La Jornada: Arturo Cano
Tierra Caliente, Michoacán - Now it turns out that The Templar, at least this Templar, is good. At the least, his story is moving. An entire family gets out of a taxi. From grandmother to babe in arms. From the other side of the road comes a man whom they smother in hugs and tears. One by one, he picks up and fusses over each child. The affectionate father is a repentant Knight Templar.
Putting on a ski mask, he agrees to be interviewed.
La Jornada: What was your work with The Knights Templar?
"Gunslinger. Or hitman,
yes."
La Jornada:
How long were you with them?
"Four months. Thank God, I had remorse watching so many
people die."
Let's call him Juan ...
escaped from "a ranch on a hill" where he lived with other thugs.
La Jornada: They say that you arrived barefoot. Why?
La Jornada: They say that you arrived barefoot. Why?
"Because they wanted to kill
me, sir. For four days, I wandered around lost. Until I arrived at this
self-defense group that has given me the opportunity to help them."
La Jornada:
They tell me that you were injured when you arrived.
"I arrived very skinny. I wasn't eating or sleeping. My
bare feet were raw from running on the rocks. But I thank God and the
protection of Saint Peter that he shielded me."
La Jornada:
Did you participate in levantones [seizures, kidnappings], in
shootings?
"No, in levantones, no.
We were plotting an explosion to kill many people in these lands."
Members of the self-defense group
who gave shelter to Juan confirm his account. They went to a place
called La Peña, accompanied by ''specialists from the Federal District [Mexico
City]," sent by the government to make off with the explosive devices
.
La Jornada: What kind of bombs were they?
La Jornada: What kind of bombs were they?
"I cannot say, but they were
very strong. Thank God, it was possible to save the lives of many people,"
insists the former Knight Templar.
La Jornada:
Why did you join that group?
"I am poor, and I needed money to support my family. But
I didn't expect to kill a person. I didn't even want to assassinate
anyone."
La Jornada:
What did they offer you to join the Templars?
"They offered me money (12,000
pesos [USD $902] per month), but they are liars, they don't have money,
and they don't pay what they say. They are poor."
La Jornada:
Why do you say they are poor?
"Because they don't have any
support from the leaders who had helped them before."
Since he arrived, about four months
ago, the former Templar has become an enthusiastic member of the self-defense
group, "because this is not a criminal group; on the contrary,
they support and help the people who need it most.''
Since his family still lives in a
place controlled by the Knights, Juan can't return home. So he prefers
to stick with the self-defense group, and he called on the people of the region
to press
"forward in order to take Apatzingán soon. We don't
know what day, but it is going to come."
La Jornada:
What was your job?
"To ensure that no outsiders
entered the ranch [hide-out]."
Now on the other side, Juan
declares himself to be a fighter ''for the peace and freedom of the
people."
Four Former Lookouts
Four teenagers sit very straight, as if the police might interrogate them. Not a muscle moves on their faces. They are punteros [pointers, lookouts]. In other places, they are called halcones [hawks, lookouts]. It is the lowest rung in the organization structure of the cartels.
Toño is 16 and has been a lookout since he was 10 years old. His job was to spend 12 or 24 hours at a certain point and "report the units of Federal Police and soldiers" who passed by there. When his shift ended, he handed over the radio to his relief. The salary was 1,500 pesos [USD $113] a week, although he and his companions complain that they weren't always paid as promised.
José, 20, says that in reality he was also a messenger and errand boy. It was his job to sweep out the hideout and fill gunnysacks for the barricades. His main task, however, was to bring food and drinks to senior Templars.
''Sometimes here, at other times to a few ranches, and
sometimes to some road.''
In that work of bringing chickens,
sodas and crud, it went bad for him.
''Sometimes they called me in the madrugada [between
midnight and dawn] to bring them a coke, and if I fell asleep they punished
me.''
The punishment depended on the size
of the failure, but sometimes they came to tie his hands and feet, blindfold
him and beat for hours.
"It's horrible because you never know what they are going
to do,'' he laments.
Since everyone in Antúñez knew what
they did for a living, once the self-defense groups took control of the
population they brought the punteros to their houses. Now they are in a
community barracks seeking forgiveness by sweeping the ground with brooms,
scrubbing toilets and serving refreshments. It's much the same as the former
Templar who has become an enthusiastic member of the self-defense groups, but
without being beaten.
He refused promotion, then fled
Despite failing to deliver soft drinks, José was at the point of being promoted.
"They were going to let me go with them, because they
said 'you're winning your level, your respect'.''
Out of caution or fear, José
pretended that he had broken his leg. The Templars discovered the ruse, and
José had to flee to Tijuana,
''because they were going to kill me.''
He returned once the self-defense
groups, in their advance toward Apatzingán, took possession of his town. The
advance was stopped solely by the decision of the federal government.
''Pure lies. They said that one shouldn't abuse women, but
they did it. They said they wouldn't make off with girls, but they did that,
too. They said they wouldn't engage in kidnapping, but they kidnapped."
The books by Nazario Moreno [member
of La Familia Michoacana, of which The Knights Templar are a spin-off;
Moreno was responsible for psychologically indoctrinating cartel members and is
credited with writing the so-called 'code', or 'bible'] and postings on The
Knights Templar social networks state that neither alcohol nor drugs are
consumed in their ranks, but the punteros say the gunmen drink and
take drugs.
Their testimonies that they acted
under force weighs tons. José, with his sincere face, puts it like this:
"The truth is, it is a job for lazy jerks, because it
is done seated, or done sitting on a motorbike.''
lol this note and interview is so fake
ReplyDeletethis blog is loosing credibility
They are all a bunch of huevones and coke heads and tweekers.. What EPN needs is work programs like they had here after WW2. Building freeways, railroads, etc..
