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| Lead by José Manuel Mireles (yellow shirt), dozens of members of self-defense groups traveled by caravan from Apatzingán to Nueva Italia. They wear indigenous Purépecha sombreros, a tradtional symbol of Michoacán identity. Photo: Víctor Camacho |
La Jornada: Ernesto Martinez Elorriaga
Morelia, Michoacán - Dozens of vehicles paraded through the main streets of the the city of Uruapan, as part of a movement to refuse to disarm the self-defense groups. There was also a caravan from Apatzingán to Nueva Italia. Meanwhile, in other municipalities where the community guards are present, they are organizing to advance the fight against organized crime, members of the self-defense group in Apatzingán assured.
Taxis, vans with signs on the doors and some vehicles of the self-defense groups left from the Uruapan exit to San Juan Nuevo, where they maintain barricades, and toured the industrial boulevard of Paseo a la Revolution, then went to the Cupatitizio National Park and finally to the center city. Among the protesters were some people who called for the departure of the federal forces and the commissioner for Security and Comprehensive Development of Michoacán, Alfredo Castillo.
Meanwhile, the spokesman for the self-defense groups, José Manuel Mireles, demanded the federal government fulfill the eight-point agreement signed on January 27, which would facilitate the institutionalization of the community guards [as rural defense forces, under Army supervision] and allow them to defend themselves against organized crime. Otherwise, everything that has been achieved will collapse and they will remain at the mercy of criminals.
Nine days before the deadline set by the federal government for the disarmament, self-defense groups are entrenched in towns like Chinicuila, Coalcomán, Tancítaro, Parácuaro, Uruapan, San Juan Nuevo and Aguilla, among others, where they have broad community support.
Meanwhile, in the 30 municipalities that the self-defense groups fully or partially control, tensions remain over the announcement of the federal government regarding the disarmament. There are still road blockades and rejection of the federal forces in most of theTierra Caliente [Hot County] region. Spanish original