ACAPULCO, Mexico (AP) — Hundreds of armed vigilantes have taken control of a town on a major highway in the Pacific coast state of Guerrero, arresting local police officers and searching homes after a vigilante leader was killed. Several opened fire on a car of Mexican tourists headed to the beach for Easter week.
Members of the area's self-described "community police" say more than 1,500 members of the force were stopping traffic Wednesday at improvised checkpoints in the town of Tierra Colorado, which sits the highway connecting Mexico City to Acapulco. They arrested 12 police and the former director of public security in the town after a leader of the state's vigilante movement was slain on Monday.
A tourist heading to the beach with relatives was slightly wounded Tuesday after they refused to stop at a roadblock and vigilantes fired shots at the car, officials said.
The vigilantes accuse the ex-security director of participating in the killing of vigilante leader Guadalupe Quinones Carbajal, 28, on behalf of local organized crime groups and dumping his body in a nearby town on Monday. They reported seizing several high-powered rifles from his car, and vigilantes were seen toting a number of sophisticated assault rifles on Wednesday, although it was not clear if all had been taken from the ex-security director's car.
"We have besieged the municipality, because here criminals operate with impunity in broad daylight, in the view of municipal authorities. We have detained the director of public security because he is involved with this criminals and he knows who killed our commander," said Bruno Placido Valerio, a spokesman for the vigilante group.
Photo: Bernadino Hernandez
Placido said vigilantes had searched a number of homes in the town and seized drugs from some. They turned over the ex-security director and police officers to state prosecutors, who agreed to investigate their alleged ties to organized crime.
The growing movement of "self-defense" vigilante groups has seen masked townspeople throw up checkpoints in several parts of southern and western Mexico, stopping passing motorists to search for weapons or people whose names are on hand-written lists of "suspects" wanted for crimes like theft and extortion.
The vigilantes have opened fire before on motorists who refused to stop, slightly wounding a pair of tourists from Mexico City visiting a local beach in early February.
The 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 largely tolerated vigilante groups.
That's a start
ReplyDeleteYou are so correct 5:01PM! What the heck have they been waiting for? I know they have been reving up for it lately-but this was a brilliant development.
DeleteSadly this is what needs to be done. There might be collateral,damage but,far better ,than the cartels ,corrupt government and police.Purge the scum.!Take back the country.
ReplyDeleteIf the vigilantes actually help people and stop crime they will be branded as terrorists. The united states will demand their torture and execution.
ReplyDeleteThis is an incredible thing to be happening during Semana Santa. Pretty much blows my mind even though it has been happening more and more recently.basically nothing should surprise after last weekend. Thank you Borderland Beat
ReplyDeleteArriba Guerrero!!!
ReplyDeleteEl estado de indios! Arriba Jalisco!!!
DeleteJaliscillo pendejo. Tenemos la misma sangre ignorante. Sangre mexicana.
DeleteI don´t think these are the same ones who shot the tourists, these are the communitarian police from Ayutla and Tecoanapa, 2 small communities in the middle of nowhere, not by the road to Acapulco.
ReplyDeleteOne of the problems I see with this is that not all vigilantes will become criminals, but some WILL take advantage of their power and become corrupt. I'm sure it's happening already, it's natural for it to happen.
ReplyDeleteI hope the outcome of this is that it puts pressure on the police to resist cooperating with the cartels. Hopefully they recognize the absurdity of prosecuting the vigilantes, and instead crack down harder on cartels so the vigilantes become unnecessary.
You guys agree?
"If the vigilantes actually help people and stop crime they will be branded as terrorists. The united states will demand their torture and execution"
ReplyDeleteHell no, we are cheering them on.
No le da verguenza a Pena nieto q Los propios pobladores son la ley en vez De pagar a policias narcos mejor pangenle al Pueblo gobierno De verguenza
ReplyDeleteWhere's comandante Marcos?
ReplyDeleteRight know their fighting because theyre tired of the local cartels fucking them over but if and when they defeat the other cartels their gonna start doing the same thing that the other cartels are doing to them extorsion, kidnapping, selling drugs...i think that becAuse they sound orginized and with orginization comes the posibility to become
ReplyDeleteWay to go!
