The Conflicted Ejido: Disputes and Intra-Ejidal Relations in Calakmul, Campeche

Abstract

In Mexico’s contemporary ejidos, modes of natural resource access, distribution of government support, and land tenure regimes are problems associated with neoliberal policies. In this article, we explore the different forms of tension and conflict between ejidatarios (official ejidal members with rights based on this membership) and pobladores (residents without these rights) in three ejidos in the municipality of Calakmul, Campeche, Mexico. We address different interpretations and factors that characterize Mexico’s current agrarian problem. Based on ethnographic work, including in-depth interviews and focus groups, we analyze the conflicts among different kinds of ejidal residents. We find a situation of tension and rancor that arises from the decisions and risks assumed by the different groups in their struggle for market participation or just survival. We conclude that it is urgent to rethink conflicts over ejido resources and the unwanted effects of government programs.