Autodefensas Leader Dr Mireles in Plane Crash

Chivis Martinez for Borderland Beat
PGR will be in charge of the plane accident investigation

Video: Dr. Mireles arrival at the hospital

 

The first reports were not as critical sounding  as those that followed, and this is a breaking story that is evolving but here is what has been reported.

As follows from La Voz Michoacán:

The leader of the self-defense group in Michoacán, José Manuel Mireles Valverde, was in a plane accident in the vicinity of La Huacana after a forced landing of the plane he was traveling in.   This accident allegedly resulted in minor injuries that do not put at risk, said the leader of the group of armed civilians in Buenavista Tomatlán.

Other details:

The accident, near La Huacana, was at first thought the result of an attack.

The group was on the way to Parácuaro when the accident occurred where people took up arms just hours ago this on one of the FB libertad  Michoacán pages, this was posted 5 hours ago and is the reason Dr. Mireles was travelling there.  Parácuaro  is close to Apatzingán and is a stronghold of Caballeros Templarios:

"As of today in the town of Parácuaro we began to live free!

Parácuaro free!

Parácuaro with freedom!"

After the citizens takeover of Parácuaro (see photo above), gunmen blocked the Cuatro Caminos-Apatzingán highway in Michoacán.

Traffic was interrupted, so that hundreds of vehicles have been stranded.

This road connects the town of Parácuaro.

Dr Mireles was transferred to Morelia and is in critical condition

One person is dead, all others injured including the leader of Tepalcatepec, José Santiago (foto below).   (facts will change, the story is so fluid I am searching and posting what I can find from reliable sources)

He was travelling with four other people all male with the exception of one female.

Later updates say the plane was not shot down or attacked

Mireles became under a personal attack from all levels of the government.  He has been accused of acting illegally, and being an ex con.  Dr. Mireles is firm in his protection under the constitution to bear arms and self-govern.  Several articles of the constitution unequivocally support his declaration.  Article 10 and article 2 are strong points for bearing arms and self-governing.  Autodefensa groups have long been established in Mexico, and have produced impressive statistics of massive drops in crime.  80-90%.

The medical profession has always rejected the allegations against Dr Mireles and says the movement emerged by citizenship suffering from  insecurity and extortion organized crime and the state's inability or refusal to I challenge cartels.

Michoacán state government spokesman, Julio Hernández accused, without presenting evidence, that Mireles had been in jail from 1988 to 1992 on charges of planting and harvesting of marijuana, the doctor rejects accusations flatly.  There has never been any evidence that this is true in any measure.

Update: upon his arrival at the hospital he was assessed as having a traumatic brain injury and either a broken or dislocated jaw he was transferred via Federal Police  Blackhawk Helicopter

Announcement from PGJE of Michoacán: Aircraft left Guadalajara 17:34 hours towards Tepalcatepec

Strong Police Deployment Mexican Army elite guard and surround the hospital

PGR (federal not state) will be in charge of the plane accident investigation

Video:  Deployment below as helicopter above  arrives at hospital


A report sent in by "Choco" from Quadratin (computer translated)
José Manuel Mireles , the icon of self-defense groups operating in Michoacán since February 24 , was seriously injured as a result of an alleged plane crash occurred the night of Saturday in the town of La Huacana . Government reports state that around 20:30 pm an aircraft tried to make a landing on a makeshift dirt track of that municipality of Tierra Caliente region , and then supposedly collapsed. Result of the incident allegedly killed one person and the other four or five people on board,  were seriously injured . The information available; at 22:30  the leader of the Self-Defense Council Michoacán suffered head trauma , so admitted to a hospital in Huacana and was the version that was later taken by helicopter to Morelia .


Hipólito José Manuel Mireles and Mora are the precursors of self-defense groups that emerged in Michoacan to fight the Knights Templar , the first led Tepalcatepec making , the other that of Buenavista Tomatlán , neighboring municipalities of Tierra Caliente . According to information released by the social networking Self Defense Council , José Manuel Mireles suffered injuries to internal organs besides his health picture is complicated because he  has diabetes . The alleged air mishap came hours after self-defense forces stormed the town of Parácuaro to fill the county seat and put checkpoints at the entrances of the town, was in this city where he allegedly took off the aircraft that collided in Huacana , according to the same reports that spread in social networks by followers of the physician.