ReplyDeleteIn fact this type of community vigilantes should have been started long, long ago since this is the only way left to wipe out the drug cartels!!!!
That it hasn't can only show the collusion of the Mexican government with the drug cartels.
They must defend themselves and their families. No one else is going to.
ReplyDeletejust don't shoot freaking gringo tourist...
ReplyDeleteNot in the least bit sad about this developement. What's that stupid alcalde have to say about it? Something as smart as his comment about the rapes of the Spanish tourists?
ReplyDeleteBravo! Huevos grandes! Bravo!
ReplyDeleteWhy stop at the cartels! Go after the PRI cartel also! These commuity police can be the catalyst for la primavera Mexicana! Let the battle of México begin
ReplyDeleteWhy is this news? You can only push the good Mexicans around for so long before they snap and FIGHT BACK. I don't feel sorry at all for those fake cops. Time for them to get what they sowed for years.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of many turning points... citizens arresting police. Mexico is heading to all out civil war. Think about it.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that the locals are doing a better job than the government. Take some of the confiscated weapons and give then to the citizens. What do the Mexican people have to loss, it can not get any worse for them.
ReplyDeletehttp://news.msn.com/crime-justice/mexican-vigilantes-seize-town-arrest-police
ReplyDeleteI found this article on msn when I logged on to my computer this morning. Maybe the U.S. could report more about what is going on in Mexico.
This is the start of a civil war, everyone against everyone things are only going to get worst.
ReplyDeleteYou are our what mexico nveeds. And clearlywhat america neess. Spewally with gun toioting trigga happy Law enforcement who constantly killd our youth.
ReplyDeleteAnd thn say they thought he had a gun. When nothig ever showed up
These 'vigilantes' will get a taste of power and money and will turn into a gang of their own selling drugs, extorting and abusing civilians. This is what always happens when you are in a situation of anarchy.
ReplyDeleteThis is the result of a weak central government, exactly what some people want in the USA. Pretty, isn't it?
If the police are in the same team as cartel players and thieves and who are making civilians and families live in a climate of fear and intimidation,then those police are no longer relevant or needed for decent people.Remove them the way you would remove thieves,rapists,killers,etc,they are no good anymore.Treat corrupt police the same way you treat other common criminals,because that's what they are,worse in fact,they are being paid to protect communities not prey on them and facilitate crime.Corrupt police are even worse than criminals,they are the oil that makes it run smoothly and more efficiently.We should support these communities,at least they are trying,what else can they possibly do?Rely on the police?
ReplyDeletesomeone should tell these people to put up a sign (in Spanish and English) identifying who they are. Otherwise a visitor who does not know them could easily assume they are just another paramilitary group working for a cartel. It doesn't matter if these vigilantes "know" who they are ... nobody from the outside knows them!
ReplyDeleteSi, una buena idea! Like some type of patch, Id or something not expensive or ttypically used or easily copied. We should think on it. Group effort to help the Mexican Vigilante cause. I think it is a good idea, but they've done this well by themselves. So, I'm going to STFU but I will say Keep On!
DeleteAriva Emiliano Zapata y toda la revolucion mexicana
ReplyDeleteExcelsior has a good article regarding Tierra Colorada plus a video clip...
ReplyDeleteAsesinan a comandante de grupos de autodefensa en Guerrero
Los grupos de autodefensa sitiaron el Ayuntamiento de Tierra Colorada y tienen detenido al director de Seguridad Pública, Óscar Ulises Valles y a ocho policías locales
Rolando Aguilar/Corresponsal
26/03/2013 23:31
the vigilantes should look into arresting a mayor, state prosecutor, top defense attorney in the area, a governor, and a few bankers. and a few judges as well.
ReplyDeletei could see a tourist being scared and not wanting to stop
ReplyDeleteenglish signs would be good and maybe some old people and children sitting out with the check point
~~~el spaceio~~~
In the United States the Military would have you all arrested. Try doing this in the United States and see what happens. Also your checkpoints are unconstitutional and there is no law saying anyone has to obey these individuals. By them shooting at civilians they should receive prison sentences for life. I know the situation in Mexico is bad, but this does not give these people the right to play wanna be cops in town.
ReplyDeleteA solution to this instead would be to call the national guard, military, or the marines to this location as they already are in Mexico.