Mexican vigilantes patrol against drug cartels

[waltky]

Mexican vigilantes patrol against drug cartel violence...

In Mexico, self-defense squads battle violence
Jan 21,`13 -- The young man at the roadside checkpoint wept softly behind the red bandanna that masked his face. At his side was a relic revolver, and his feet were shod in the muddy, broken boots of a farmer.

Haltingly, he told how his cousin's body was found in a mass grave with about 40 other victims of a drug gang. Apparently, the cousin had caught a ride with an off-duty soldier and when gunmen stopped the vehicle, they killed everyone on the car. "There isn't one of us who hasn't felt the pain ... of seeing them take a family member and not being able to ever get them back," said the young civilian self-defense patrol member, who identified himself as "just another representative of the people of the mountain." Now he has joined hundreds of other men in the southern Mexico state of Guerrero who have taken up arms to defend their villages against drug gangs, a vigilante movement born of frustration at extortion, killings and kidnappings that local police are unable, or unwilling, to stop.

Vigilantes patrol a dozen or more towns in rural Mexico, the unauthorized but often tolerated edge of a growing movement toward armed citizen self-defense squads across the country. "The situation Mexico is experiencing, the crime, is what has given the communities the legitimacy to say, `We will assume the tasks that the government has not been able to fulfill,'" said rights activist Roman Hernandez, whose group Tlachinollan has worked with the community forces. The young man and his masked cohorts stop cars at a checkpoint along the two-lane highway that runs past mango and palm trees to Ayutla, a dusty, sun-struck town of concrete homes with red-tile roofs. Pigs, chickens and skinny dogs root in the dirt while the mountains of the Pacific Coast range loom above.

The men wear fading t-shirts, leather sandals and most are armed with old hunting rifles or ancient 20-gauge shotguns hanging from their shoulders on twine slings as they stop cars and check the IDs of passing drivers. The reach of drug gangs based in Acapulco, about 45 miles (75 kilometers) away, had intensified to the point that they were demanding protection payments from almost anybody with any property: truck and bus drivers, cattle ranchers, store owners. In a region where farmworkers make less than $6 per day, the situation grew intolerable for everyone. "When they extorted money from the rancher, he raised the price of beef, and the store owner raised the price of tortillas," said a short, stocky defense-patrol commander who wore a brown ski mask and a black leather jacket. Because the patrols are not formally recognized by the courts, the law or the government - and they fear drug cartel reprisals - most members wear masks and refuse to give their full names.

An example of the danger came in late July when the city's official police chief was found shot to death on the edge of town. It was another attack by criminals that sparked the movement in Ayutla: In early January, gang members kidnapped a commander of an existing community police force in a nearby town. "Maybe they wanted to intimidate us, but it backfired. They just awakened the people," said one of the older vigilantes, a straw-hatted man without a gun. Since then, the upstart self-defense movement has spread to other towns and villages such as Las Mesas and El Pericon. On a recent day, Associated Press journalists saw 200 to 300 masked, armed men patrolling, manning checkpoints and moving around in squad-size contingents. Some had only machetes, but most had old single-shot, bolt-action rifles.

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[LilOlLady]

Mexican vigilantes patrol against drug cartel violence...

In Mexico, self-defense squads battle violence
Jan 21,`13 -- The young man at the roadside checkpoint wept softly behind the red bandanna that masked his face. At his side was a relic revolver, and his feet were shod in the muddy, broken boots of a farmer.

Haltingly, he told how his cousin's body was found in a mass grave with about 40 other victims of a drug gang. Apparently, the cousin had caught a ride with an off-duty soldier and when gunmen stopped the vehicle, they killed everyone on the car. "There isn't one of us who hasn't felt the pain ... of seeing them take a family member and not being able to ever get them back," said the young civilian self-defense patrol member, who identified himself as "just another representative of the people of the mountain." Now he has joined hundreds of other men in the southern Mexico state of Guerrero who have taken up arms to defend their villages against drug gangs, a vigilante movement born of frustration at extortion, killings and kidnappings that local police are unable, or unwilling, to stop.

Vigilantes patrol a dozen or more towns in rural Mexico, the unauthorized but often tolerated edge of a growing movement toward armed citizen self-defense squads across the country. "The situation Mexico is experiencing, the crime, is what has given the communities the legitimacy to say, `We will assume the tasks that the government has not been able to fulfill,'" said rights activist Roman Hernandez, whose group Tlachinollan has worked with the community forces. The young man and his masked cohorts stop cars at a checkpoint along the two-lane highway that runs past mango and palm trees to Ayutla, a dusty, sun-struck town of concrete homes with red-tile roofs. Pigs, chickens and skinny dogs root in the dirt while the mountains of the Pacific Coast range loom above.

