Vigilante militias that have fought a drug cartel in western Mexico for a year entered a key gang bastion on Saturday, manning checkpoints and helping federal forces find criminals.
The civilian self-defense forces had their eye on Apatzingan for months, saying it was the "crown jewel" of the Knights Templar gang and a vital trade hub for the region's lime and avocado farmers.
Vigilante leader Estanislao Beltran said that hundreds of his colleagues manned checkpoints outside the Michoacan state city of 120,000 to "check who goes in and out."
Heavily armed men were seen building walls of sandbags outside Apatzingan, the main city in Michoacan's Tierra Caliente (Hot Land), a lush agricultural region.
Another 150 vigilantes were deployed with police and military patrols inside Apatzingan to search "all the homes" of suspected gang members.
The vigilantes said they had captured Antonio Plancarte, the brother of a recently arrested Knights Templar leader. Authorities did not confirm Plancarte's detention.
Fernando Cano, the Michoacan state deputy government secretary, said the vigilantes who went into the city were unarmed.
Cano said the men were members of new "rural defense" forces that were recently formed under the army's oversight to legalize the vigilante movement.
- Praying for peace -
Catholic churchgoers packed the Apatzingan Cathedral late Saturday, where the vicar, Gregorio Lopez -- best known as "Father Goyo" -- celebrated mass and prayed a rosary "for peace."
The priest, who considers the fight against drug gangs one of his top duties, then led a rally in the town plaza. The crowd of some 400 that gathered to hear him included local residents and vigilantes.
Lopez, who wears a bullet-proof vest even when he celebrates mass, has organized peace rallies such as these with no authorization from the Catholic hierarchy.
Hipolito Mora, a vigilante spokesman who earlier met privately with Lopez, urged the crowd to "trust the government, to cooperate in handing them information."
- Vigilantes take charge -
Fed up with the local police's failure to curb the cartel's reign of violence and extortion, civilians began to form vigilante units a year ago in Tierra Caliente.
The movement has since grown, posing the biggest security challenge of President Enrique Pena Nieto's administration.
Pena Nieto deployed thousands of troops to Michoacan in May, but the continuing violence forced him to focus more forces last month in Tierra Caliente.
In late January, the federal government decided to legalize the movement. Around 600 have signed up so far of an estimated 20,000 vigilantes.
Beltran said the force entered Apatzingan in coordination with the federal government.
In October, the army had prevented vigilantes from entering Apatzingan with their weapons. Those who went in unarmed were met with gunfire.
The self-defense forces have since seized several towns around Apatzingan, essentially surrounding the city.
The Knights Templar, a cult-like gang that claims to be the protector of Michoacan, has accused the vigilantes of working as a proxy force for the rival Jalisco New Generation drug cartel.
Some officials indicated last year that some vigilante groups might have been infiltrated by the Jalisco cartel.
But more recently the vigilantes have been seen as allies of the federal government.
The Knights Templar import drug precursors from Asia to cook crystal meth that they then export to the United States.
The gang has also taken hold of much of Michoacan's economy, demanding protection payments from farmers and shopkeepers as well as extracting iron ore that they then export to China.
Vigilante militias that have fought a drug cartel in western Mexico for a year entered a key gang bastion on Saturday, manning checkpoints and helping federal forces find criminals.
The civilian self-defense forces had their eye on Apatzingan for months, saying it was the “crown jewel” of the Knights Templar gang and a vital trade hub for the region’s lime and avocado farmers.
Vigilante leader Estanislao Beltran said that hundreds of his colleagues manned checkpoints outside the Michoacan state city of 120,000 to “check who goes in and out.”
Heavily armed men were seen building walls of sandbags outside Apatzingan, the main city in Michoacan’s Tierra Caliente (Hot Land), a lush agricultural region.
Another 150 vigilantes were deployed with police and military patrols inside Apatzingan to search “all the homes” of suspected gang members.
The vigilantes said they had captured Antonio Plancarte, the brother of a recently arrested Knights Templar leader. Authorities did not confirm Plancarte’s detention.
Fernando Cano, the Michoacan state deputy government secretary, said the vigilantes who went into the city were unarmed.
Cano said the men were members of new “rural defense” forces that were recently formed under the army’s oversight to legalize the vigilante movement.
– Praying for peace –
Catholic churchgoers packed the Apatzingan Cathedral late Saturday, where the vicar, Gregorio Lopez — best known as “Father Goyo” — celebrated mass and prayed a rosary “for peace.”
The priest, who considers the fight against drug gangs one of his top duties, then led a rally in the town plaza. The crowd of some 400 that gathered to hear him included local residents and vigilantes.
Lopez, who wears a bullet-proof vest even when he celebrates mass, has organized peace rallies such as these with no authorization from the Catholic hierarchy.
Hipolito Mora, a vigilante spokesman who earlier met privately with Lopez, urged the crowd to “trust the government, to cooperate in handing them information.”
– Vigilantes take charge –
Fed up with the local police’s failure to curb the cartel’s reign of violence and extortion, civilians began to form vigilante units a year ago in Tierra Caliente.
The movement has since grown, posing the biggest security challenge of President Enrique Pena Nieto’s administration.
Pena Nieto deployed thousands of troops to Michoacan in May, but the continuing violence forced him to focus more forces last month in Tierra Caliente.
In late January, the federal government decided to legalize the movement. Around 600 have signed up so far of an estimated 20,000 vigilantes.
Beltran said the force entered Apatzingan in coordination with the federal government.
In October, the army had prevented vigilantes from entering Apatzingan with their weapons. Those who went in unarmed were met with gunfire.
The self-defense forces have since seized several towns around Apatzingan, essentially surrounding the city.
The Knights Templar, a cult-like gang that claims to be the protector of Michoacan, has accused the vigilantes of working as a proxy force for the rival Jalisco New Generation drug cartel.
Some officials indicated last year that some vigilante groups might have been infiltrated by the Jalisco cartel.
But more recently the vigilantes have been seen as allies of the federal government.
The Knights Templar import drug precursors from Asia to cook crystal meth that they then export to the United States.
The gang has also taken hold of much of Michoacan’s economy, demanding protection payments from farmers and shopkeepers as well as extracting iron ore that they then export to China.
