Social activist Norma Gutiérrez Espinoza urged local female leaders to never forget that, thanks to the unwavering fight of Rosarito women, they now lead an independent municipality and earn a salary.

Speaking before the Pro-Municipality Committee, the former councilmember and restaurant entrepreneur recalled the determined struggle for municipalization, in which women were the driving force behind its success.

She made special mention of Hugo Eduardo Torres Chabert (RIP), whom she credited as a key figure in the movement.

“Without the leadership and goodwill of Hugo Torres, his desire to benefit the people of Rosarito, this movement would not have succeeded. It faced so much resistance, political envy, economic interests, and personal ambitions that could have blocked it entirely,” she stated.

Gutiérrez emphasized that women’s participation was crucial in achieving success due to the perseverance and determination of the pioneers who saw the fight through to the end.

“Without a dedicated team of men and women who fought to move forward, nothing would have been achieved. I remember those trips to Mexicali, those buses filled mostly with women because this movement was always strongly supported by their presence. They were given every possible resource to carry out their mission. I am truly proud to have been part of this movement,” she said.

As one of the few living women who participated in the struggle for municipalization, Norma Gutiérrez raised her voice to demand that current female leaders acknowledge that it was the efforts of determined women that made it possible for them to govern today.

She urged them to recognize that Rosarito’s creation as a municipality was the result of a citizen-led movement through the Pro-Municipality Committee—a movement that, she argued, later governments have neglected in favor of personal interests rather than the public good.