The Palm Beach Post from West Palm Beach, Florida • Page 20

THE PALM BEACH POST SUNDAY, JULY 11, 2004 21A 'JUAN, REST IN PEACE' Mexican town buries a favorite son: A U.S. Marine Si -r Photos by SUSANA GONZALCCox News Service The flag-draped casket of U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Juan Lopez Rangel (above) is carried in San Luis De La Paz, Mexico, on July 4. At right, Mexican soldiers confront U.S.

Marines during the service, demanding to see permits for the Marines' non-firing ceremonial rifles. By SUSAN FERRISS Palm Beach Post-Cox News Service SAN LUIS DE LA PAZ, MexicoThe deeply loyal family of U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Juan Lopez Rangel has had to cope with a lot of ugliness lately. One of their brightest stars was killed in Iraq on June 21.

He died at just 22, in a war about which many in the family and city have grave doubts. When the family buried Lopez on July 4 in Mexico, where his mother lives, in the manner that Lopez wanted, the funeral was grotesquely interrupted by Mexican soldiers who burst into the cemetery wielding automatic weapons. More than a dozen soldiers took up positions near Lopez's grave and confronted a U.S. Marine color guard the family had requested, demanding to see permits for the Marines' non-firing ceremonial rifles. The U.S.

Embassy already had agreed that the Marines would not fire a traditional 21-gun salute at the funeral because the Mexican military declared it would violate the constitution. The embassy's word didn't matter. And in the end, those who suffered most were Mexicans Lopez's family and the town's residents, who were offended by what they saw as cheap nationalism and disrespect. On July 4, thousands filled the city's main church and accompanied the family and U.S. Marines on the journey to the cemetery to lay Lopez to rest.

But the outpouring of support wasn't because townsfolk endorsed the war in Iraq. In the days leading up to the funeral, many townsfolk were blisteringly critical of the war. Some said they thought the invasion was about oil, or that weapons of mass destruction were just an excuse to invade, or that the cause for est son who married here in December in his Marine uniform and so many others have given their lives. When it was time to honor Lopez, his cousin Octavio Lopez, who has never lived in the United States, donned the U.S. Marine T-shirt Lopez gave him emblazoned with the words "1st Regiment Marines Back from Iraq." Octavio firmly opposes the war, but he graciously welcomed the U.S.

Marines. Pi A va mmm 6 Mr pez's Marine comrades, who had traveled from Camp Pendleton, are shown carrying Lopez's casket The Americans and Lu-dovicenses, which is what townsfolk here are called, were "united in pain and respect, without separation of language or flag." The folding of the flag at the grave site was part of "ceremony and actions that unite cultures and push aside ii Mf I KtJ nJ if I 1 1 "Summer is here and the savings are HOT at City Mattress!" A Web site devoted to San Luis de la Paz provides a window into the sentiments of this town, whose residents now live far more from immigrant dollars from the United States than from local farming. "Juan Lopez Rangel: Symbol of immigrants and new reality that joins two nations," begins a silent slide show at www.sanluisdelapaz.com documenting the funeral. Lo $399 $599 queen set king set Dreams Pompano Plush s499 $699 queen set king set queen set king set queen set Olympic queen set full set queen set full set queen set i i I I 'v 4 ADJUSTABLE BEDS I ,4 I 14 luxurious comforts in stock (or immediate delivery! --ij 1 San Juan's wall is more than 3 miles SAVING LA borders." The slide show ends with the confrontation between Mexican soldiers and Marines. "Communication stumbles and diplomacy loses," is how the budovicenses saw it.

The time, place and manner should have been different, but "Juan, rest in peace. You are home and among your own." sferrisscoxnews.com 0 Aft- BS BED $379 King or dusty silver lowest prices I I 1 which so many have died was never made clear. But people here understand that Lopez was from San Luis de la Paz, and he was also from Dalton, Ga. Lopez's father and uncles emigrated to Dalton more than 20 years ago, and Lopez joined them and his brothers when he was 15. Townsfolk understand the painful decision to emigrate, to reconcile a sense that they belong to two countries.

And they understand that many immigrants believe the Unit ed States offers them more opportunity. Other sons of San Luis de la Paz, residents said, are serving in the U.S. military, including in Iraq. The townspeople respect- ea Lopez cnoice to give something back to the United States, as he often told his family, and his dream to be somebody. Lopez's brother Enrique, who lives in Dalton, said his family wants to believe the war will produce peace and stability because their young- LAURA MAGRUDERThe New York Times long, 40 feet high and 45 feet thick.

MU MALTA eyes on Puerto Rico in 1493. Construction continued through two centuries, with the final sections, including the one that recently tumbled, finished around 1785. The main materials were soft sandstone rubble and mortar, with a stucco exterior to protect the insides from water and wind. The final product is more than 3 miles long, up to 40 feet high and 45 feet thick. It weathered five major attacks the British stormed it in 1595, 1598 and 1797; the Dutch in 1625; and the Americans in 1898 and at least a few hurricanes.

Although the Spanish did a fine job of maintaining the wall, the U.S. Army, which took over its care after seizing Puerto Rico in 1898, did not. Edwin Colon, the site's maintenance chief for the past 25 years, said the Army repeatedly has patched the wall, including the part that fell in February, with concrete. That sealed in moisture and added weight, Colon said, hastening deterioration of the wall's innards. When the park service took over the wall and adjoining fortresses, El Morro and San Cristobal, in 1963, it, too, replaced the stucco layer with concrete.

During the past six years, Colon has tried to re-create the stucco formula that the Spaniards used, a mix of sand, water and limestone. He adds sand to limestone and water to make a peanut-butter-like paste. He finally has what he considers the perfect mix, which he ages at least six months before using it. "This is a lost art that is finally coming back," Colon said. "It's the best matter.

It lasted 500 years." The symbol of Puerto Rico has weathered five attacks since 1595, but is succumbing to traffic. Spring Air Alpine Firm $149 $169 twin ea. pc. full ea. pc.

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But in fact, chunks of La Muralla fall constantly, not only because of traffic but also because of pollution, poor repair work and the wet, salty air that is inescapable here. Now Old San Juan, the pastel-and-cobblestone neighborhood from which the larger city spread, is getting serious about preserving its 16th-century trademark, so iconic that it is stamped on Puerto Rican license plates and many travel brochures. "This wall is a symbol of our endurance," said Felix Lopez, a cultural resources specialist for the park service's San Juan National Historic Site. "But it's veiy tricky." Spanish colonists started building La Muralla in the late 1500s, about a century after Chrictopher Columbus laid king set king set IRON $329 Full or Queen In golden cr6me king set The Best Mattresses twin set twin xl set NO INTEREST Free delivery, set si)" up removal Outstanding service Guaranteed.