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| UPOEG in Mazatlán, Guerrero. Photo: Ezequiel Flores |
Proceso: Ezequiel Flores Contreras
Translated by Brittany DossLeaders of the Regional Livestock Union of Guerrero (UGRG) announced an alliance with the self-defense groups in the Union of Peoples and Organizations of Guerrero (UPOEG) to reverse the effects of drug violence in the regions of Costa Grande [Great Coast], Costa Chica [Small Coast], Tierra Caliente [Hot Land], Norte [North], and Montaña [Mountain].
While making the announcement, the leader of UGRG, Atalo Niño Ramírez, said that the wave of kidnappings and murders against the livestock sector has led to the abandonment of ranches and a decline in production, especially in the regions of Norte and Tierra Caliente, where crime has complete control of both territories.
Given the lack of security in the state, he added, the livestock sector decided to make an alliance with the self-defense groups of UPOEG to defend their lives and property.
“The State doesn’t guarantee security measures. We farmers defend ourselves. Every person defends himself. Unfortunately, the situation is complicated,” said the leader of UGRG.
The organization was previously headed by the cacique [political strongman] and PRI mayor of Petatlán, Rogaciano Alba Álvarez, who is imprisioned in Altiplano for alleged ties to drug trafficking.
According to Niño Ramírez, the organization has an important role for the livestock industry, because the state has an area of 6.5 million hectares [16 million acres or 25,000 sq. mi.], of which 2.45 million (38%) [6.1 million acres or 9,460 sq. mi.] are used for livestock, which includes 41,359 units of livestock production for 47,000 families in the 81 municipalities that make up the 7 regions.
For his part, the leader of the UPOEG, Bruno Plácido Valerio, explained that the alliance, called Security System and Civil Justice (SSJC), will enable the area where it has presence to guarantee security, for which it will assume the obligation that belongs to the authorities of the three levels of government.
“Let’s take the issue of cattle stealing. In areas where we have presence, cattle stealing has already declined greatly. This alliance is to make a front to defend ourselves and work together to resolve social conflicts,” the indigenous activist indicated.He added that regarding security for the livestock farmers, they will not go beyond the strategy that will be implemented in conjunction with UGRG.
Plácido Valerio said that in the area known as El Ocotito, in the municipality of Chilpancingo [state capital], the livestock farmers took on security functions and made tours on horseback to retrieve ranches seized by criminals. Many, he said, have already been retrieved.
In the press conference, the leader of UPOEG noted that in the self-defense group movement he leads, “citizen police” are entrepreneurs, farmers, and traders. “Ultimately we are uniting as a whole,” he emphasized.
The UGRG brings together 45,600 farmers in the organization, with an inventory of 2,989,000 heads of cattle, pigs, and goats, which represents 65% of the state GDP, according to its president.
This organization was directed by the former mayor of Petatlán PRI, Rogaciano Alba Álvarez, "Mr. Sombrero", a buddy of the former governor, Rubén Figueroa Alcocer, whom the federal government linked with the Sinaloa cartel.
Currently the criminal group of Mr. Sombrero, based in Petatlán, and in alliance with its former rivals, the Los Granados gang, maintains a dispute with assassins under the service of the Knights Templar for control of the drug corridor that connects the region of the Great Coast with Acapulco and the state of Michoacán.
With this background, the president of UGRG distanced the organization from the Guerrero kingpin and argued that this is a new organization that has no sort of relationship with Rogaciano Alba Álvarez. Spanish original