Chamizal dispute
Encyclopedia
The Chamizal dispute was a border conflict
over about 600 acres (2.4 km²) on the U.S.-Mexico border between El Paso, Texas
, and Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua. It was caused by differences between the bed of the Rio Grande
(in ) as surveyed in 1852 and the present channel of the river.
The Spanish word chamizal comes from chamizo, the common name for the four-wing saltbush (Atriplex canescens) which covered the disputed land near the present-day park.
(which officially ended the Mexican-American War) and the Treaty of 1884 were the agreements originally responsible for the settlement of the international border, both of which specified that the middle of Rio Grande was the border – irrespective of any alterations in the channels or banks. The Treaty of 1884 went on to maintain that the alterations had to result from such gradual natural causes. This provision followed the long-established doctrine of international law that when changes in the course of a boundary river are caused by a deposit of alluvium
, the boundary changes with the river
, but when changes are due to avulsion
, the old channel remains the boundary.
The river continually shifted south between 1852 and 1868, with the most radical shift in the river occurring after a flood in 1864. By 1873 the river had moved approximately 600 acres (2.4 km²), cutting off land that was in effect made United States territory. The newly exposed land came to be known as El Chamizal, and eventually the land was settled and incorporated as part of El Paso. Both Mexico and the United States claimed the land. In 1895, Mexican citizens filed suit in the Juárez Primary Court of Claims to reclaim the land.
The tribunal recommended that year that part of the disputed tract lying between the riverbed, as surveyed in 1852, and the middle of the river in 1864 would become United States territory and the remainder of the tract become part of Mexico. The United States rejected the proposal on grounds that it did not conform to the agreements of the arbitration – fuelling a dispute between the two governments and fostering ill-will.
During this period of indecision, part of the land located in the middle of the river came to be known as Cordova Island. In a sense it was an island belonging to Mexico inside U.S. territory; thus, there was little or no control by the local authorities, which created a haven for crime and opportunities for illegal crossings.
Between 1911 and 1963 several more attempts were made by various presidents to solve the problem. Amongst the suggested compromises were forgiving debt, exchange of other territory along the Rio Grande, direct purchase of the tract, and inclusion of the Chamizal in the Rio Grande Rectification Project. The dispute continued to affect Mexico–United States relations adversely until President
John F. Kennedy
agreed to settle it on the basis of the 1911 arbitration award. It was hoped that settlement of the dispute would strengthen the Alliance for Progress
and solidify the Organization of American States
.
and Lyndon B. Johnson
met on the border to end the dispute officially. On 17 September 1963, the U.S. Congress introduced the American–Mexican Chamizal Convention Act of 1964, which finally settled the matter. In October 1967, President Johnson met with President Gustavo Díaz Ordaz
on the border and formally proclaimed the settlement.
One of the aims of the Chamizal Convention was to build a man-made channel to prevent the Rio Grande from blurring the international boundary in the future. The channel was constructed of concrete, 167 feet (50.9 m) in width at the top and 15 feet (4.6 m) deep. The two governments shared the cost of the channel, along with the cost of three new bridges. Chamizal National Memorial
was established in 1974 as a museum to increase visitor awareness of cooperation, diplomacy and cultural values as a basic means to conflict resolution.
Rio Grande border disputes
The Rio Grande has changed course several times in recorded history, leading to a number of border disputes, both international and between individual U.S. states:...
over about 600 acres (2.4 km²) on the U.S.-Mexico border between El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
, and Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua. It was caused by differences between the bed of the Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
(in ) as surveyed in 1852 and the present channel of the river.
The Spanish word chamizal comes from chamizo, the common name for the four-wing saltbush (Atriplex canescens) which covered the disputed land near the present-day park.
Origins (1848–1895)
The Treaty of Guadalupe HidalgoTreaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is the peace treaty, largely dictated by the United States to the interim government of a militarily occupied Mexico City, that ended the Mexican-American War on February 2, 1848...
(which officially ended the Mexican-American War) and the Treaty of 1884 were the agreements originally responsible for the settlement of the international border, both of which specified that the middle of Rio Grande was the border – irrespective of any alterations in the channels or banks. The Treaty of 1884 went on to maintain that the alterations had to result from such gradual natural causes. This provision followed the long-established doctrine of international law that when changes in the course of a boundary river are caused by a deposit of alluvium
Alluvium
Alluvium is loose, unconsolidated soil or sediments, eroded, deposited, and reshaped by water in some form in a non-marine setting. Alluvium is typically made up of a variety of materials, including fine particles of silt and clay and larger particles of sand and gravel...
, the boundary changes with the river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
, but when changes are due to avulsion
Avulsion (legal term)
In real property law, avulsion refers to a sudden loss or addition to land, which results from the action of water. It differs from accretion, which describes a gradual loss or addition to land resulting from the action of water.-Avulsion and riparian owners:...
, the old channel remains the boundary.
