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| Mexico: rise of vigilante groups adds to turmoil over crime gangs | Mexico: rise of vigilante groups adds to turmoil over crime gangs |
| (21 days later) | |
| Mexican authorities are struggling to control growing numbers of small town vigilante groups which have taken up arms in the name of protecting their communities against organised crime after local and federal police forces have failed to keep them safe. | Mexican authorities are struggling to control growing numbers of small town vigilante groups which have taken up arms in the name of protecting their communities against organised crime after local and federal police forces have failed to keep them safe. |
| On Monday police in the town of Tixtla in the southern state of Guerrero were attacked and had their weapons taken by one such group. On Tuesday scuffles broke out when the army disarmed another group marching to demand the release of a recently arrested leader. | On Monday police in the town of Tixtla in the southern state of Guerrero were attacked and had their weapons taken by one such group. On Tuesday scuffles broke out when the army disarmed another group marching to demand the release of a recently arrested leader. |
| Also on Tuesday, sympathisers of a self-defence group in the mountain town of Aquila in the neighbouring state of Michoacan accused state police of killing two people after a mass arrest of the local "community guard". "The problem is getting worse and it is a serious matter," said security expert Eduardo Guerrero, who closely monitors the dynamics of Mexico's drug wars and government strategy. "It seems to me that the government does not have clear information from the field and that leads to ambiguity in the response." | Also on Tuesday, sympathisers of a self-defence group in the mountain town of Aquila in the neighbouring state of Michoacan accused state police of killing two people after a mass arrest of the local "community guard". "The problem is getting worse and it is a serious matter," said security expert Eduardo Guerrero, who closely monitors the dynamics of Mexico's drug wars and government strategy. "It seems to me that the government does not have clear information from the field and that leads to ambiguity in the response." |
| Increasing numbers of so-called self-defence groups have been formed across the country over the past year. They typically argue that they have no other option for limiting the abuses carried out by organised criminal groups that operate extorsion and kidnapping networks backed up by extreme violence. | Increasing numbers of so-called self-defence groups have been formed across the country over the past year. They typically argue that they have no other option for limiting the abuses carried out by organised criminal groups that operate extorsion and kidnapping networks backed up by extreme violence. |
| President Enrique Peña Nieto took office in December promising to implement a new strategy in the country's raging drug wars. But although the government claims better co-ordination between different security forces has prompted a drop in the murder rate, violence remains extreme and on Tuesday Peña Nieto was forced to dilute plans for a new national police force to lead the struggle against the cartels. | President Enrique Peña Nieto took office in December promising to implement a new strategy in the country's raging drug wars. But although the government claims better co-ordination between different security forces has prompted a drop in the murder rate, violence remains extreme and on Tuesday Peña Nieto was forced to dilute plans for a new national police force to lead the struggle against the cartels. |
| Security forces have proved unable – and sometimes unwilling – to crack down on organised crime groups, prompting growing support in some areas for vigilante groups. But while many self-defence groups have grown out of local communities, some have themselves been accused of participating in criminal activities, or acting as front organisations for the cartels. | Security forces have proved unable – and sometimes unwilling – to crack down on organised crime groups, prompting growing support in some areas for vigilante groups. But while many self-defence groups have grown out of local communities, some have themselves been accused of participating in criminal activities, or acting as front organisations for the cartels. |
| The particular circumstances triggering the formation of each vigilante group, their type and level of organisation, as well as the sophistication of the weapons they carry, vary greatly from place to place. | The particular circumstances triggering the formation of each vigilante group, their type and level of organisation, as well as the sophistication of the weapons they carry, vary greatly from place to place. |
| "Some are clearly authentic efforts by communities to protect themselves, but others appear to have been infiltrated by criminals [from rival cartels]," said Guerrero. | "Some are clearly authentic efforts by communities to protect themselves, but others appear to have been infiltrated by criminals [from rival cartels]," said Guerrero. |
| He said the phenomenon also fed into divisions within communities, making for highly complex and explosive situations. | He said the phenomenon also fed into divisions within communities, making for highly complex and explosive situations. |
| The movements have been particularly intense in Guerrero and Michoacan, which have both been severely hit by cartel violence and corruption. | The movements have been particularly intense in Guerrero and Michoacan, which have both been severely hit by cartel violence and corruption. |
| In some towns the groups have negotiated with the state authorities, particularly in Guerrero where there was already a well-established tradition of community policing in indigenous communities. | In some towns the groups have negotiated with the state authorities, particularly in Guerrero where there was already a well-established tradition of community policing in indigenous communities. |
| Olinala is one such case in which an initial uprising in October last year was followed by a period of relative calm when the army was deployed in the area. Several months later a community police was formed led by a local woman called Nestora Salgado, but complaints of arbitrary justice soon began to surface. | Olinala is one such case in which an initial uprising in October last year was followed by a period of relative calm when the army was deployed in the area. Several months later a community police was formed led by a local woman called Nestora Salgado, but complaints of arbitrary justice soon began to surface. |
| Federal forces arrested Salgado earlier this month on charges of kidnapping, prompting protests from part of the community including the march on Tuesday that was reportedly disarmed and disbanded amid much shouting and pushing only after hundreds of soldiers surrounded the protesters with a helicopter circling overhead. | Federal forces arrested Salgado earlier this month on charges of kidnapping, prompting protests from part of the community including the march on Tuesday that was reportedly disarmed and disbanded amid much shouting and pushing only after hundreds of soldiers surrounded the protesters with a helicopter circling overhead. |
| Local press reported on Wednesday that the road blockade went ahead anyway with the demand for the return of the weapons added to the call for Salgado's release. | Local press reported on Wednesday that the road blockade went ahead anyway with the demand for the return of the weapons added to the call for Salgado's release. |
| Meanwhile, the official response to the disarming of municipal police by vigilantes in the town of Tixtla has so far been much more tolerant, with governor Angel Aguirre complaining that the violent events obstructed talks with community defence groups, but little else. | Meanwhile, the official response to the disarming of municipal police by vigilantes in the town of Tixtla has so far been much more tolerant, with governor Angel Aguirre complaining that the violent events obstructed talks with community defence groups, but little else. |
| A video of the incident broadcast on national media shows police being beaten up and their guns taken. It also shows police and members of the self-defence group taking up positions behind walls and market stalls, weapons aimed at each other, while civilians run for cover in terror. | A video of the incident broadcast on national media shows police being beaten up and their guns taken. It also shows police and members of the self-defence group taking up positions behind walls and market stalls, weapons aimed at each other, while civilians run for cover in terror. |
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