also includes towns such as El Alacrán, Sinalóa, El Yucateco, Pailebot, Ejido Ojoshal, Col. Bari 1st and 2nd Section, Cuautemoczín and Crucero Magallanes, among others.

It has grocery stores, butcher shops, stationery stores, mainly seafood restaurants, tortilla shops, bread shops and fishmongers. The main activities are fishing, oyster farming, plantation agriculture and livestock. There is significant oil industry activity in the region.

Communications

The villa Andrés Sánchez Magallanes is communicated by means of a state highway that connects to the Toll highway and the free federal highway 180 Coatzacoalcos-Villahermosa. The state coastal road that connects the town with the city of Paraíso also starts from Sánchez Magallanes, although this road is partially destroyed in a section due to erosion caused by the sea, so its use is not highly recommended, due to because in an area it is necessary to enter through the cocales.

There is also conventional telephone coverage, cell phone network and internet in the villa.

Economy

The port of Sanchéz Magallanes is one of the main producers of ostion in Mexico.

The main economic activity in the community is oyster and crab fishing, which is complemented by livestock and some tourist activity in holiday seasons. Tourists come mostly from the municipal seat.

In the lagoon system "Carmen-Pajonal-Machona" The main oyster farms in the state are located, which places this town as the main oyster producer nationwide.

There are also facilities of the company Petróleos Mexicanos in the community, since important oil producing fields such as: Campo Magallanes, Cinco Presidentes and San Ramón are located nearby. Until a few years ago, there were some oil platforms off its coast, which have already been dismantled.

Tourism

The main attractions of the town are the beaches of Barra de Santa Anna, which lack enough services to attract millions of foreign tourists because during the last twenty years the government has not invested in tourism. The spa "Ensueño del Trópico" It was devastated by marine erosion and today it is completely in ruins. An important tourist spot for the Villa are the nearby lagoons of Carmen, La Machona and Pajonal, as well as El Pajaral Island, where various species of birds nest. Sánchez Magallanes has beaches and a bay that joins the Lagoon and the Gulf of Mexico.

Images of the port of Sanchez Magallanes.
Breaking the lagoon.	Panoramic.	Laguna del Carmen.	Beach.	Beach view from the road.
Playa de Sánchez Magallanes.	Calle Venustiano Carranza.	Panoramic from the bridge.	Main park.	Laguna.