The river continually shifted south between 1852 and 1868, with the most radical shift in the river occurring after a flood in 1864. By 1873 the river had moved approximately 600 acres (2.4 km²), cutting off land that was in effect made United States territory. The newly exposed land came to be known as El Chamizal, and eventually the land was settled and incorporated as part of El Paso. Both Mexico and the United States claimed the land. In 1895, Mexican citizens filed suit in the Juárez Primary Court of Claims to reclaim the land.
Disputes and controversy (1895–1963)
In 1910 Mexico and the United States agreed to have the dispute settled by the International Boundary Commission, and a tribunal was established comprising a representative from each country and a Canadian jurist, Eugene Lafleur, as presiding officer to investigate and deliberate over whether the change in the river's course had been gradual, whether the boundaries set by treaties were fixed, and whether the 1884 treaty applied. Mexico claimed that the boundary had never changed and therefore that the Chamizal was technically Mexican territory, while the United States claimed that the 1884 convention applied, that the boundary was the result of gradual erosion, and that the property therefore belonged to the United States.The tribunal recommended that year that part of the disputed tract lying between the riverbed, as surveyed in 1852, and the middle of the river in 1864 would become United States territory and the remainder of the tract become part of Mexico. The United States rejected the proposal on grounds that it did not conform to the agreements of the arbitration – fuelling a dispute between the two governments and fostering ill-will.
During this period of indecision, part of the land located in the middle of the river came to be known as Cordova Island. In a sense it was an island belonging to Mexico inside U.S. territory; thus, there was little or no control by the local authorities, which created a haven for crime and opportunities for illegal crossings.
Between 1911 and 1963 several more attempts were made by various presidents to solve the problem. Amongst the suggested compromises were forgiving debt, exchange of other territory along the Rio Grande, direct purchase of the tract, and inclusion of the Chamizal in the Rio Grande Rectification Project. The dispute continued to affect Mexico–United States relations adversely until President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
agreed to settle it on the basis of the 1911 arbitration award. It was hoped that settlement of the dispute would strengthen the Alliance for Progress
Alliance for Progress
The Alliance for Progress initiated by U.S. President John F. Kennedy in 1961 aimed to establish economic cooperation between the U.S. and South America.-Origin and goals:...
and solidify the Organization of American States
Organization of American States
The Organization of American States is a regional international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States...
.
Resolution
The dispute was formally settled on 14 January 1963, when the United States and Mexico ratified a treaty that generally followed the 1911 arbitration recommendations. The agreement awarded to Mexico 366 acres (1.5 km²) of the Chamizal area and 71 acre (0.28732706 km²) east of the adjacent Cordova Island. Although no payments were made between the two governments, the United States received compensation from a private Mexican bank for 382 structures included in the transfer. The United States also received 193 acre (0.78104398 km²) of Cordova Island from Mexico, and the two nations agreed to share equally in the cost of rechanneling the river. In 1964 Presidents Adolfo López MateosAdolfo López Mateos
Adolfo López Mateos was a Mexican politician affiliated to the Institutional Revolutionary Party who served as President of Mexico from 1958 to 1964...
and Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
met on the border to end the dispute officially. On 17 September 1963, the U.S. Congress introduced the American–Mexican Chamizal Convention Act of 1964, which finally settled the matter. In October 1967, President Johnson met with President Gustavo Díaz Ordaz
Gustavo Díaz Ordaz
Gustavo Díaz Ordaz Bolaños served as the President of Mexico from 1964 to 1970.- Political career :Díaz Ordaz was born in San Andrés Chalchícomula . His father, Ramón Díaz Ordaz Redonet, worked as an accountant, while his mother, Sabina Bolaños Cacho de Díaz Ordaz, worked as a school teacher...
on the border and formally proclaimed the settlement.
One of the aims of the Chamizal Convention was to build a man-made channel to prevent the Rio Grande from blurring the international boundary in the future. The channel was constructed of concrete, 167 feet (50.9 m) in width at the top and 15 feet (4.6 m) deep. The two governments shared the cost of the channel, along with the cost of three new bridges. Chamizal National Memorial
Chamizal National Memorial
Chamizal National Memorial, located in El Paso, Texas, along the United States–Mexico international border, commemorates the peaceful settlement of the Chamizal boundary dispute....
was established in 1974 as a museum to increase visitor awareness of cooperation, diplomacy and cultural values as a basic means to conflict resolution.
See also
- Chamizal National MemorialChamizal National MemorialChamizal National Memorial, located in El Paso, Texas, along the United States–Mexico international border, commemorates the peaceful settlement of the Chamizal boundary dispute....
- Rio Grande border disputesRio Grande border disputesThe Rio Grande has changed course several times in recorded history, leading to a number of border disputes, both international and between individual U.S. states:...
- Historic regions of the United StatesHistoric regions of the United StatesThis is a list of historic regions of the United States.-Colonial era :-The Thirteen Colonies:* Connecticut Colony* Delaware Colony* Province of Georgia* Province of Maryland...