Thousands of cars declared a total loss in the United States are finding a new life in Central America. A well-established system of circular economy relies on intrepid South American entrepreneurs who buy these piles of scrap metal in California and bring them back to their countries of origin, traveling thousands of kilometers on roads filled with perils — including gangs criminals who demand rights of passage at gunpoint.
The way these car recyclers work is simple: they patch up a little thing with the means at hand in the scrap yard where they get their supplies, in the United States. Then they hit the road with this car towing another car in even worse shape, which will be put back into working order once they arrive at their destination, in Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras or El Salvador.
Photographer Hubert Hayaud has documented this phenomenon for more than 10 years. He accompanied mancuerneros — name given to these businessmen who look like modern-day cowboys — who travel the “dangerous” roads between the United States and Central America, via Mexico.
The exhibition Run and Drivepresented until November 3 at the Maison de la culture Janine-Sutto, in the Sainte-Marie district, shows 84 photos captured during five trips between the United States and Central America. The photos bear witness to the life of these adventurers who have all the talents: fine negotiators, outstanding mechanics and drivers with exceptional composure. They all had guns pointed in their faces by criminals who control the roads in these lawless areas, particularly in northern Mexico.
“The payment of rights of passage to cartel members, police and customs officers is part of the budget of mancuerneros », Explains Hubert Hayaud, met in the exhibition room of the Janine-Sutto culture house, rue Ontario.
“The drivers always have a wad of bills totaling 1,000 pesos [environ 50 $ américains] at hand. When a member of a criminal gang stops you along the road, you give him the money by rolling down your window a little, without looking him in the eyes and without stopping,” says the independent photographer, regular contributor to the Duty. The police ask for cigarillos, cold water or beer, hoping to get cash…
Adventure Addict
Beyond the “painful stories” that he has amassed over the past decade, violence “is not the center of gravity” of the project, underlines the documentary maker. “The most interesting thing is the daily life of solitude and solidarity of these modern cowboys. These guys are addicted to the road. To freedom. And when they come home, they face the incomprehension of family members,” says Hubert Hayaud.
This project “is part of the long term,” explains the photographer. His work as a documentary filmmaker requires him to build a real relationship of trust with the people he photographs. With the mancuernero Julio Pisquiy Nimatuj, complicity has become friendship.
The photographer invited the 41-year-old Guatemalan and his partner, Ana, to Montreal for the opening of the exhibition in mid-September. The couple exchanged smiles, oh! and ahs! by going through the 84 photos, some of which show Julio at work.
We see him taking a nap in a motel, we see the few tools he carries around to repair cars on the road, we see him filling an old Honda CR-V with dozens of packages that he brings for customers in the region of Quetzaltenango, in Guatemala, to make your trip profitable…
“What strikes me is the very great distance you have to travel. I kept saying to myself, “Why don’t you come back?” There, I understand! It’s a long journey. You spend a lot of time on the road,” says Ana Meijia in Spanish.
The most interesting thing is the daily life of solitude and solidarity of these modern cowboys. These guys are addicted to the road.
” Worry ? All the time. »
While visiting the exhibition, she notices that her husband is extremely resourceful. First, it is essential to securely attach the two cars together (the one pulling and the one being towed). The slightest hitch in this assembly could cause the convoy to derail. It is not uncommon for a car to come loose. There are a lot of road accidents. Punctures. Of breakdowns. Without forgetting the armed threats, which are part of the routine.
Julio has already been attacked three times over a distance of 200 kilometers. He learned over time to avoid criminal gangs, for example by driving incognito between two semi-trailer trucks. The Mexican cartels know where to find the mancuerneros : their residence permit allows them to take a single road, 2,800 kilometers long. They have five days to cross it. Otherwise, they risk big problems.
“What if I’m worried? Yes, all the time. You never know what will happen,” says Ana. “It’s part of the job. We shouldn’t stop at that,” replies Julio, confidently.
He made around a hundred trips in 12 years. He purchased the vast majority of his cars from an auto cemetery in the suburbs of San Diego, California. Each time, he goes there by plane and returns two weeks later at the wheel of a convoy of girls. This work brings him additional income: Julio Pisquiy Nimatuj is an optometrist. Ana is a nurse. Together, they earn enough money to raise their three teenagers.
“I have a lot of admiration for these workers, who do crucial work for their country. And they are courageous,” underlines Hubert Hayaud. In Guatemala, 75% of imported vehicles are used, mainly from the United States. And the vast majority of vehicles on the road in this Central American country are imported. This shows the importance of mancuerneros in the local economy, where the “tank culture” continues to reign.