San Jose, 1708 Colombia

It is confessed influenced by histories of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Of entrance it would be possible to be compared to him with the Florentine Ariza of the love in the times of the rage, that with so gaining the heart of Fermina Daza tries to rescue the treasure of the sunk galleons of the Mainland Fleet. But in fact Claudius Bonifacio, an Italian of 62 years is called, recognized like the investigator better documented in the matter of historical shipwrecks. He dedicated average life to escudriñar the secrets of the General archives of Indians, to collect testimonies and documents of at least 3,000 galleons and frigates. The submerged treasures are their obsession, the naufrología is its profession and what in fact it happens at heart of the seas of the world it is much of a love history. One communicated with the Spectator from Seville, Spain, after to read the special reports that east newspaper did on the luck which the goods of 1,100 ships can run that were shipwrecked in Colombian waters between centuries XVI and XVIII. The debate reopened 20 days ago when a judge of Tampa (the United States) gave all the right on the frigate Our Lady to him from Mercedes to Spain, although she was in waters of Portugal, its load of 495 thousand currencies of gold and silver was rescued by the company/signature cazatesoros North American Odyssey, it demanded them to Peru like own because they had been coined in his Virreinato and the relatives of the drowned ones more ago than two centuries, among them descending Colombians, also alleged to have right on the wealth. It is the third recent case in which the Iberian prevail in North American courts. The minister of Culture of that country, González-Sinde Angels, announced that they will raise the same judicial battle against the other cases in all the American Caribbean. What to do before the Spanish recapture or the cazatesoros seizes of the submerged patrimony of Colombia? The failure effects and the reaction of the National Government as soon as they are coldly being calculated by the Outer ministries of Relations and Culture. The emblematic case of the San jOse is very similar to the one of Mercedes: galleon of Spanish flag that left Peru loaded of emeralds, gold and silver to Spanish Corona, but finished sunk by the English in environs of the Islands of the Rosary. The thousands of million dollars in which they are appraised here their coffers - between 4,000 and 10,000 - are Peruvian, Colombian or Spanish? The Supreme Court of Justice decided in 2007: what it is considered well cultural submerged is of Colombia, but what treasure is denominated must be distributed by halves between the State and the North American company Is Armed Search, declared discoverer of the place where the galleon rests. Claudius Bonifacio, admired and contracted by governments like those of Cuba and Honduras but controverted by others and investigated by the Spanish authorities, surely seems cautious in front of the owners and to the value of the treasure but of which the subject is necessary to solve it soon, in Colombia or before courts of the United States, before he is too much behind schedule, before to confir itself to me what he is afraid since was spoken for the first time of coordinates and sweepings of sounding of the San jOse in environs of the Islands of the Rosary in 1982: that if the Government does not react with diligence, the greater colonial treasure and its similars will finish in other people's hands. How he affects to Colombia the American failure on the frigate of Mercedes? The times of treasure hunters like Mel Fisher, Robert Stenuit or Robert Marx have finished. New international laws and agreements have arisen that do not allow to remove treasures from the sea with profit aims or at least few countries allow already it. The general tonic is of absolute chaos, obscurantism and administrative and political carelessness. The question of the property of the loads of the ex- Hispanic colonies, is a very complicated subject. The Greeks would protest to the Romans. The Romans to Spain, France, Rumania, Portugal, Italy, and all the countries that were colonized by Rome. Sincerely would have aim so many claims? I believe that no. What knows of the 1,100 shipwrecks that are said exist in waters of the Caribbean Sea of Colombia? Throughout my 30 years of investigations of archives I found many documents on shipwrecks happened in Colombia for being place of arrival and exit of Navies and fleets at the colonial time. Doubtlessly your country has an enormous potential of submerged patrimony. Sometimes it has come to Colombia? I do not have the pleasure to your beautiful country, but I insist, has an enormous potential. What knows of the San jOse galleon? In 2007 it left published my book Galleons with treasures. This book is a vindication imputation to `Bay 2 ' (operation of 2006 in which it was accused to attempt against the submerged patrimony of Spain) since I demonstrate clearly that from always I acted with the law ahead with authorizations or in projects to secure permissions. One of the chapters of the book is the loss of the San jOse.
 

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