The men wear fading t-shirts, leather sandals and most are armed with old hunting rifles or ancient 20-gauge shotguns hanging from their shoulders on twine slings as they stop cars and check the IDs of passing drivers. The reach of drug gangs based in Acapulco, about 45 miles (75 kilometers) away, had intensified to the point that they were demanding protection payments from almost anybody with any property: truck and bus drivers, cattle ranchers, store owners. In a region where farmworkers make less than $6 per day, the situation grew intolerable for everyone. "When they extorted money from the rancher, he raised the price of beef, and the store owner raised the price of tortillas," said a short, stocky defense-patrol commander who wore a brown ski mask and a black leather jacket. Because the patrols are not formally recognized by the courts, the law or the government - and they fear drug cartel reprisals - most members wear masks and refuse to give their full names.

An example of the danger came in late July when the city's official police chief was found shot to death on the edge of town. It was another attack by criminals that sparked the movement in Ayutla: In early January, gang members kidnapped a commander of an existing community police force in a nearby town. "Maybe they wanted to intimidate us, but it backfired. They just awakened the people," said one of the older vigilantes, a straw-hatted man without a gun. Since then, the upstart self-defense movement has spread to other towns and villages such as Las Mesas and El Pericon. On a recent day, Associated Press journalists saw 200 to 300 masked, armed men patrolling, manning checkpoints and moving around in squad-size contingents. Some had only machetes, but most had old single-shot, bolt-action rifles.

MORE

Mexico should call all it's men home to join the military to fight these drug cartels. Millions in gangs would be a good start them release mexicans in our prisons to fight and clean up Mexico, the we invade and and change regimes. Corrupt leaders.

 

[LilOlLady]

We should put our signs all across the country; "MEXICO'S MILITARY NEED YOU." like uncle sam need you.

 

[Mad Scientist]

Mexico should call all it's men home to join the military to fight these drug cartels. Millions in gangs would be a good start them release mexicans in our prisons to fight and clean up Mexico, the we invade and and change regimes. Corrupt leaders.

You think that's why the US invites them up here with promises of all the free stuff that Taxpayers pay for? So they don't revolt against their own oppressive gov't?

Oh but that would be a "conspiracy theory" wouldn't it?

 

[waltky]

Mebbe dey was too vigilant...

Mexican troops detain 34 'self-defense' vigilantes
Mar. 7,`13 — Mexican soldiers have detained 34 vigilantes who formed part of a "self-defense group" that allegedly kidnapped police officers and seized police equipment earlier this week in the western state of Michoacan.

The army raid in the town of Buenavista represents the strongest blow yet against the growing vigilante movement that has seen masked townspeople throw up checkpoints in several parts of southern and western Mexico. The vigilante groups say they are fighting violence, kidnappings and extortions carried out by drug cartels, but concerns have surfaced that the vigilantes may be violating the law, the human rights of people they detain, or even cooperating with criminals in some cases. Sensitive over their lack of ability to enforce public safety in rural areas, official have, up to now, largely tolerated vigilante groups that have sprung up in Michoacan and neighboring Guerrero state.

But the Buenavista vigilantes apparently overstepped the bounds of that tolerance when they took over the town's police facilities, kidnapped officers and seized police weapons and vehicles earlier this week. The army presented the 34 detainees Thursday, and said that 29 assault rifles had been seized in the raid, along with 15 pistols. The army did not detail how many of those were police weapons. The soldiers freed five municipal police officers and the police chief and recovered a half dozen vehicles the vigilantes had seized. Some of the detainees wore printed T-shirts with the legend "Community Police," and some shouted to journalists, "We are community police!"

There is a semi-official, semi-recognized "community police" system in some parts of Mexico, where heavily Indian communities mete out forms of traditional justice, but the "self-defense groups" are not part of it. The vigilantes seized local police officers after accusing them of supporting one of the drug cartels that have been engaging in turf battles in the area. The Michoacan-based Knights Templar cartel is fighting the Jalisco New Generation gang in the area. However, charges of drug-cartel alliances have flown both ways.

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[LilOlLady]

Mexico needs it's young men and women that are here to help fight their war againts drug cartels. Send them home instead of sending Mexico billions to fight corruption.

 

[editec]

That's what its going to take.

