Venture into the gritty, dangerous, and often misunderstood era of Los Tequileros on El Mesteño*Podcast Episode 11. Host David Flores and *El Mesteño* Magazine Publisher Homero Vera explore how ordinary South Texas ranch *vaqueros* became alcohol smugglers in response to the 1920 Volstead Act (Prohibition).

Discover the geography of the dangerous tequila trails that snaked from the Rio Grande (between Zapata and Los Ebanos) toward the hub in San Diego, Texas. They also discuss the lethal conflict between the tequileros and law enforcement like the Texas Rangers, and how corridos such as "Los de Parás" and "Los Tequileros" preserved the tragic stories of this period in Mexican-American history.

Books:

Border Contraband By George T. Díaz https://a.co/d/0jf3Qbfo

Rain of Gold by Victor Villaseñor https://a.co/d/0fCNFdqX

Music:

Rumbo Al' Anaqua, Rosa Canales Perez & Joe Perez https://www.youtube.com/@rumboalanacua09

Welcome to El Mesteño as host David Flores and editor Homero Vera dive deep into the life of Don Pedrito Jaramillo, "The Healer of Los Olmos". Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, around 1830, this legendary curandero or faith healer settled near Los Olmos Creek in Texas in 1881. He was regarded as a saintly figure by thousands who believed God gave him the don (power) to heal the sick.
The episode explores oral histories detailing his humble life in a jacal and his famously "odd" remedies, like curing a mentally ill ranch hand with sleeves sewn onto a vest or stopping a baby's crying with water from a mud puddle. You'll also learn about his complex relationship with the Catholic Church, including his significant $1,500.00 donation for "La Campana" (The Bell) of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Falfurrias. Discover why, over a century later, his influence is still felt, and his Shrine and Texas Historical Marker are visited in Los Olmos, Brooks County.

On this episode of the El Mesteño podcast, Host David Flores and Subject Matter Expert Homero Vera explore the life of Catarino Erasmo Garza, the journalist, folk hero, and revolutionary who bridged the gap between "the pen and the sword".
The episode dives into the late 19th-century borderlands—a cultural and political battleground—where Garza forged his revolutionary spirit in the print shops and ranchos of South Texas. Learn how Garza moved from founding newspapers like El Bien Público and El Comercio Mexicano to fearlessly criticizing Mexican President Porfirio Díaz and local Texas authorities in his paper, El Libre Pensador. His status as a defender of the Mexican people solidified after a shootout during the Rio Grande City Riot of 1888.
The discussion moves to the "Garza War," which began on September 15, 1891. Garza led about 26 armed men, known as the "Libres Fronterizos" (Free Bordermen), across the Rio Grande to launch a revolution. Their "Plan Revolucionario" declared that the Díaz government was plagued by "frightful corruption" and called for the people to rise up against dictatorship.
Discover how the mobile conflict forced the U.S. and Mexican armies to cooperate until pressure from the Texas Rangers and U.S. Army forced Garza to flee Texas by 1892. Garza’s legacy is preserved as a precursor to the great Mexican Revolution of 1910, who used the power of the press to fight for civil rights and dignity on the border.