Autodefensas Report Surrounding La Tuta's Hideout at Michoacan Mountain Ranch

Borderland Beat posted by "Tuko"

News is very sketchy as to status.  Sorry for the sloppy translation, I am leaving for the day, any update please send me links and I will review when I return...Before you ask, yes Chayo was suppose to be killed in a fierce firefight, but I don't think even the government thinks he is dead at this point...Chivis

"a few moments ago the federal forces arrived to the area of the firefight, and are guarding the area, we ask the federal government for more help to continue guarding the tranquility of these nearby towns, and we ask the community of these areas to denounce any movement of the Templars.

 

We didn't reveal the firefight earlier by strategy, now we will tell you the motive: in the ranch of Cofradia we were informed that the principal leaders El Chayo and La Tuta were hiding there, and without thinking further we went and they were indeed there, which is the reason for the prolonged firefight. we continue to ask for more help, they can be found in the mountains of Cofradia and Holanda, we need all kinds of help to avoid them escaping."

On Tuesday afternoon, dozens of members of the self-defense groups took the  Cancita communities and El Carrizo, in the municipality of Tierra Caliente adjacent to Apatzingán. At press time they were about to enter La Cofradía, but a firefight conflict broke out with Templarios, who blocked us.

At 15 hours, about 20 autodefensea turcks entered  Cancita without much resistance, the population of fewer than 500 inhabitants located 10 kilometers Uspero. Four miles further, in the town of El Carrizo,  we detected at least two haclones of the Templars, who were watching.

Informants fled to a hill, one abandoned his motorcycle and the other pulled his gun and radio. At the top of  Cofradía were other armed criminals.

On the radio, autodefenzas  challenged the Templars to go against them. '' Órale bastards, do not be afraid to topón , let's see if they are as bastards as presumed.'' The response was also provocative:''

After a few minutes, the Templarios in a radio broadcast a narcocorrido that exalts the figure of that group. '' Almost always they play it, is like their anthem'' said a autodefensa.  The verbal fight lasted over half an hour.

At the end of the street of El Carrizo on the bridge that separates the small town , criminals crossed a concrete mix truck to prevent the passage of the autodefensa. A few feet away, they made a barricade with several vehicles and distributed to both sides of the road to face the impending attack.

At 17 hours, Knights Templarios launched a grenade, from far from the autodefenzas. A few minutes shooting from the top of the hill where we heard were Templarios , like the autodefensas members who responded to the grenade with weapons as  bursts of goat horns and R-15. Shotguns and pistols also began to detonate.

Although the population of El Carrizo practically already been abandon, two vans left lagging.   In Uspero and The Cancita three families aboard their vehicles were, intended to go to his home in La Cofradía. The same community that stood guard at these locations asked them to go somewhere else, because there was a confrontation.

Uspero neighbors commented that this town, located roadside Cuatro Caminos Apatzingán was taken peacefully a week ago, but they knew that the presence of the Templarios was higher in La Cofradía

For two hours gunfire was heard and now the autodefensas  is waiting to take La Cofradía, although they know that in the course of the night can be an ambush. No reports of casualties or injuries or military or federal police.

Estanislao Beltran autodefensas  coordinator, said the clashes were more than three hours after the community decided to move to Apatzingán. He said his party had no casualties. Just a few days ago the civil guards occupied La Huerta. '' Not only will we take Apatzingán, but any place where they are Templars '' said the call Commander Five .

At press time, the Interior Ministry denied that the shooting and a confrontation in the Parácuaro Township.

Elements of the Federal Police and the Army went to the site to conduct investigations.

UPDATE:
Information from Proceso from a telephone interview with Papa Smurf- who has surfaced as the premier leader since Dr Manuel Mireles was seriously injured in a plane accident....

Spokesman citizen self-defense groups, Estanislao Beltran said the confrontation with members of the criminal group "The Knights Templar" ended yesterday about eleven o'clock at night, after a shootout that lasted just over four hours.  They planned to enter the community because they  intelligence information  that the community was a safe haven for Templarios and was hiding the premier leader La Tuta at a ranch in the community.

He said the conflict lasted from 4:00 to 8:30PM and although they called for help from the feds, help did not arrive until 11:00PM.  Too late to make a difference.



Quote from Poet and Activist Javier Sicilia

In a Telephone interview , Beltran indicated that the Army and the Federal Police arrived on the scene of the confrontation about midnight and it was only then that the shooting stopped by the attackers.

Reported that according to reports from his colleagues who were at the site, the bursts was prolonged by about 20 minutes and then ceased. So for a little over four hours in total.

He said that after the arrival of the police and military forces, Templario attackers reportedly fled. For now, he said, the situation was somewhat reassured.

The confrontation between the self-defense groups and organized crime occurred in communities Cancita and Carrizo, located in the limits of Apatzingán and Parácuaro.

The heavily armed autodefensas tried to move towards Apatzingán city considered enclave of  Caballeros Templarios

 Since last weekend the autodefensas have been  stationed in four communities near Apatzingán, including La Huerta, located less than 10 minutes from the main town.

click on chart to enlarge

CNN Mexico, La jornada, Proceso-Aristegui-Facebook and BB