Oh yeah, and those vigilantes are going to have to take down the Mexican officials who are working for the cartels, too.

 

[Unkotare]

We should put our signs all across the country; "MEXICO'S MILITARY NEED YOU." like uncle sam need you.

You think maybe it would be better to put up signs in proper English, you illiterate old broad?

 

[Unkotare]

Mexico should call all it's men home to join the military to fight these drug cartels. Millions in gangs would be a good start them release mexicans in our prisons to fight and clean up Mexico, the we invade and and change regimes. Corrupt leaders.

You think that's why the US invites them up here with promises of all the free stuff that Taxpayers pay for? So they don't revolt against their own oppressive gov't?

Oh but that would be a "conspiracy theory" wouldn't it?

Yes it would, nutjob. Go ask on the Conspiracy Forum.

 

[JQPublic1]

A recentd UPDATE: 29 March 2013

Vigilantes seize town in Mexico and shoot at tourists after 'commander' is killed | Mail Online


]http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ts-commander-killed.html?ICO=most_read_moduleThousands of armed vigilantes takeover Mexican town, arrest police and shoot at tourists after 'commander' is killed and dumped in the street
'Community police' arrest former director of security in Tierra Colorado
They allege he took part in killing of their leader, 28, for criminal cartel
State prosecutors agree to investigate official's links to organised crime
Vigilantes have been stopping traffic at checkpoints and searching homes
Tourist injured after vigilantes opened fire because he failed to stop his car
Takeover comes amid growing 'self defence' movement against cartels

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-tourists-commander-killed.html#ixzz2OtdPzDiZ
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

 

[waltky]

Unkotare wrote: You think maybe it would be better to put up signs in proper English, you illiterate old broad?

Mebbe he's tryin' to say...

... "Jane, you ignorant slut."

 

[editec]

You know when the government has become a wing of the criminals, vigilante justice (which is seldom just, I note) is about the only possible response left to the people.

And usually after the vigilantes overcome the government?

They become the new criminal class.

Power corrupts, folks.

That is the heart of the matter in every government on earth.

 

[MaryL]

Mexico should call all it's men home to join the military to fight these drug cartels. Millions in gangs would be a good start them release mexicans in our prisons to fight and clean up Mexico, the we invade and and change regimes. Corrupt leaders.

You think that's why the US invites them up here with promises of all the free stuff that Taxpayers pay for? So they don't revolt against their own oppressive gov't?

Oh but that would be a "conspiracy theory" wouldn't it?

Yes it would, nutjob. Go ask on the Conspiracy Forum.

Funny, Unakatare, you NEVER post anything unless you are being TOTALLY contrary. Illegal aliens have hurt people, I am one of those people. You want Proof? Non Anecdotal proof? You might be asking too much. I have suffered from illegal aliens, so have a bunch of us on this board, ( I have also been an eye witness in a accident and ALSO and was a jurist and I know, what "anecdotal' means), be that as it may. We are all interested in the truth. Tell us why you post here? What drives you to be so...you know, what you are. Be Honest, OK? Otherwise, you will be put on ignore like any other punk.

 

[Unkotare]

Funny, Unakatare, you NEVER post anything unless you are being TOTALLY contrary. .

You want some cheese with that whine? STFU.

 

[Unkotare]

Illegal aliens have hurt people, I am one of those people. You want Proof? Non Anecdotal proof? You might be asking too much. I have suffered from illegal aliens, so have a bunch of us on this board, ( I have also been an eye witness in a accident and ALSO and was a jurist and I know, what "anecdotal' means), be that as it may. .

You want to show me where you've ever seen me say anything in support of illegal immigration? Can you control your emotions long enough to support or explain your attitude? Since you're so interested in "the truth" and all...

 

[LilOlLady]

Illegal aliens have hurt people. They kill 15 Americans daily and rape 8 children. Put that aside they hurt American economically by taking jobs and lowering wages.
I lot my Black brother and best friend to illegal aliens. He has a lucrative painting business and employed several employers and he was under bid for jobs by contractors who used illegal cheap labor and he was buying rental property and an a home and he lost everything because he could not do jobs for what contractors could by using cheap illegal labor. He lost everything, lost his wife to cancer and finally took his life because he lost everything he has worked 40 years or more for.
There were similar incidents where american lost to illegal aliens.

 

[waltky]

editec wrote: Power corrupts, folks.

And absolute power corrupts absolutely...

... least, dat's what Uncle Ferd says `bout Granny.