ReplyDeletenice people to work for, no pay and they beat u
ReplyDeleteMan, I don't buy it with the sicario. When they were in control he had no problem killing people for money. When control shifted he wants to change sides. If power shifted back he'd be the first one to saw your head off with a dull butter knife to get some spare change to buy cigarettes.
ReplyDeleteJust wondering how do the self defense groups know this guys are moles? How can this "ex templarios can be trusted?
ReplyDeleteLa Jornada: Why did you join that group?
ReplyDelete"I am poor, and I needed money to support my family. But I didn't expect to kill a person. I didn't even want to assassinate anyone."
what the hell did he think a cartel would do?
Lmao no kidding
DeleteWash cars like z40 and his brothers.
Deletebut how many people he killed kidnapped extorted and raped? since there are so many people that joined the defense groups they need to be carefull with the ex cartel members and the criminals with drug and prison records. and of those that where deported from the usa for drugs and gun offenses because the familia and templars have alot of prople in the usa. just saying because real crminals dont change their ways and have second agendad.
ReplyDeleteI question the " facts" of this story also. The leaders have made it clear that if it is known that a person was ever a narco they are not welcomed. Citizens rat them out. There are 125k autodefensas that can be gathered in a couple of hrs, they do not need reformed narcos, too risky, even those proposing to be reformed.
ReplyDeleteMy opnion, this guy is a mole. May even get to kill the Dr.
Delete6:15...I agree and so do the leaders, Mireles and Mora have stated many times they do not accept ex narcos. and weeding them out is an ongoing process
ReplyDeleteThus story highlights how the leadership of the autodefensa can be infiltrated by a narco assassin.
DeleteWhat about ex-wannabe narcos,cause there are a lot of those,I wonder if they accept them.
DeleteINSPIRING STORY, thanks for the post and all time & effort involved.
ReplyDeleteS
Knight Templar bores me to death. They are not exciting!
ReplyDeleteClearly controlled opposition.
ReplyDeleteEse es el f1 del cdg
ReplyDeleteThats el f1 from cdg zacatecas. Comandante panchito
ReplyDeleteInteresting interview, thanks for posting!
ReplyDeleteAs always I think it's important to look at reasons WHY it might be fake. If this guy were just a regular communitario and NOT an ex-narco, but thought he could portray the Templars in the kind of light that might make young people NOT want to join, why wouldn't he? I noticed he said they were often not paid, and that they were mistreated by more senior Templars. This may well be true, but if I were trying to think of rumours to spread to dissuade young people from joining, thereby maybe weakening my enemies (the CT), that's the way I'd do it.
Feynman
"The salary was 1,500 pesos [USD $113] a week, although he and his companions complain that they weren't always paid as promised." Of course not. It is easy to hire many people with promises while only the higher ups and leaders keep all the money. Volunteers are a dime a dozen.
ReplyDeleteCIA should help the auto defense out or maybe they are
ReplyDeletefinally, some snitches, hope we have a a reaction from tuta about this betrayal.
ReplyDeleteSupposedly CT has 500 troops. You can be sure as money and moral runs low, CT will be left with maybe 100 hardcore troops.
ReplyDeleteIf the current trend continues CT is finished, if they are not already!
Totally fake! So BB has definitely stopped reporting on execution vids right?? Chivis had claimed No we still show them but clearly BB has changed it's policy and now doesn't show any.....pathetic because your obv trying to be like the main stream media
ReplyDeleteOh boo how. BB reporting on a major movement against a Cartel which has implications for all of Mexico isn't as fun as lopped head videos ... Boo hoo hoo hoo.
DeleteGo visit a gore site pendejo.
If they talking about d templarios why they a pic of el f1 del cdg zacatecas
ReplyDelete4:54pm y con que van a construir,si todo el dinero se lo roban los del pinche gobierno,que ademas no puede imprimir su propio dinero.
ReplyDeletees como en US,que le exigen a toda la gente huevona que trabaja en las estampillas y el welfare que trabajen,cuando los que exigen eso son los mismos que han mandado los trabajos a china y a la gente de los US a chingar a su madre,de los pocos trabajos que quedan,la gente tiene que pagarle a la agencia que les consiguio el trabajo,de los buenos trabajos que quedan si no estas bien parado con "alguien" no hay,sospecho que nomas los que trafican se acomodan,si no rolas la chingadera, no rola la feria,y eso mientras te chinga la chota,ya en el bote,todos tus amigos andan sobre de tu vieja y tus hijas,y pos que van a hacer...
6:42 BB has a lot of fans,we are happy just the way it is,what is pathetic is that you can't find happiness,and demand and whine because you don't see here what you want. with so many places available, looking for customers like you, that would be happy to have you, even to whack you for the ultimate high, and you stick around here,move on mama move on...
ReplyDeleteto all concerned PRISSY ASSES only:
ReplyDeleteBB has had about 40 million visitors. fake or not, it is good enough for us as it is, and that is without claiming perfection,the impossible quest.
While differing opinions are welcome, i don't see the need to put up with plain putdowns,from assholes that can not even explain where is the error or the criticism deservedly or not belong,if the site lacks the treats you are looking for, what keeps you coming here? i know you can't say it, here, but with time you won't see your popo posted anymore because it simply is not worthy, from any angle not even to show you that it gets done,by the time you think you have someone from the ying-yangs, it usually is the ying-yangs up your ass, then it is GAME OVER