The Escobarist rebellion

 

In March, 1929, the Escobarist rebellion begins. It is promoted by many of the old Obregonistas. The first days of the month, Gra. Manuel Aguirre, commanding the 64 Regiment, takes Nogales without a single shot being fired.

In retaliation, the federal army send daily a plane from Naco to bomb the rebels of this movement which will take the name of "Renovadora." The plane bombs the town, but causes almost no damage, while those who have taken over the town answer the fire with their machine guns from the roofs of t the houses and the neighboring hills, also without damaging the plane.

The only casualty of this exchange occurs on April 19, when a woman dies of a heart attack, after being frightened by the bombings.

That same month, a tank appears during the night on Morley Street of Nogales, Arizona, and crosses the border into Mexico. The following day it begins it's contribution in Naco, helping the Federales. It seems it had been bought in 1927 to fight the Yaquis, but the US Customs Agents didn't allow it to be exported into Mexico, and had remained in Nogales, Arizona.

On May 1 takes place the largest aereal fight against Nogales: three federal planes drop twelve bombs, there are two deaths reported, 2 injured and one plane is shot down. This is the end of the uprising.

The same day, those rebels that haven't been shot, surrender to the US authorities, although they take with them the funds of the Municipal Treasury. Ernesto Verdugo, who during the last days had been the Presidente Municipal of the rebel regime, ordered that $2,000 be delivered to Mayor Hernandez, of which he took only $70, while Verdugo himself took three amounts of money: $341.07, $850 and $123, making a total of $1,314.07. Besides this, the Treasury of the rebels, Fernando Gonzalez Lamadrid, didn't provide any document for the expenses of $176.64 nor the value of 7 auto plates who had been sold during the last third of April, nor "there are any records for April," besides which "...he left open the safe door, and took with him the key..."