There is a rock out cropping on the Mazunte beach. When the tide is in and one is walking from Rinconcito, the swimming beach, to the main beach it is necessary to climb up and around the outcropping to get back on the sand. We had watched the sunset from Punta Cometa, eaten, and in the dark were rounding this out cropping headed for Einsteins, for music and fun, at the other end of the beach. As we made our way around the corner we could see 5 men dressed in dark military style clothing. We couldn’t tell who they were but we knew it wasn’t. good. There was no turning back.
They immediately surrounded us, forming a circle. They were the Policia Nacional and armed with assault rifles. One spoke English. They wanted to know where we were from, what we were doing, where we were going, where we were staying. They asked to see my backpack. I dutifully followed instructions, the only option. I showed them the big pocket and there was only a water bottle. The smaller pocket had binoculars in a case. They made me take them out and they looked in the case. The smallest pocket had my camera in a colorful Guatemalan purse, a jack knife, pen, nothing of interest to them.. They searched Mary Kaye, respectably.
The Gods of Punta Cometa were with us, they didn’t ask us to empty our pockets or search our clothing. They were serious and professional and we were not pure.