## Primary Article
### Residents of Maclovio Rojas Demand Land Exchange or Expropriation
In the ongoing saga of land disputes in Maclovio Rojas, community members are urging President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo to initiate either a land swap or expropriation process involving state and federal lands. The targeted area is the General Francisco Villa farmland, aimed at resolving a property ownership conflict that has persisted for 36 years.
In a letter addressed to the President, the residents also called for the establishment of an Interagency Commission to develop “the best and most decisive solutions” to this long-standing issue.
The community opposes the federal government’s management of 400 free title deeds and 852 title deeds priced at 652 pesos per square meter. Additionally, they criticize the 19 million pesos contributed by the state government to the General Francisco Villa ejido as unfair, stating that the ejidatarios benefitting financially have not worked the land.
According to the residents, this financial strategy will yield about 2 billion pesos for the ejidatarios, which they find unjust. They argue that approximately 2,000 plots will be left “adrift,” vulnerable to ejido interests that may result in fraudulent charges ranging from $80 to $150 per square meter.
Maclovio Rojas has developed various infrastructures such as health centers, libraries, educational institutions, sports fields, and women’s support centers—all funded and operated internally without any governmental support.
Highlighting their history, the community notes that they had paid for National Lands in 1995, allocating it for 197 hectares now occupied by the residents. They argue their current legal uncertainty is due to the ejido’s sanctioned land expansion by an Agrarian Court, which was never enforced because the lands were already occupied by Maclovio Rojas settlers.
Despite ongoing violence and confrontations from the ejidal representatives, the residents’ organized efforts as a social movement have prevented any land seizures.
## Secondary Article
### A Deeper Look Into the Land Dispute at Maclovio Rojas
The land dispute in Maclovio Rojas remains one of the most complex legal battles in Baja California. The situation stems from historical occupancy and the community’s extensive development of the land over decades. At the heart of this conflict is the battle between the established settlers of Maclovio Rojas and the claims of the General Francisco Villa ejido, who allege rights over parts of the land despite the community’s longstanding presence.
### Background and Developments
Efforts by the Maclovio Rojas community to reach an equitable resolution date back to the mid-90s when payments were made for land occupation. The current struggle underscores the broader issue of land ownership and rights in Mexico—highlighting the tensions between local community developments and agrarian land claims.
The requested Interagency Commission would ideally facilitate dialogue and legal arbitration, affording the community a fair platform to present its long-term investments and occupancy rights. Legal experts suggest that the way this situation unfolds could set significant precedents for similar disputes nationwide.
### Governmental Standoff
The federal and state governments face criticism for inefficiently managing the dispute, with proposed solutions like offering lucrative sums to the ejido for titles not effectively addressing the crux of the matter: the legitimacy of community claims and the broader agrarian land rights structure.
As the situation continues to affect the livelihoods and peace of the Maclovio Rojas community, there is increasing pressure on local and national authorities to adopt a more nuanced approach that respects the investments and infrastructure developed over decades while balancing ejidal claims historically protected by agrarian reform laws.
This land conflict encapsulates the broader struggle for fair land use and property rights in Mexico, emphasizing the need for government intervention that promotes justice and reconciliation between historical land claims and contemporary land use realities.