How a Mexican cowboy laid down a challenge for Hitler and the Nazis

*Fascinating! Imagine 250 contingents of Mexican charros, trained and ready to defend their country against a Hitler invasion. It actually happened. VL

By Roberta Bosco, El Pais

In 1942, two months after Mexico formally declared war on Adolf Hitler and his Axis allies, Antolín Jiménez took it upon himself to organize a force of traditional Mexican cowboys – known as charros– to defend his country in case of an – albeit highly unlikely – Nazi invasion.

This army soon came to prominence throughout Mexico and became heroic symbols of the country’s patriotic values.

Jiménez, a Tabasco state native, trained and organized thousands of men, who soon formed about 250 contingents throughout the country. They called themselves the Legion of Mexican Guerrillas.

Despite its somewhat surreal tone, this story actually happened, and is a fine example of how the truth can often be more fascinating than fiction.

As I got older, I asked myself why his name was rarely brought up at home”

Over the years, documentary filmmaker Fernando Llanos has been collecting news clippings, photographs, pamphlets and other materials that detail the lives and exploits of this charro force.

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