Tijuana Mayor Norma Bustamante Martínez joined state officials this week to mark the 89th anniversary of the “Asalto a las Tierras,” a 1937 land-rights uprising that reshaped the Mexicali Valley and curtailed foreign control over farmland in the region.
Bustamante took part in the commemorations alongside Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda, beginning with a brief tribute at the Islas Agrarias ejido honoring Felipa Velázquez Arellano, one of the movement’s early leaders. The events later moved to the Michoacán de Ocampo ejido for the official ceremony.
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Speaking to attendees, Bustamante framed the anniversary as a reminder of how grassroots organizing helped reclaim land for local farmers nearly nine decades ago. She pointed to historical figures such as Hipólito Rentería, the Guillén brothers, and Velázquez as central to a movement that pushed back against the dominance of foreign agricultural companies in northern Baja California.
While acknowledging the progress made since then, the mayor said the focus today has shifted from land ownership to improving living conditions in rural communities.
“The fight has changed,” Bustamante said. “Before, it was about the land. Now it’s about making sure communities have access to services, infrastructure, and real opportunities.”
