Posted at 7:00 a.m.
Read on Anne Genest’s Facebook page, a week before the race, about the Barrancas del Cobre, the place of the event: “Dwelling of the indigenous Raramuri, den of drug traffickers, also den of coral snakes. »
“And then, have you seen any coral snakes? Drug dealers? The question is semi-serious. The answer seems to be more.
Pause. Then laughter, which we guess is slightly nervous.
“The question is a bit hot,” breathes Joan Roch.
It’s Wednesday, they’re still there, in the state of Chihuahua. This subject will be discussed four days later, once the athletes have returned to Quebec, will we agree in writing after hanging up.
INFOGRAPHIC THE PRESS
” Another world ”
“I think we have to put a warning first. Seen from the outside, things are difficult to understand, ”notifies Anne Genest immediately, Sunday, back on the South Shore.
The couple want to pass on what they have seen – and heard – with “tact”. Without judgement. The context could be very long, underlines Joan Roch. “We are in another world,” he said.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY ANNE GENEST AND JOAN ROCH
Anne Genest and Joan Roch before the start of the Ultra Run Rarámuri
“But it is certain that when, afterwards, between riders, we told our anecdotes, the word “drug traffickers” came up regularly because, indeed, we race in a region partly controlled by them, begins Roch. It’s common knowledge, although I imagine the Mexican authorities don’t like talking about it. But it is a fact. »
In the canyons, the runners crossed poppy fields, relates the ultramarathoner. Incidentally, it wasn’t hard to find this statement online from at least one other participant in a past edition of the race.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY ANNE GENEST AND JOAN ROCH
Rarámuris in the gorges of Barrancas del Cobre
It would be a very bad idea to land unexpectedly in this corner of Mexico. But during the race, each is aware of the presence of the other.
“There was no strange cohabitation between drug traffickers, Rarámuris and the runners who pass by,” says Joan Roch.
As the organizer of the event explained to them, you just have to know “the rules of the game”.
“That means you don’t have to take pictures, you just pass by and everything is going well,” said the Quebecer.
Nevertheless…
“Regardless of our presence, the situation can change at any time because the Mexican authorities may want to carry out operations. Or conversely, drug traffickers. »
On the day of our first interview, last Wednesday, participants saw dozens of National Guard trucks passing by on a road.
“And we, at the same time, almost got hit by a Mexican Army Black Hawk helicopter. Apparently, the army was there just on exercise,” he said.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY ANNE GENEST
The army helicopter seen very closely by Joan Roch and Anne Genest
“But the two in the same day, it’s starting to hurt a lot. We were really far from Longueuil. »
The roadblock
The rules of the game, therefore, the organizer of the event knows them better than anyone. And yet.
During the first night, even though he was very far from the finish line, he wanted to be present to welcome the winner of the race.
“So he hurried, he said to himself: ‘I’m taking the risk, I’m going to take my vehicle and drive at night,'” says Anne Genest.
“The arrangement with the drug traffickers is that the runners, there is no problem, day or night, continues Joan Roch. But what they don’t like at all are traveling by vehicle in the villages at night. »
What happened next was therefore predictable.
“He was arrested by traffickers, continues the runner and writer. He had to roll down the windows of the vehicle and they began to observe what was inside. Then they let the car pass. »
The vehicle was identified in the colors of the race. To attack the organizer or foreign riders would undoubtedly be a bad calculation.
“But it’s still a fairly significant dose of stress,” argues Anne Genest.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY ANNE GENEST AND JOAN ROCH
In the gorges of Barrancas del Cobre
“They know we’re there, but the young people who are assigned to guard who knows what, to hold on, are on cocaine. So their behavior can become abnormal at any time. It’s that dose of unpredictability with gunmen that’s stressful. Because when it comes to cohabitation with drug traffickers, everyone knows that the other exists. This is not a concern in itself, says Joan Roch. But it is unpredictable. »
What about coral snakes? It was not the season. But they saw small black scorpions, which they walked around. That was enough for them.